Biscayne National Park

Fact Sheet
Biscayne National Park was established when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a bill
to turn it into a preserved area on October 18, 1968.

Representative Dante Fascell led congress to creating the bill to protect the Biscayne
area. The visitors center is named after Fascell in honor of his contributions to the park.

Biscayne National Park is in the northern Florida Keys, just south of downtown Miami.

The park is 95 percent water and five percent land.

Over 500 species of reef fish, neo-tropical water birds and about 20 threatened and
endangered species inhabit the park.

Hundreds of plants, some of which are endangered, grow within the park.

The park consists of four ecosystems: the mangrove forest along the mainland shoreline,
the southern area of Biscayne Bay, the northern Florida Keys and a portion the third
largest coral reef in the world.

The longest stretch of mangroves on the left of Floridas east coast is protected by the
park

The parks Maritime Heritage Trail holds many remains of historic shipwrecks.
Mandalay, Erl King and Alicia are among the few wrecks that can be seen within the bay.

The Fowey Lighthouse is a historic site that can be found on the Maritime Heritage Trail.
It was built in 1878 and is known as the Eye of Miami.

The park has two islands accessible only by boat. Elliott Key, the largest island in the
park, is now used as a picnicking and camping ground. Boca Chita Key, known for its
ornamental lighthouse, is the most popular with visitors.

A Native-American tribe, known as the Tequesta Indians, once populated parts of the
park and was considered the areas indigenous people.