Everglades National Park, Florida: Tour a Nike Missile Base

Abandoned since 1979. Because the site lies within a national park, the base is almost unchanged since its closure, including the three missile barns, a missile assembly building, barracks, and a guard dog kennel. Tours in the winter months.

Address:: Research Rd, Everglades National Park, FL
Directions:: From US Hwy 1 in Homestead, turn west at the stoplight (Shell gas station) onto Hwy 9336. Drive west 11.5 miles, following signs for Everglades National Park and Hwy 9336. Turn left at the brown Royal Palm sign onto Research Rd. Drive five miles. You'll see the Daniel Beard Research Center on the left. You meet the ranger outside the Research Center to begin the tour.
Hours:: Dec.-April daily 10-2. Park ranger guided tours at 2. (Call to verify)
Phone:: 305-242-7015
Admission:: Admission
RA Rates:: Worth a Detour

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Visitor Tips and News About Tour a Nike Missile Base

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HM-69 Nike Missile Base.

Tour a Nike Missile Base

The park ranger's talk includes a good synopsis of the Cuban Missile Crisis, which adds to the immediacy of having a 40-kiloton nuclear missile aimed at downtown Havana. Good exhibits tie the Cold War to 1960s culture. Also, there is no admission fee to visit the site.

[Louise Foresman, 03/28/2025]

HM-69 Nike Missile Base.

HM-69 Nike Missile Base

The Nike Missile Site HM-69 (also known as Hole in the Donut or Everglades Nike Site) is a former Nike-Hercules missile base, now listed as a historic site west of Homestead. It is on Long Pine Key Road in the Everglades National Park. The site, with 22 buildings, opened in 1964 and closed in 1979 when it was turned over to the National Park Service.

[Cee Alvarez, 02/06/2025]