Bird Key Harbor is a designated anchorage area southwest of Garden Key within Dry Tortugas National Park, located in the remote Florida Keys. The harbor is officially designated as Anchorage Area 202.190 on nautical charts. It serves as a primary, regulated anchorage for vessels visiting the park, with specific rules stating that all vessels entering Tortugas Harbor near Garden Key must anchor only in Bird Key Harbor, except for passenger-carrying vessels and yachts which may use the Garden Key docking area for limited daytime periods. The harbor is noted for providing a quieter and more secluded overnight anchorage compared to the main Garden Key area, offering good protection from prevailing winds and a serene, natural setting. For paddlers, the key launch and access point for the harbor and surrounding park waters is from Garden Key, where Fort Jefferson is located. Amenities at Garden Key include a main dock, a launch point, and year-round bathrooms. The park's clear waters are popular for kayaking and paddleboarding, offering exploration around historic Fort Jefferson, Loggerhead Key with its lighthouse and beaches, and vibrant coral reefs teeming with marine life. The area is a renowned bird-watching destination, especially during spring migration. Paddlers must be aware of the remote, exposed marine environment. Strong currents are noted in the anchorage areas around Garden Key, and weather conditions can change rapidly, with high seas sometimes impeding operations. All paddling is subject to National Park Service regulations, which prohibit disturbing or taking marine life from the moat at Garden Key and from waters within 500 feet of its wall, as well as from the cove north of the 5-foot channel bounded by Garden, Bush, and Long Keys.