As you’re traveling the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys, on the bridge between Upper Matecumbe Key and Lower Matecumbe Key, you’ll spot a small, wooded island to the east. That is Indian Key State Park and was once the Dade County seat. Now it’s a ghost town. Back in 1836 when the only way to get to and around the Florida Keys was by boat, Indian Key was prominent enough that it was named the county seat of Dade County. It may not look like much now but back then it had warehouses, housing, a hotel (with a bowling alley!), it even had a post office.

Indian Key was once a bustling island with families, shop owners, and “wreckers”, the men who salvaged the many shipwrecks in the Florida Keys. Now it’s deserted, and just like in the 1800s, the only way to get there is by boat.

What would it be like to live there? You ask. Well, grab yourself a kayak and take a short paddle over to Indian Key State Park and check out a real Florida Keys ghost town. Lucky for you, Indian Key is about a 1/2 mile from either Upper or Lower Matecumbe Key through shallow, fantastic turquoise clear water.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get awesome adventure ideas to help plan your next vacation!

SUBSCRIBE

To get to Indian Key, put your kayak in at MM 78. There’s a parking lot on the east side of the highway. It’s closed right now (9/22) because of construction, but you can still launch from there and park closer to the street. It’s about a twenty-minute paddle to the island over sea grass and shallow water. As you glide through the seagrass flats, keep an eye out for trunkfish. The seagrass is their favorite hangout. Once you get to the south side of the island, you’ll see an abandoned dock. Don’t go there, it’s closed. When you get close, you’ll see the “Kayak Landing” sign, that’s where you want to land.

Since Indian Key Historic State Park, is in fact a State Park, there’s a $2.50 entrance fee. You can either put cash in one of the supplied envelopes at the kiosk or use the QR code on the sign and pay with your phone.

You’ll want to do yourself a favor before you even leave for Indian Key State Park, go to the App Store or whatever the current name for Apple’s download service is and download the Florida Stories app to your phone. Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll have a complete walking tour of the island in your hand, along with walking tours of other popular Florida sites. You can either listen to the audio or read the text as you go. You don’t have to use the app while you’re there, they have plaques on all the points of interest, but Florida Stories goes into a lot more detail of the sites and the families that lived there. Plus, there’s a bonus walking map.

Since there are no facilities or fresh water on the island, make sure that you load up plenty of water before you go. That’s the bad news, but the good news is that since there are no facilities or fresh water on the island, there are no mosquitos either.

Hurricane Irma did a number on the island, so the boat dock and observation towers are closed, but who wants to see a fantastic view of the keys anyway?

You can do a leisurely stroll around the island on the re-created gravel paths, there are even street signs! Don’t worry if you didn’t download the Florida Stories app all of the stops have signs that describe what was in the spot that you’re standing in front of. Start at the town square which used to have up to 18 buildings, now down to 0. From there you can walk over to the warehouse district and check out the foundations that are still there.

In the 1830s the straits of Florida were heavily trafficked by merchant ships. Unfortunately, the straits were also filled with shallow reefs and pirates. When ships would run aground on the shallow reefs, the wreckers from Indian Key, led by Jacob Houseman, would race to the stranded ship. The first wrecker to the ship would then retain the rights to salvage the ship and move the inventory to the warehouses on Indian Key. The contents from the ship would be stored in the warehouses on the island until it could be moved to the customs office in Key West. Once the inventory was in Key West, a federal judge would award the wrecker a fee, usually about 25%.

While there are no buildings that are still standing, they were burned during the 1840 American Indian attack, there are plenty of ruins to see. Mostly old foundations and fireplaces. There are a few cisterns that are still standing. It’s interesting to see the difference between the cisterns that were built in the beginning of the community, and the ones that were built later on when the US Navy had a hospital on the island.

