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Nearby Parks:
Bahia Honda State Park
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
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| National Park Overview: |
 | Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1938 as a haven for great white herons, migratory birds, and other wildlife. The refuge is located in the lower Florida Keys and consists of almost 200,000 acres of open water and islands that are north of the primary Keys from Marathon to Key West. The islands account for approximately 7,600 acres and are primarily mangroves with some of the larger islands containing pine rockland and tropical hardwood hammock habitats. This vast wilderness area, known locally as the "backcountry," provides critical nesting, feeding, and resting areas for more than 250 species of birds.
Great white herons are a white color-phase of great blue herons and are only found in the Florida Keys. The refuge was created to protect great white herons from extinction since the population was decimated by the demand for feathered hats. Protection of great white herons was successful, and these magnificent powder-white birds can be observed feeding on tidal-flats around hundreds of backcountry islands each dawn and dusk.
Three species of sea turtles rely on the backcountry for feeding and nesting. Endangered Green sea turtles and threatened Loggerhead sea turtles are the two documented species that successfully nest in the refuge. Hawksbill sea turtles are known to feed in seagrass beds throughout the refuge, but nesting has not been observed. |
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| Area Accommodations |
| B&Bs / Inns | | Key West Garden House Bed & Breakfast - Key West Bed and Breakfast Key West Garden House - Most Fun Inn Key West! 10 Rooms, 10 Private Baths, Free Happy Hour & Continental Breakfast.
Located Within Crawling Distance Of All Attractions! |
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...vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental, etc read more.... |
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| Related Links: |
| Great White Heron National wildlife Refuge, as seen from aboard the Safari. - Visit the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge aboard the Safari! ... The Refuge Safari sets SAIL in The Great White Heron National WildLife Refuge in the lower Florida Keys. Keep ... | | Safari Charters Eco Tours Aboard the Catamaran Safari - Tours and charters offered by Safari Charters in Key West Florida! ... encounters in the wild! OR Explore The Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge sail, kayak, snorkel.....relax! Avoid the Crowds ... | | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service | Southeast Region | Great White Heron NWR - The mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, working with others, is to conserve, protect, and ... Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge Phil Frank Project Leader (Managed as a Satellite ... | | Bird Checklists of the United States - ... s) (Printed 10/94) Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge -- Key Largo, FL Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge -- Big Pine Key, FL Key West National Wildlife Refuge -- Big Pine Key, FL ... | | Sea Kayak Trips...Costa Rica, San Juan Islands, Puget Sound, Florida Keys... - Crystal Seas Kayaking offers guided sea kayaking tours in beautiful San Juan Islands Key West ... you into the heart of the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge where you will get a chance to ... | | Sunset Sea Kayak Tour in the Florida Keys - Key West - Crystal Seas Kayaking - Crystal Seas Kayaking offers guided sea kayaking tours in beautiful San Juan Islands & Key West ... grassy flats within the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge. With the magnificent seascapes ... | | 2 Hour Trip into White Heron National Wilflife Refuge - Kayaking in Florida. ... winding mangrove canals and the smaller keys of the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge. Economy Tackle, Inc. Offers tours, instruction, rentals, and a retail store ... |
| Directions: |
| Great White Heron NWR is accessible only by boat. However, the refuge is administered as part of the National Key Deer Refuge headquartered on Big Pine Key, which is 100- miles south of Miami. The visitor center is located ?-mile north of the traffic light on Key Deer Boulevard in the Big Pine Key Shopping Plaza. |
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