Live Your Best Lives
Long Key State Park Reviews
4.0
1 of 5 Best Attractions in Layton
Reviews
We planned camping a couple nights, it was easy to reserve the site and picked the one we wanted. It was beautiful just feet from the ocean. The only downside was that the paticular two nights the county was paving US 1 and they have to work at night all night. When I told the ranger we were leaving due to this they apologized and refunded my money for the secong night. I will return here but will check with the county first to be sure there is no construction going on. The entire satff was wonderful and friendly. They have wonderful nature trails, swimming fishing and kayak rentals. If you are not a camper this is a great location for picnining as the have quite a few picnic site with grills and tables right on the ocean.
We were able to ride our bikes to the Park from our accommodations. Some of the Park is still in obvious lasting effect from hurricane 2017- especially- no camping facilities. We had the chance to use our inflatable SUP's and kayak. The water was beautiful- we felt like it was like snorkeling from above. We saw nurse sharks, stingrays, conch, and other fish. The rest room facilities were just find and they have recycling there. Would love to go back sometime.
Beautiful family friendly park. Well maintained. Beautiful beach. Staff very friendly. Nice picnic areas
Nice place to easy hike and picnic. Variety of birds and and animals along mangrove paths. Comfortable breeze.
This park is a beautiful little park. Has a nice elevated walkway from the parking lot to the beach/ tent camping pavilions. So much damage to the mangroves on this trail. Wished we had seen it before the hurricane. The employees are working to make it better.
Nice park, good nature trail.. well maintained, prepare for heat with not a lot of shade, but to be expected as its Florida and we chose mid morning in July. Beach was nice with very nice picnic areas and hammock poles, lots of sea grass.. we chose not to swim this time. Changing room/restrooms were at the trail head. Ranger at front gate was friendly and helpful.
This is my second time camping here and I'm still in love with this park. Every site is an oceanfront site. For people not from the Keys lets be clear what that means. At high tide you will have lots of water to walk out into, swim and snorkel in and enjoy. At low tide you will have sand and/or rocks and have to walk out much further to get wet- that's not the parks fault, blame the moon. Anyway, I have to tell you that I woke to the most beautiful sunrise my first morning and was listening to the waves breaking. Magical. We we were during the Super Moon which means that every night the moonlight was dancing off the water. amazing.
Lots of great nature- birds galore. We were on site 14 and there's a yellow crowned night heron that lives nearby and graced us daily with is presence. Also loads of land crabs and other life around. Fun to explore.
I can see where people don't like to bring kids here (GOOD) because there's no pool or playground. Whatever, there's a HUGE OCEAN of gorgeous soft corals and sand. If you can't entertain yourself with that I don't know what to say, go to another park.
We were lucky and it's off season so we had hardly any neighbors. Very quiet and peaceful. The restrooms are very clean and well maintained (every day right on schedule then as needed). The rangers at the front office are so nice and accommodating. Never any hassles and a great place to camp, I only wish I'd reserved for 2 weeks. Next year I will for sure. Visit this park, you will not be sorry.
You can;t beat camping right along the water of the Atlantic. This is a great State Park. It is clean, the bathrooms are decent, the rangers are great...just be aware certain campsites are much better than others. Some have no trees/shrubs between the other campgrounds and some have unique hookups (for example if you have a camper it is better to have an odd numbered site or you must bring extra long hookups for water/electric). We went in June and the beach had quite a bit of seaweed but that didn't stop us from Kayaking and looking at all the cool sponges and coral and sea life. We were in site 28 and I would recommend that to anyone. It was just a short walk (3 campsites down) to the bathrooms so not on top of them which helped with the noise. I saw some reviews about car noise and yes, you can hear it the first day, but you never pay attention to it after that. The sun sets on the other side of the road from the campground but the sun rises just off your campsite. The walking trails are cool butin the summer can have lots of skeeters. Can't wait to go back though.
We camped out in the small campground one night on our way to Key West. The campsites are well laid out and come with fire pit, picnic table, water and electricity. The bathrooms/showers are clean but well-worn. The fact you are right on the Atlantic with no bugs due to the sea breeze is pretty great. The park is small, and the one trail is only about a mile loop...we only saw one bird on our walk, but that could be due to the time of day. One drawback is Rt. 1 is just behind the park and it's very noisy. However, we had the most spectacular sunset and sunrise, and after dark, the inky sky revealed gazillions of stars...we even got up in the middle of the night to see them again. Fantastic!
