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Dan's Wilderness Page

Welcome to my wilderness page.

Things to bring for going paddling.

CAMP SAW		With a camp saw you will be able to quickly cut down branches to make a shelter or for firewood. You can do this with your multipurpose tool too but having a real saw will save you a lot of energy and frustration. You can also use a camp saw as a snow saw to cut hard snow into building blocks for a snow shelter.
TENT		Big enough tent, (or tents) to house all the people you are bringing. Cheap decent tents from Target or Wal-Mart will do just fine. Don't get tents bigger than they need to be since you have to carry them on your backs.
FOOD		Bring plenty of high energy food. Don't waste your money on fancy energy bars though. Chocolate bars and granola bars are just as good and they taste better too.
STEEL WIRE		I always bring some steel wire in my canoe just in case something breaks. Steel wire is great for fixing stuff.
MULTI PURPOSE TOOL		Whether you're a Swiss army knife or Leatherman tool type of person you need to have a multi purpose tool with you.
LIGHTWEIGHT STOVE		Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to bring fuel for your stove. Well I don't, I have a Trailstove that runs on wood, I just pick up some twigs at my camp site and cook away. I would never consider going back to a gas stove.
FLASH LIGHT		A good flashlight is an absolute necessity on every single trip to the backcountry.

Kill animals with a deadfall trap.

This is the most simple type of trap you can make but it's very deadly, it will kill or cripple an animal easily. Don't do this unless it's a life and death situation.

Find a heavy log that can be lifted up on one side.

Put a round rock on the ground under one edge of the log.

Find a good strong stick that can support the log.

Find a smaller stick to hold the bait.

Put one edge of the bait stick on the round rock, lift the log up and support it with the strong stick. The bait stick should be wedged between the strong stick and the round rock and with the other end suspended in the air under the log.

Carefully put the bait on the bait stick and walk away.

Biscayne National Park

Homestead, FL

Turquoise waters, emerald islands and fish-bejeweled reefs make Biscayne National Park a paradise for wildlife-watching, snorkeling, diving, boating, fishing and other activities. Within the park boundaries are the longest stretch of mangrove forest left on Florida's east coast, the clear shallow waters of Biscayne Bay, over 40 of the northernmost Florida Keys, and a spectacular living coral reef. Superimposed on all of this natural beauty is evidence of 10,000 years of human history, including stories of native peoples, shipwrecks, pirates, pioneers, and Presidents.

CONTACTS

Email - BISC_Information@nps.gov

Fax- 305-230-1190

Write to
9700 SW 328 Street
Homestead, FL 33033-5634

Phone
Headquarters - 305-230-1144
Visitor Information - 305-230-7275

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
The water portion of Biscayne National Park is open 24 hours a day. Convoy Point is open daily (except December 25) from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Dante Fascell Visitor Center is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Getting There
PLANE - Closest major airport is Miami International, approximately 35 miles from the park.

CAR - Convoy Point (park headquarters and the Dante Fascell Visitor Center) is located nine miles east of Homestead, Florida, on SW 328 Street. Please use the link above for detailed driving directions.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - None.

Weather & Climate
Summers are warm, with light breezes and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are mild and dry, but windy.

Accessibility
Ramps, elevators and boardwalks make Convoy Point and the Dante Fascell Visitor Center fully accessible to those with mobility challenges. Audiovisual programs are closed-captioned and available in both English and Spanish. Translations of the Park's brochure are available in Spanish, French, German and Japanese. On the islands, restrooms are accessible, but some of the buildings are not. Concessioner operated boat trips are accessible with assistance. Concessioner-operated boat trips are accessible with assistance

Getting Around
Biscayne National Park is 95% water, so seeing anything beyond the visitor center area requires a boat. The park's concessioner offers several options.

FEES/PERMITS

Activity Fee
CAMPING
$10 for Day
Campsite on Elliott Key or Boca Chita Key. Fee covers up to 6 people and two tents. Does not include boat transportation to the island. Note that if you have a boat in the harbor, a campsite is included in the $15/night docking fee.

GROUP CAMPING
$25 for Day
Group camping areas are located on both Elliott and Boca Chita Key. Fee covers up to 6 tents and 25 people. Call 305-230-1144, x 3071 to reserve.

OVERNIGHT BOAT DOCKING
$15 for Day
Overnight docking in either Elliott Key or Boca Chita Key Harbors. Includes one campsite.

Permits
BOCA CHITA KEY PAVILION RENTAL
$100 for Half Day
Exclusive use of the Boca Chita Key Pavilion can be assured by calling 305-230-1144, x 3071 to obtain a permit.

CAMPING

Boca Chita Key Campground
Open All Year
Open, waterside, grassy camping area with picnic tables and grills. Toilets are available on the island, but there are no sinks, showers or drinking water. ACCESSIBLE BY BOAT ONLY. To arrange for transportation to the island with the park's concessioner, call 305-230-1100. Fees: $10/night/site; $15/night/site if you have a boat in the harbor. Paying fees is the responsibility of the camper. Any vessel in the harbor after 6:00 p.m. is considered an overnight stay, and fees must be paid at the kiosk near the harbor.
For More Information on this campground please call 305-230-7275

Elliott Key Campground
Open All Year
Waterside and forested camping areas on a 7-mile long island. Picnic tables and grills are available. Restrooms with sinks and cold water showers are available. Drinking water is available on the island, but bring some of your own as a precaution should the system go down. Two trails tunnel through the island's tropical hardwood hammock. One trail runs the entire 7-mile of the island (14 miles roundtrip), and another loops for approximately one mile near the harbor. ACCESSIBLE BY BOAT ONLY. To arrange for transportation to the island with the park's concessioner, call 305-230-1100. Fees: $10/night/site; $15/night/site if you have a boat in the harbor. Paying fees is the responsibility of the camper. Any vessel in the harbor after 6:00 p.m. is considered an overnight stay, and fees must be paid at the kiosk near the harbor.
For More Information on this campground please call 305-230-7275

FACILITIES

DANTE FASCELL VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year 8:30 a.m to 5:00 p.m.
Phone - 305-230-7275
Location - Nine miles east of Homestead, Florida on SW 328 Street.
Closures - Closed Christmas Day.
Special Programs - Ranger-guided boat tours daily at 10:00 a.m., weather permitting (fee charged). Ranger's Choice program offered Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 2:30 p.m.. Additional special programs offered throughout the year; visit www.nps.gov/bisc/calendar.htm for details.
Exhibits - Permanent display takes visitors through the park's four ecosystems (mangrove forest, bay, keys and coral reef) using dioramas, audio and video.
Available Facilities - Visitor information, films, interpretive programs, bookstore, picnic area, short walking trail, restrooms, first aid, gift shop.

Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service