About 22 miles south of the RV park where we were staying (mile markers 36-38.5) in the Lower Keys is Bahia Honda State Park. It is close to the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge.
We had heard that this was the most beautiful state park in the Florida Keys; and, I definitely agree! The 524-acre park was founded in 1961. The only inhabitants of the island are those at the state park. Below is a map of the park.
Th 2.5 mile natural white sand beach is a popular spot for swimming and snorkeling. Snorkeling gear and kayaks can be rented at the park. The seagrass on the beach is part of the ecosystem here and is never removed by the park service. Below is a view of Logger Head Beach.
Walking along the Atlantic Coast shoreline, we came to a lovely picnic area.
Botanists from all over the world (since 1870) visit this key to study plants brought here by birds, hurricane winds, and ocean waves from islands of the West Indies and the Caribbean. Very rare plants grow as native plants in Bahia Honda including the West Indies Satinwood, Jamaican morning glory, wild dilly, and Geiger tree. The largest remaining stands of threatened silver palms are also found in the park.
In 1991, the only known colony of the rare Miami blue butterfly was discovered here (but we did not see any!) The Sand and Sea Nature Center has interesting displays of local sea and shore life.
Bahia Honda Key was part of Henry Flagler’s East Coast Railway property. Thousands of men built the 128 miles of track between Miami and Key West over a period of eight years. The most challenging aspect of the railroad was building the many bridges between the keys. The Bahia Honda Bridge crossed 5,055’ a channel of fast-moving waters at a depth of 35’. It is one of the deepest natural channels in the Florida Keys.
In 1935, a hurricane with 200 mph winds destroyed 40 miles of track, but the bridges survived. Rebuilding was cost prohibitive and it marked the end of an era. The state purchased the rail line and eventually constructed US Highway 1 (aka Overseas Highway). The railway bridge became part of the highway in 1938 and was used until a new bridge was built. You can walk on a portion of the bridge for panoramic views of the area.
The bridge seen below replaced the Honda Bahai bridge in 1972. Boaters may anchor here while visiting the park and there is the main marina and another one with boat slips for campers. The campground has full hook-up sites and vacation cabins (but the popularity of the park makes reservations hard to come by!).
The gift and dive shop plus snack bar is available for visitors.
We did some more exploring of the Calusa Beach area and through a mangrove forest.
A portion of the park remains closed due to Hurricane Irma in 2017 so we were unable to hike the Silver Palm Nature Trail. Nonetheless, this is a gorgeous place to spend the day enjoying the sand and sun!
Admission to the park is $8/vehicle. For additional information about Bahia Honda State Park, go to https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/bahia-honda-state-park.
Just found your blog, it is very interesting. Do you have any tips for reserving a site at Bahia Honda State Park. I have also heard it is difficult to get in. I appreciate any suggestions you would have!
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