Long Key State Park was a gem with camping and trails. Now Campground is closed and has a construction fence in area. The trails are still available. We walked for a while and enjoyed the trails. I believe we were two of six people in the whole park. So it was quiet and peaceful. We enjoy this park when we are in the area, look forward to the "new campground". There was no date on camping availability per the Ranger. Thank you.
We made a stop at Long Key State Park to do some snorkeling, but quickly determined that there's nothing much to see in the shallow water with a sandy bottom. Fortunately there are outdoor showers to rinse off the salt, and clean restrooms. After our short swim we enjoyed a pleasant hike on the nature trail and saw dozens of hermit crabs.
We spent a couple hour hiking at the park. Definitely slow down and take your time and you will see lots of wildlife. It was a beautiful hike through the woods and along the beach.
Scheduled to be closed September 2017 through ? for the construction of a sea wall to try and stop beach erosion. The campground here is nice with thick vegetation separating most of the sites on the sides, which is good as the sites are right next to each other. There is beach access from all the sites. The sites have water and electricity hookups. As with a number of Florida state parks the hookups are placed between every other site so make sure you have enough hose and electric cord. The water is good here. The sites are long and narrow and can take most any RV. They are not paved. You will have a fire ring and picnic table. There are several bath houses and the facilities are nice and were well maintained during our stay. There is no laundry. There were no problems with mosquitoes during our stay but you will need to deal with tiny ants.
The beach of the campsites is very narrow and will have lots of sea grass washed up on it. You will be able to see sunrise and sun set from the beach at your campsite. There were lots of shore birds present during our stay. Daytime temperatures were consistently in the low 80's.
There is a place to put in your kayak near the entrance gate to go into the mangroves. It is a tiny opening so you will have to look for it. There is a post the with a reflector. You can drop off your boat there and park about a quarter of a mile (or less) near the nature trail.
I imagine this place may have some good points or it may depend what time of the day or year you are there, but the stench of sulfur, or whatever that is, will gag you. Also, the mass of rotten weeds washed ashore is gross. Who wants to walk, wade, or swim through that mess? I think you should carefully research and even visit this area before making too many plans. The "natural" environment may not be for you. We looked and left, which was annoying since we had paid to enter.
Recommend the nature trail walk. Very well kept, and lots to view along the way. Goes all the way to the water with really pretty views. Also can sit on the little beach area where they have little wooden decks so you can more easily sit and relax since it is pretty rocky.
Like so many State Parks along the Keys, Long Key is a gem. The 1.1 miles nature trail goes through four quite different habitats, and if you take the time, there is lots to see. Our favorite plant was the Knicker Bean -- the old pods are dry and blackish, the young one green. Inside (or on the ground beneath) are the beans which look like small polished grey stones. We were there at high tide so there were not many wading birds. The ticket is good for the day so you can come back when the tides are better. Nice picnic tables along the water. Very knowledgeable staff.
This is a delightful camping spot, with great amenities, the camping area is in close proximity to US HWY 1 but the beachside camp areas certainly make up for it. We had our teenage grandchildren in tow who wanted to tent camp so it was convenient to have both RV and tent camping side by side. Marathon is close by for all sorts of fun in the sun. Clean restrooms, showers and clear wifi signal. A great spot :)
Nice place to camp right on the water. Lovely beach & views. Fires are allowed; firewood available at ranger station. Bathrooms are big & clean.
It is right on the highway so there is some road noise. Call ahead & ask about bugs & seaweed. Bugs can be really bad in the summer, especially no-see-ums. On rare occasion, seaweed blooms can wash in, turning the usually lovely beach into a smelly, marshy, buggy mess.
We were heading for the mainland from Key West and stopped here to check out the park. Lots of potential. From primitive beach camping to a few nice trails to a beach/snorkel area this is a place I want to come back and take advantage of its offerings. We didn't have so much time nor was the weather cooperative on this visit but what we saw was enough for us to plan a return trip.
Stayed at Long Key State Park again during our Keys vacation. This year we decided to stay the entire trip at Long Key instead of moving up and down the keys. This is a great camping location with all the spots on the water. Its located about half way down the keys, so its convenient to Key Largo, Marathon and the lower keys. Quiet location, wonderful ocean views, great star views at night, very clean bathrooms, and some very nice kayak locations make this a perfect place for your stay. Staff are friendly and more importantly leave you alone. Nice level spots, water and electricity, but no sewer hookups.
