Everglades National Park closes ahead of Hurricane Isaias; Dry Tortugas remains open
Everglades National Park will temporarily close all entrances and visitor centers at 7 p.m. on Friday for safety reasons as Hurricane Isaias is expected to brush Florida’s East coast this weekend, triggering a hurricane watch from north Broward through Brevard County.
Park concession-operated boat tours, services and rentals will also suspend operations on Friday afternoon, the National Park Service said in a statement Friday. Marine waters will remain open for boating, but emergency services will be limited after Friday. No wilderness camping permits will be issued until further notice. The Flamingo Marina will be closed and vessels are not permitted to tie off to chickees.
Wind and rain reached the central Bahamas on Friday as the storm continued its path northwest with tropical storm force winds, and possibly hurricane winds, expected to reach portions of South Florida on Saturday.
The National Park Service said vessels may seek safe harbor in the area of Ponce De Leon Bay, the Little Shark River between marker 1 and marker 69, and the main tributary of the Shark River.
All closures will remain in place until severe weather passes and the Park Service determines that employee and visitor facilities are safe, the statement said.
Dry Tortugas National Park remains open, with ferry and seaplane tours still operating on Friday.
If the storm’s track changes, the parks may issue a new advisory with updated status. Please check “Alerts” on the parks’ websites for current information. The NPS Hurricane and Severe Weather Response has updates for all National Park Service sites.
This story was originally published July 31, 2020 at 5:28 PM.
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