Egmont Key State Park

Egmont Key lies at the mouth of Tampa Bay, southwest of Fort De Soto Beach. The Coast Pilot gives the entrance as 4.5 miles wide between Mullet Key and Anna Maria Key, with the island separating Egmont Channel from Southwest Channel; it is about 1.6 miles long.

The island is a state park, open 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year, with no entrance fee. There is no road to it: access is only by boat, and a ferry service runs from Fort De Soto. Egmont Key Light, a white tower on the north end 85 ft above the water, has stood since 1858.

Effective 12 August 2026, all structures on the island are closed to the public. The park itself is open, and the park asks visitors to follow staff instructions, heed posted signage and avoid closed areas.

That is separate from the standing closure at the south end of the island, which is a shorebird refuge and closed to the public the year round.

The Coast Pilot gives about 15 ft of draft to the small pier inside the north end of the island, and names no datum for it. What that means for your own keel on the day is a question for the current chart and the Local Notices, not for this page.

Ashore there is no drinking water and there are no stores, so everything comes aboard with you. Picnic tables and a shaded area are at the north end, and 6 miles of historic paths run through the ruins of Fort Dade. There are no restroom facilities on the island, and no lifeguards are on duty on the beach.