Once you’ve toured the island, head on over to the east side. Just up Center Street, sit down on the convenient bench and enjoy the view of the Alligator Reef lighthouse. “What a stupid name!” You rant. “The Keys are surrounded by salt water, they’re crocodiles.” You rant on. Calm down my easily riled up reader, it was named after the ship that ran aground on the reef, the USS Alligator. It hit the reef as it was protecting merchant ships from pirates. The USS Alligator was then sunk to keep the very same pirates from pillaging the ship. That’s what happens when you “discover” reefs, your ship lives on in infamy.

After you’re done ranting amongst yourself, head to the shore and don your snorkel gear. One thing though, don’t think that you’re walking there barefoot, the island is made of fossilized coral and let me tell you, it will do a number on your feet. There’s nothing sandy about this beach, so, wear some type of water shoe or sandal to protect your feet.

This is absolutely one of the best places to snorkel nearshore in the Keys. In the water you’ll see schools of reef fish, including colorful French grunts, snappers, tons of parrotfish, little blue tangs, groupers, even the much-maligned barracuda. There is also a veritable conch playground, just don’t pick any up or try to take them, or any other shells, as the area is protected. And it goes without saying, don’t touch or take any coral.

After you’re done for the day, make sure that you pack out everything that you brought in. There’s no camping on the island, so leave the tents and hammocks at home. Want to know more about Indian Key State Park? Check out the Florida Keys History and Discovery Center in Islamorada. It’s a treasure trove of all Keys information, they even have a mockup of Indian Key in its heyday.

You think it sounds great, but you don’t have a kayak or boat? Put your floaties away, you can rent kayaks at Robbies, if you can pull yourself away from the shops. Or Backcountry Cowboys (giddy up!).

You Might be Interest in:

If you’re going to be kayaking around Miami and in the Florida Keys and check out our Kayaking in Biscayne Bay guide.

Looking for a gift for your favorite adventurer? Check out our line of planners and journals here. Easily ordered from Amazon.

Find out more about the Florida Keys at Adventure Florida Keys.

The post Indian Key, Kayak to a Ghost Town in the Florida Keys appeared first on Get Out and Adventure.

About an hour south of Miami lies the first recognized underwater park in the U.S. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, located in Key Largo. Comprised of 70 nautical miles of tropical hammocks, mangrove swamps, and spectacular coral reefs. The park is teeming with marine life and covered by picturesque turquoise waters. Guests from all over come to enjoy kayaking, snorkeling, birding, short hikes, glass bottom boat tours, and of course, beaches! Don’t worry about leaving at the end of the day, bring your tent, RV, or boat and stay at the campgrounds near the marina. Oh, and don’t forget to stop by the visitor center and check out the 30,000-gallon(!) aquarium.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Backstory

In the 1950s a marine biologist and a newspaper editor teamed up to save the third largest living coral reef in the world from destruction. Dr. Gilbert Voss of the Marine Institute of Miami was tired of the destruction that was taking place on the reef. Vendors were hammering out coral any way they could to sell to tourists, seashells and sponges were disappearing (not literally disappearing, really just being taken by tourists to put on shelves so they could show their neighbors in the middle of winter that they’d been to Florida) at an alarming rate. Even the seahorses weren’t safe, they were being rounded up and sold to try to keep up with the crazy back-of-the-comic-book seahorse trade, presumably. No word on what happened to the sea monkey families.

Dr. Voss along with other conservationists teamed up with the Miami Herald editor John Pennekamp. John Pennekamp was a well know conservationist himself who was key in helping to establish Everglades National Park in 1947. With the help of a major newspaper calling out the destruction to the reef and the other conservationists doing what conservationist do, the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials designated a 75 square mile of Florida’s coastline as a protected area. In 1960 President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed the area Key Largo Coral Reef Preserve. By the end of 1960 the Governor of Florida decided that that name didn’t have enough letters in it, so he changed it to the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The park was officially opened in 1963 to the public.

Bahia Honda is another state park in the Keys that you should definitely visit. Read about it here.

