Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area |
|
|---|---|
|
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
|
|
 |
|
 Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area
Location in Florida
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 1200 South Crandon Boulevard Miami-Dade County, Florida, U.S. |
| Nearest city | Key Biscayne, Florida |
| Area | 400 acres (160 ha) |
| Established | 1967 |
| Visitors | 850,000 (in 2004) |
| Governing body | Florida Department of Environmental Protection |
The Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area is a beautiful park located on the southern part of Key Biscayne in Florida. This special place covers about one-third of the island. It is home to the Cape Florida Light, which is the oldest building still standing in the Greater Miami area.
This park is famous for its amazing beaches. In 2005, it was named the 8th best beach in the entire country. Later, in 2013, Forbes magazine ranked it as the 7th best beach.
The park is named after Bill Baggs, who was an editor for The Miami News newspaper. He worked hard to protect this land from being built on. He wanted to keep parts of Key Biscayne natural and beautiful for everyone to enjoy.
A Place of Freedom and History
In 2004, a large historical marker was placed at the park. This marker shows that the park is part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Trail. This trail marks important places where people found freedom.
Hundreds of Black Seminoles, many of whom were enslaved, escaped from this very spot. They traveled by boat to the Bahamas to find freedom. Most of them settled on Andros Island. In the early 1820s, about 300 enslaved people from America reached the Bahamas. They used 27 small boats called sloops and many canoes to make their journey.
Today, the U.S. National Park Service works with the Bahamas to share this important history. They are creating programs to teach people about these brave journeys to freedom.
Fun Things to Do at the Park
The Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area has over a mile of sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean. It's a great place for swimming and snorkeling.
Besides the beach, you can also take tours of the historic lighthouse and the keeper's house. There are many other activities to enjoy:
- Boating
- Canoeing
- Kayaking
- Fishing from the seawall along Biscayne Bay
- Bicycling
- Hiking
- Wildlife viewing
The park also has nice places for picnics and areas for youth camping. You can visit the visitor center to learn more. There is also a museum with interesting exhibits and concessions where you can buy snacks. No Name Harbor, a natural harbor within the park, is a popular spot for boats to anchor.
Park Hours
Florida state parks, including Bill Baggs Cape Florida, are open every day of the year. This includes holidays. You can visit between 8 a.m. and sundown.
Images for kids
-
Entryway
-
Sea grapes at the park
-
Interpretive kiosk and building
-
Path leading to the beach
-
Cape Florida Lighthouse
-
Sign commemorating Black Seminoles who escaped from Cape Florida in the early 1820s to the Bahamas
