Beautiful Fort DeSoto Park

Fort DeSoto County Park is just beyond Tierra Verde, and a few short miles from St. Pete Beach in Florida. At 1,136 acres Fort DeSoto is the largest park in Pinellas County and it is made up of five interconnected islands (keys) that boast almost 3 miles of white sandy beaches.

The park also has a large boat launching area with 11 floating docks, and numerous spots to launch kayaks, canoes, or paddleboards from. It is a popular paddling and fishing spot with its mangrove islands, calm waters, and abundant wildlife.

Inside the park boundaries it is a designated “no motor zone”, so it is ideal for paddling while fishing or viewing some of the 328 documented species of birds.

The fort was built in 1899-1900 and was used for training until 1923 when it was closed dues to outdated construction for port defenses and also the mosquitoes which made life torturous day and night for the soldiers working and training there.

It is open to the public for touring.

There are 238 camping sites at Fort DeSoto and as you might imagine it is an extremely popular place to camp, so it is not easy to get a reservation. Many of the sites are waterfront, enabling you to kayak right from your site.

The park also boasts miles of biking trails, which make it fun to get out to the beach or just explore the island.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little write up and the pictures of Fort DeSoto as much as I enjoy staying here. It sure is a beautiful place!

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