Traveling From Key Largo to Key West

One encounters communities rich in local culture and history as well as ecological significance. The Keys are known for their splendid waters and local artists. Look for opportunities to find the unique character in each island oasis.

Key Largo (MM 106 TO 92)

Dense in large hammock areas, a 14-mile bike path runs the entire length of the Key. Side trips to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Harry Harris Park, and Key Largo Community Park provide opportunities for recreation and relaxation along the way.

Islamorada (MM 92 TO 75)

Islamorada has 10 miles of existing bike path along US 1.  The Old Highway parallels US 1 south of Tavernier Creek Bridge, providing a less traveled shoulder as an alternate route through the Village. The bike path ends at the highway bridges through the Village and must be crossed using the existing shoulder.  The bike path ends in Lower Matecumbe at MM 75 and will be connected to the City of Layton in 2006. To continue south one must use the highway and bridge shoulders. 

Founders Park and Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park are trailhead locations. Other State Parks in the area are Indian Key Historic State Park, Lignumvitae Key Biological State Park and San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve State Park in the area.  Channel 2 (MM 72) and Channel 5 (MM 70) Historic Flagler Railroad bridges are popular fishing bridges.  

Long Key (MM 75 TO 60)

About 1-mile of bike path connects the City of Layton to Long Key State Park and the Long Key Historic Fishing Bridge.  The bike path ends at Long Key Bridge and will connect to the City of Marathon.  Tom’s Harbor Historic Bridge (MM 62) and Tom’s Harbor Cut (MM 60) Historic Bridges are popular fishing bridges. The first fishing platforms will be built this year on the bridge over Tom’s Harbor, followed by the bridge over Tom’s Harbor Cut. The Long Key Bridge fishing platform will be completed in 2006.

Marathon  (MM 60 TO 40)

An 11-mile bike path runs from Grassy Key past Curry Hammock State Park to the Seven-Mile Bridge at the southwest entrance to the City of Marathon.  The new highway on Seven-Mile Bridge has a 5-foot shoulder.   The section beginning at MM 40 is scheduled for construction in 2009.  Knights Key at MM 47 and part of the old Seven-Mile historic bridge is the entryway to the island of Pigeon Key and its associated museum, rich in the history of the Flagler Railroad. 

Southern Keys (MM 40 TO MM 5.2) 

The trails south of the City of Marathon will be constructed within the next 5 years and existing trails will connect sporadically through the Lower Keys until Stock Island at MM 5.2 just outside of Key West.  The south end of the Seven-Mile Bridge at MM 40 is scheduled for construction in 2009 and will eventually traverse 3 historic bridges to Bahia Honda State Park, Spanish Harbor historic bridge and then onto Big Pine.  A 1-mile bike path is located through Big Pine.  The Highway bridge shoulders are 10-feet wide and road shoulders are 4–5 feet wide, currently the only way to travel between islands.  An alternate route, Old Highway SR 5A in Cudjoe and Summerland provides an alternative to the highway away from vehicular traffic, but bridges connecting these islands must still be crossed at the shoulders.   A new trail at MM 15 connects Lower Sugarloaf over the 5 Saddlebunch Historic Bridges to Big Coppitt at MM 10 and to Stock Island at MM 5.2.

Key West (MM 10 TO MM 0)

From Stock Island, the trail continues into Key West where travel around the City of Key West by bike is already well established.