Florida Keys Overseas HeritageTrail

Historic Bridges

The old Keys bridges form a central component

of the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail,

providing opportunities for fishing, sightseeing,

recreation and historical reflection. Before

the great City of Miami existed, Henry Flagler

envisioned a railroad across the sea that would

promote a cultural and economic connection with

Cuba, the Panama Canal and South America.

By 1905, Flagler had begun construction on the

Keys section of his Florida East Coast Railroad.

On January 22, 1912, Henry Flagler rode the

railroad to Key West where the project was

heralded by the press as the “Eighth Wonder of

the World.” Ten thousand celebrants crowded the

streets of Key West for a weeklong celebration

of this momentous occasion. The railroad

transformed the wilderness of the Florida Keys

into an economically viable destination. Today

all of the remaining 23 Flagler Railroad Bridges

have been listed on the National Register of

Historic Places and are managed by the Florida

Department of Environmental Protection’s Division

of Recreation and Parks as part of the Florida Keys

Overseas Heritage Trail.

The Florida KeysOverseas Heritage Trail

The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail

(FKOHT) is a multi-use bicycle and pedestrian

facility that will ultimately traverse the Florida

Keys. The vision is that of a 106-mile scenic

trail extending from Key Largo to Key West,

serving the communities as a linear, alternative

transportation corridor and recreational pathway.

The FKOHT originated as a local initiative

designed to link communities with a safe and

continuous multi-use trail, offering an alternative

transportation route and providing recreational,

health and economic benefits for Keys residents

and visitors. The Trail’s corridor closely parallels

U.S. Highway 1, which has been federally

designated as a National Scenic Highway and an

“All American Road.” The Division of Recreation

and Parks maintains approximately 85 miles of

existing trail and bridges and is responsible for

the design and construction of the remainder

of the Trail, in partnership with Monroe County

and many organizations. Funding for these

capital improvements is provided by the Florida

Department of Transportation through a federal

program for alternative transportation.

Florida Keys Overseas Paddling Trail

The Florida Keys Overseas Paddling Trail offers

a paddling destination for those involved in

the growing sport of kayak and canoe touring.

The “blueway” introduces visitors to the history

and ecology of the Keys while providing

recreational opportunities that minimally impact

the environment. The Trail is a segment of the

1500-mile Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater

Paddling Trail, a project coordinated by the Office

of Greenways & Trails. For maps and descriptions

of the Florida Keys Overseas Paddling Trail, visit

FloridaGreenwaysAndTrails.com.

Key Largo(MM 106.5 to 91)

Shaded in places by tropical vegetation, a 15.5-

mile bike path runs by numerous businesses and

parks. Side trips to John Pennekamp Coral Reef

State Park, Key Largo Community Park and Harry

Harris Park provide opportunities for recreation

and relaxation along the way to Islamorada.

Islamorada(MM 91 to 71)

The islands that make up the Village of Islamorada

have 20 miles of bike path which, in some areas,

are on both sides of U.S. Highway 1. South of

Tavernier Creek, the old state road, parallel

to U.S. 1, provides a less traveled alternate

route. Founders Park and Windley Key Fossil

Reef Geological State Park serve as trailheads.

Indian Key Historic State Park, Lignumvitae Key

Botanical State Park and San Pedro Underwater

Archaeological Preserve State Park offer

interesting paddling side trips. The Channel 2 and

Channel 5 historic Flagler railroad bridges are

popular fishing sites.

Long Key(MM 71 to 62)

About 8 miles of bike path runs from Channel 5 Bridge

to Long Key State Park and the Long Key Historic

Fishing Bridge. The Tom’s Harbor Channel Historic

Bridge and the Tom’s Harbor Cut Historic Bridge are

currently used for fishing. Cantilevered platforms have

been constructed on several of the historic bridges

to provide space for fishing and facilitate access to

the Trail where it crosses the bridges. The Trail will

eventually connect Long Key to the City of Marathon.

Marathon(MM 62 to 40)

An 11-mile bike path runs from Grassy Key past

Curry Hammock State Park and Crane Point Museum

to the Seven Mile Bridge at the southwest entrance to

the City of Marathon. Knight’s Key, at the base of the

Seven Mile Bridge, is the entrance to Pigeon Key—a

tiny island that once served as a construction camp

for the Flagler railroad workers. The Pigeon Key

museum features a rich collection of photographs

and artifacts from the Flagler era. The Seven Mile

Bridge has a narrow five-foot shoulder and heavy

vehicular traffic. Side trails down Coco Plum Drive

and Sombrero Beach Road offer scenic views of local

beaches.

Lower Keys(MM 40 to MM 5.2)

The trail section connecting Seven Mile Bridge

to Stock Island is broken into several sections

with some still in the design phase. The Trail will

eventually traverse a series of historic bridges

from Bahia Honda State Park to Key West. The south

end of the Seven Mile Bridge features a fishing pier

and access to a small beach at Veterans Park.

The historic bridges can be used for fishing.

Existing bike paths are located on Big Pine Key,

Ramrod Key, Big Coppitt Key, Lower Sugarloaf Key,

Saddlebunch Keys and Stock Island. Please see

map. Many of the existing bike paths are short

sections at this time, however, in some areas,

there are connections to alternate paths that

provide much longer bike rides and phenomenal

opportunities for viewing wildlife.

Key West(MM 5.2 to MM 0)

From Stock Island, the Trail continues into Key West,

where travel by bike around the celebrated City

of Key West is well established. In Key West, there

are many historic and cultural points of interest to

explore including Fort Zachary Taylor State Park,

Key West Botanical Garden, Bayview Park, Higgs

Beach and the famous monument marking the

Southernmost Point in the continental United States.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Division of Recreation and Parks

Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail

3 La Croix Court, Key Largo, FL 33037

(305) 853-3571

FloridaStateParks.org/floridakeys

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