They charge you for how many people are in the car. 2 passengers = $6.
I walked the 1 mile trail. It's supposed to be perfect for bird watchers, since I'm not one I didn't see any birds. Most of the trail is shaded and it's just nice exercise and scenery.
I believe this park is better for picnic though, there is an area with BBQ grills and with a beautiful view. There are also kayaks for rent.
If you want a nice quiet and relaxing day come here!
Great place, great views from the campground. Nice ranger at check-in. The price is right considering it is in the Keys.
It was a nice camping site but the beach was terrible lot's of seaweed and the smell was really bad. The service was great and the bathrooms were clean. But when you go with kids theres not really much to do since you can't swim in the beach and the park did not have a fishing area. So i do not recommend this camp site. One good thing was they do have ice, and water and also we didn't have any mosquitos or any insects.
The lady at the front told us we could snorkle here...which was a joke. Poor facilities, a lot of construction on the one side so beach is mucky and impossible to swim at all none the less snorkel. Lots of seagassum when we where there. Did see some cute crabs. Would not come back here in the future.
For the $10 it was NOT fun at all. We had to drive around to find a site that didn't smell awful. There were SO MANY flies everywhere, and the beach 'sand' was muck! My daughters feet were stuck and we couldn't go swimming AT ALL! We ended up driving to Sombrero Beach which was Spectacular. Like anywhere else, it LOOKED nice, but it was not what we expected for a beach trip.
We first had our picnic along the water, really quiet, and even if you could still hear the noise of the highway, you could also hear the sound of the water (which isn't possible at every beach along the Keys). Afterwards we did the Golden Orb Nature Trail done that once again showed us the diversity of nature. Really nice.
I don't know of any other park that allows you to camp right on the water. Every site has it's own private beach.
Tip: Bring a long extension cord. All Florida full facility campsites have water and electric hook-up at the campsite. An extension cord, a power strip, and a garden hose is on our camping pack list. But this campsite's hook up was a little farther than usual. I think a 20 ft extension cord would have been helpful.
Golden Orb Trail is a must do. Though be prepared to wade through some water. For us, it was at most ankle high.
We had time to kill on our way to our accommodation so dropped in here. We walked along one of the trails which was just over 1 mile and enjoyed it. There was plenty to stop and look at, from flowers to tiny sand crabs.
Let me start by saying I am not the camping type; I’m the hotel type! That being said, I tagged along with a friend to this state park for a little camping expedition. This is an awesome state park, both for day-use and for campers.
As you enter this state park, you stop to pay a day fee, or register as a camper. The fee is minimal for day use. There are lots of picnic areas, right on the ocean, and PLENTY of birds for birdwatchers. If you go to the left, there’s a nice boardwalk that is shaded by mangroves. By the boardwalk, there is a huge bathroom that was super clean and well-kept. You can picnic, ride your bike, birdwatch, and, of course, enjoy the ocean that you are surrounded by. There are lots of outdoor things to do in the park.
The camping area is to the right. After you check in at the front area, you go through a gate to get to the camp sites. The camping area is not only secure by that gate, but there is also a fence around the entire area. At night, after the park closes, they lock the front gate. You are given a code if you need to get in and out; it is really good security.
This is the most beautiful place. The camping sites are immaculate. We were in # 03, which only allows 2 people (the rules are strict). Some sites allow 2 people, some allow RV’s, some allow more people. I found the site to be very private. It’s a small strip, with a picnic table, a fresh water spigot, and electrical outlet (we didn't use the electricity), and a very nice fire well where you can light a fire and cook (you can buy firewood when you check-in if you didn’t think to bring your own). Each camp site in this park is just steps to the ocean – all sites are oceanfront. Beautiful.
You awake in the morning and peek out your tent and see the most awesome sunrise. In the evening, the ocean just bursts with orange from the beautiful Florida sunsets. The campground is SO quiet, peaceful and dark at night. When the stars come out, you can see them bright for miles. All of it really takes your breath away (see my photos).
