A submerged paradise of coral reefs, mangrove islands, and marine life at the edge of Miami
Biscayne National Park
Biscayne National Park is a unique aquatic protected area located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, just south of Miami. The park preserves the shallow waters of Biscayne Bay, its barrier islands, and the offshore coral reefs that form the northernmost extension of the Florida Reef. Unlike most national parks, the vast majority of Biscayne lies beneath the surface of the water, with only about 9,000 of its 173,000 acres on dry land. The park encompasses 42 islands, including Elliott Key, the largest and northernmost of the true Florida Keys, which formed from fossilized coral reef limestone. The park protects four distinct ecosystems: the mangrove forests along the shoreline, the shallow lagoon waters of Biscayne Bay, the coral limestone keys with their tropical vegetation, and the offshore Florida Reef, one of the largest coral reef systems in the world. Established as a national monument in 1968 and redesignated as a national park in 1980, Biscayne represents a critical marine conservation area in the southeastern United States.