Manager's Message

Jorge Brito, Park Manager

Just 15 minutes away from downtown Miami lies Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, an urban oasis that seemingly transports you to a remote island far away from any busy city life.

Enjoy a walk along our beautiful beach and thriving beach dunes, spotting ghost crabs, shorebirds, rays and fish along the way. During sea turtle nesting season, you’ll see our protected turtle nests as we are a very important natural shoreline for nesting turtles.  

Locals know this park as "El Farito," named for the historic Cape Florida Lighthouse, the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. First built in 1825, the Cape Florida Lighthouse is nearly 200 years old and has withstood an attack and explosion during the Second Seminole War, several hurricanes and storms, erosion and many restorations. During tours, visitors can climb 109 steps to witness the view from 95 feet in the air. Once at the top, we often see schools of fish, rays, sharks and even a dolphin or manatee, if you’re lucky!

We also take pride in our restored hardwood hammocks and mangrove restoration areas, a popular stopover for birds during migration, making this a hot spot for birders to congregate and spot all kinds of warblers, ovenbirds, woodpeckers, thrushes and even the occasional hummingbird.

Butterflies are abundant along our nature trails and enjoy the vast array of wildflowers throughout the wooded areas.

Magnificent frigate birds, osprey, ibis, herons, egrets, manatees and dolphin can be spotted along the seawall and around our eight fishing platforms where visitors spend their days fishing the waters of Biscayne Bay.

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is an incredible natural area of restoration and preservation, and our park rangers take great pride in keeping this a paradise for all visitors to enjoy. My favorite thing about being in the Florida Park Service is engaging visitors, bringing everyone outdoors to enjoy the amenities and activities we have to offer here and sharing everything the outdoors has taught me throughout more than 20 years working at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park.

I hope you have a memorable visit!