PRINTABLE VISITOR GUIDE. Print double-sided on US Letter, landscape, flip on the SHORT edge, then fold in thirds with the cover facing out. Sheet 1 = OUTSIDE (cover, plan-your-visit, back/QR); Sheet 2 = INSIDE (fort, fishing, beaches). Fees and hours verified for 2026, confirm before you go.
outside · back
Beyond the Beach
Keep Exploring
This island has twelve thousand years of history: the Tocobaga, Spanish conquistadors, a fort built for a war that never came, German submarines offshore, and the hurricanes that keep reshaping the sand.
The Full History
Scan for the complete archive: every battle, wreck, and story behind the park.
fortdesotohistory.org
Good to Know
The park closes at sunset, plan your day around it (campers stay overnight).
Reserve campsites well ahead; the 238 sites book up fast.
Beach wheelchairs are available, ask at the toll booth.
Pets must be leashed except at the Dog Beach and Paw Playground.
A 7-mile paved trail links the fort, beaches, and campground.
The Fort De Soto Archive · an independent history of Mullet Key. Fort De Soto is a Pinellas County park.
outside · plan
Plan Your Visit
Hours
Open daily, 7 a.m. to sunset. Campers stay overnight.
Address
3500 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL 33715
Getting There
South end of the Pinellas Bayway, about 30 minutes from downtown St. Petersburg and 45 from Tampa International. Cross Bunces Pass Bridge onto the keys.
Information
(727) 582-2267
Fees & Tolls
Park admission
Free
Beach parking
$6 per vehicle (app, pay-by-text, terminal, or pass)
Bayway tolls
About $1.25 in state tolls to reach the park
Boat ramp
$6 with trailer, $5 without
Fishing the piers
Free (group license); a Florida license is needed elsewhere
Concessions
Cashless (cards / mobile only)
outside · front cover
Visitor Guide
FDS
Fort De Soto & Mullet Key
A Historic Fort. A No. 1 Beach.
Everything you need for a day at one of Florida's great parks, plus the deep history behind it, on one island at the mouth of Tampa Bay.
Historic fort · museum Two fishing piers · beaches Camping · ferry · 7-mile trail
Pinellas County, Florida
inside · 1
Most Visitors Start Here
The Historic Fort
The historic fort is free and open for self-guided exploring. Built in 1898 for the Spanish-American War, it was finished after the fighting ended and never fired a shot in anger.
The Four Mortars
Four 12-inch mortars sit in their pits at Battery Laidley, the last of their kind in the continental U.S.
The Museum
The Quartermaster Storehouse Museum holds the fort's story. Free.
Self-Guided Trail
Walk the battery and grounds at your own pace; literature is at the fort and headquarters.
Want the full story of the guns and the men who served them? Scan the code on the back.
inside · 2
Fishing, Piers & Boating
Two piers reach into the water the fort once guarded. Fishing from either is free, thanks to a group license; you need a Florida license to fish anywhere else in the park.
Gulf Pier
Over 1,000 feet, the longest, open 365 days. Bait, tackle, food, and catch-cleaning tables. (727) 864-9937.
Bay Pier
500 feet, with a view of the Skyway and Egmont Key, and the Egmont ferry dock. (727) 864-3345.
Boating
An 800-foot launch with 11 floating docks. Kayak and canoe rentals and a paddling trail in the park.
inside · 3
Beaches, Camping & More
North Beach
Ranked America's number one beach (Dr. Beach, 2005; TripAdvisor, 2009). Swim centers at North and East Beach.
Camping
238 shaded sites with water and power, grills, and tables. Reserve well in advance.
Dog Beach
An off-leash beach and Paw Playground on the bay side, near a fishing spot and bait shop.
Egmont Ferry
A ferry runs from the Bay Pier to Egmont Key (lighthouse, fort ruins, beaches). Separate fee; check current times.
Birding & Picnics
Over 328 bird species, a major migration stop, plus picnic shelters and playgrounds.