Visitor Center

Before you go running to the beach, take time to check out the Visitor Center at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Here you can interact with the rangers and volunteers. Ask them any question and they have to answer you (just keep it to questions about the park)! If you can’t get the information out of the volunteers, there is an auditorium that plays nature videos that you can watch and learn from. Around the room there are smaller aquariums with live coral and an assortment of smaller fish. In the middle of the room is the big attraction, their 30,000-gallon aquarium. Floor to ceiling this aquarium allows you to come face to face with the bigger reef fish, and you can stay dry while you do it.

Scuba, Snorkeling, and Boat Tours

Yes, the park offers great opportunities for all three! Daily boat tours for snorkeling and glass bottom boat tours for sightseeing on some of the most beautiful and vibrant reefs in the world. The park is located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the waters and reefs are protected so don’t grab that lobster (unless it’s lobster season and you have a permit) to take back to the campground for dinner. That goes for pretty much anything else that you see in the water.

Scuba

Want to get up and close with the Christ of the Abyss statue but you can’t hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. Hop on over to the dive shop by the marina and they can set you up with anything that you need. They offer lessons, gear rental, and tours for all, from the most inexperienced wannabe diver to seasoned pros. Whatever your needs are they will be able to meet them, and you’ll be hanging around the reef like one of the fish in no time.

Boats go out twice a day and the water depths vary from 15-50 feet. The cost is $105 for two tank/two location dives. Equipment can be rented for $40 if you book a tour. The reefs they visit include:

• French Reef
• Molasses Reef
• Snapper Ledge
• Benwood Wreck
• Carysfort Reef Lighthouse

All reservations need to be made online. See link above, or for more information call (305) 451-6300. If you need a refresher, or you want to learn how to scuba dive, they have lessons and programs that include non-certification dives all the way to a PADI Advanced Open Water course.

There is spectacular scuba diving in Key West, check out 9 Awesome Things to do in Key West.

Snorkeling

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get awesome adventure ideas to help plan your next vacation!

SUBSCRIBE

The snorkeling tours leave approximately five times a day so you should have no problem catching one that suits your schedule. The tours are approximately 2 1/2 hours long, with 1 1/2 hours of in water time getting up close and personal with the reef fish. You can get on the big boat for $49.95 with the other visitors, or you can spring for a personal guide for you and a group of up to six. Bring your own gear or rent from the park, the price for the boat includes a safety vest but no snorkeling equipment.

Don’t want to be stuck snorkeling next to Lady Fannie from Omaha? Spring for a personal water guide for $120 plus $70 for each additional snorkeler, up to a group of six. Don’t forget that there are going to be taxes added on to those prices. To make reservations click on this handy link here.

If you don’t want to waste that 30 minutes on the boat to get to the reef, you can snorkel from the beaches. You’ll want to wear water shoes or something similar because the bottom can get a little rough. The bad news is the water isn’t as clear as it would be snorkeling the outer reefs due to the fact that it’s within the Largo Sound and not the open ocean. But the good news is that the water is calm and there’s still plenty to see in the sea grass, plus you don’t have to worry about any sharks sneaking up on you. Bonus, at Cannon Beach there are artifacts from a 1700s shipwreck just offshore.

Glass Bottom Boat Tour

Have you ever thought “if only there was a way to see these beautiful reefs with all the marine life surrounding them and not get wet”? Well, if that’s more your style, climb aboard the Spirit of Pennekamp. It’s a 65′ high-speed catamaran that’ll whisk you the 3-8 miles to the offshore reefs in comfort. You can put your worries away because the tours are under the dreaded 3-hour limit at 2 1/2 hours. You can enjoy the views of various shallow reefs along with 129 of your closest friends and never get a drop of water on you.

The 2 1/2 hour tours leave John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park three times a day and costs $55 for adults and $30 for ages 4-11. Making reservations is easy, just click here and pick your date and time, and give them your money.

Beaches

There are two relatively small beaches at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Cannon Beach and Far Beach. They are not on the ocean, but rather the Largo Sound. So, your tradeoff is that you get calm, shallow waters to swim in, but it’s not the clear turquoise waters associated with the Florida Keys. Both have convenient facilities nearby.

