Located in Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay is Egmont Key State Park, a Florida State Park that features many recreational activities and wildlife. The Egmont Key Lighthouse and the ruins of Fort Dade, a Spanish-American War era fort, are also located in the park. Egmont Key lies southwest of Fort De Soto Park and can only be reached by boat or ferry, so this is your opportunity to check out this neat, historical site! Located on the south end of the island is the Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 1974. It is one of the three ‘Tampa Bay Refuges’ and is administered as a part of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Egmont Key was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on December 11, 1978.
During your 4-hour excursion to Egmont Key, you will learn about he history of the park, as well as get to observe the abundant wildlife. Among the fauna are gopher tortoises, hummingbirds, and seabirds. Recreational activities include sunbathing, swimming, shelling, picnicing, touring the fort, and as mentioned before, wildlife viewing. Amenities include beaches, nature trails, and picnic tables.