Snorkel Reef Trail

This isn't a trail in any traditional sense — it's an underwater path through one of the healthiest coral reef systems left in North American waters. You'll wade in from the moat wall surrounding Fort Jefferson, and within minutes you're floating over brain coral, sea fans, and staghorn formations teeming with parrotfish, sergeant majors, and the occasional nurse shark gliding below. The 'trail' follows a roughly mile-long loop through shallow reef flats where visibility regularly stretches forty feet or more. The water is bathwater-warm most of the year, and the colors are almost absurdly vivid — electric blues and yellows that look retouched but aren't. This is perfect for snorkelers of any skill level, though strong swimmers will get the most out of drifting over the deeper reef edges where sea turtles tend to cruise.