Cannon Beach is the most popular of the two, canons from the 17th century are located on either side of the beach. Snorkelers will find artifacts from a 17th century shipwreck about 100 feet offshore as well.

Far Beach is located on the far side of the park (see what they did there?). There’s a little more shade on Far beach, and it also has a mat installed across the beach for wheelchair accessibility.

Kayaks, Canoes, and Paddleboards

Bring whatever you’ve got, there are fantastic mangrove trails to explore. The kayak launch is just over the bridge to the left. Calm and clear waters in the 2 1/2 miles of trails allow you to see a variety of marine life. Bring your snorkel gear with you and jump in the water to really get up close and personal. Sting rays, Mangrove Snappers, and Manatees are frequent sightings. Keep an eye out in the mangrove trees as there will be plenty of shorebirds such as Herons, Egrets, and Osprey to view. You can’t fit your kayak into your Ford Fiesta, you say? Don’t worry, they rent kayaks and canoes, along with life vests, and snorkel gear. Pro tip: if you bring your own kayak, ask at the kayak rental stand for a map of the kayak trails.

You can also kayak and paddleboard in the Sound, protected waters keep the waves down, just look out for diver down flags as there can be snorkelers out there.

Interested in Kayaking closer to Miami? Biscayne Bay is a fabulous place to kayak. Here is where to launch your kayak.

Camping at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

There are 42 campsites that you can reserve, if you’re fast enough that is. Campsites go quickly and they sell out far in advance. The best way that I’ve found is to either be completely flexible and check availability a couple of times a week, or you can make reservations 6 to 9 months in advance. The Florida State Park reservation website is here, or call 800-325-3521 and speak to a real person, no word on how long the hold time is though.

All sites have electric, with water and sewer hookups for you RV’ers. There are picnic tables and grills at all the sites. There are two bathrooms with showers located within the campgrounds.

You can also stay at the marina overnight in your boat. Slips are available, or you can anchor to a mooring buoy in the Sound. Just make sure to check in and pay at the marina.

Boating

The majority of the park is underwater, 72 square nautical miles of ocean, so bringing a boat will really open up John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park to you. There’s a boat ramp at the marina, it’s $10 to use it. The marina also rents power boats in four-hour and eight-hour intervals.

Hiking

There are two-short nature trails to hike in the park, the Wild Tamarind trail and the Grove trail. There is a third trail, a boardwalk that cuts through the mangrove, but it is closed for repairs right now.

The Wild Tamarind trail starts in the hardwood hammock and spits you out in a citrus grove. It’s six-tenths of a mile long and winds through tropical hardwood trees. When you get to the citrus grove, park yourself on a bench and check out the butterflies that visit the grove.

The Grove trail is half as long, it’s a three-tenths of a mile loop. Keep your eye out for native species that live in the forests of the Florida Keys. Bonus, a lot of the trees have plaques in front of them explaining their value to the area and information about the tree.

Fishing

Fishing is allowed from the shore in the park at designated areas, and of course you can fish from a boat. But be sure to check with the park rangers first because the park is in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and there may be protected areas. A saltwater fishing license is required.

Park Store

Don’t forget to pick up some souvenirs to remind you of your trip when you’re stuck inside in January and it’s 15 degrees outside. You’ll find local artwork to hang on the walls, t-shirts, hats, and swimsuits. Also, if you forgot anything, pretty much all that you need for the day can be found in the store. Sunscreen, drybags, flip flops, snorkel gear, and beach towels are all available.

Come and see what you’ve been missing. With over 600 species of fish, multiple types of shorebirds, and 70 species of coral in 70 nautical miles of crystal-clear turquoise ocean, you’re sure to see something new every time you visit.

For more information on the Florida Keys, check out Adventure Florida Keys right HERE!

The post John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park appeared first on Get Out and Adventure.