Site # 03 was in the full sun. After about 3pm, there was a little shade at the front part. The site next to # 03 (I guess that would be 04) had a HUGE palm tree on it and had a lot of shade (I put photos of several of the sites). Some sites farther down – some had shade, some didn’t. Sea grape trees that are a little more than waist-high border the sites to give you privacy, and there is a little wooden fence separating sites. In # 03, there was plenty of room for the fire, the picnic table, our 2-person tent, a chair, and plenty of space to park the car. More than enough room. In this site, it was less than a minute walk to the showers/bathroom/trash area.
Now let me discuss the bathrooms / shower areas. I have NEVER seen anything so immaculate! The one we used had 2 toilet stalls (one was a big handicap one), and 2 big shower stalls. It was just perfect; I couldn’t believe how clean it was (see my photos). Outside of the bathroom was the trash dumpster and recycling bins (be sure to use them). There are no trash cans at the individual sites – which it good to keep wild critters out of your site.
This was an awesome place for a camper. The check-in park people were SO nice and helpful. They run a tight ship here and it shows – the park could not be cleaner or better kept. Even as a non-camper-type, I found it so wonderful. I'm a fan! Who knows, I might even camp again!!
We booked 11 months in advance and drove 2000 miles and we're quite disappointed! First, the smell is horrible..like rotting seaweed and sewage! The tide is out during the day so you have to walk thru 30 feet of a bug infested and stinky mess. The bathrooms are full of mosquitos, giant ants, and roaches. Plus the toilets barely flush and the showers back up. I'm trying to think of something positive to say...the staff is friendly and the security is good. Perhaps the beaches are better later in the summer. I wish I had booked Bahia Honda. It is a nicer campground.
We enjoyed two nights camping at Long Key State Park. All of the sites are right on the water with beautiful ocean views. The sites have water and electricity hookups, but no sewer. The sites are small and the hookups are hard to reach on some sites. You might need an extra long water hose or electrical cord for some campers. But, you can't beat the view or location. We walked right out of our camper on to the beach and snorkeled right in front of our camper. We would stay here again.
Great park! Excellent kayaking, saw sooo much! A croc, wrecked Cuban boats, turtle, sharks , even sand beaches! Loved this place. Super rangers, glad we found this place!
Had three nights camping at Long Key for the July 4, 2021 weekend. The first night, a Thursday, I had the place to myself. There are 4 “primitive” campsites that are the only campsites this once extremely busy place has to offer. (They haven’t worked on the 60 RV sites that Irma supposedly ruined.) I believe 3 are reservable online. The bath house has bathrooms and showers (pretty good) that have battery combo locks so daytime visitors are precluded. There are no electrical outlets. The bath house has no lights. The cars are about a hundred yards away from the tent area. You can roll your stuff most of the way as there’s a boardwalk out from the parking lot. The water is right across the trail from the campsites that are cutely sectioned off with wood. Bring your hammock. There’s NOT a view of the water. There is a thin line of mangroves, but there’s a 20 foot break almost across and perfect if you have a kayak. Arguably, the Keys have limited beach areas, depending on your definition of a beach. There was quite a bit of dead seaweed along the shore. Some hate it. I didn’t check out the picnic area over where day visitors go. All the sites were filled the rest of the weekend. Tent camping in the summer means heat and mosquitoes. I use a portable fan with batteries that can be used in power tools. One battery lasted all night, but I had to charge at a coffee shop. The bugs were almost nonexistent. Took the little Golden Orb Trail and got a glimpse of my first Key’s rabbit. More stars than I thought possible at night. Bahia Honda and Curry Hammock should have the same night views, but not in my experience. Some lightening bugs in the mangroves along the boardwalk added to the nighttime ambience. We had no rain and clear nights. Bahia Honda is still “recovering” campsites from Irma.
Beautiful location! We went there for the day to check out the campground (planning a camping trip in the future). The ranger at the pay station was extremely rude. He was a middle aged man with a gray beard! The worst attitude of anyone that I have encountered in the Keys. It was pouring rain so I asked if we could come back the next day just to spend 5 minutes checking out the campground. He said no. We visited 3 other campgrounds in the same day that have us 10 minute access for no charge, but not this rude guy! I plan to complain to the parks dept.
I have stayed here many times it has good and bad features. The good is it right on the water the bad is it can be hard to sleep. It is right next to the highway and it can get noisy. If you are camping in a tent bring a loud fan to drown out the morning traffic.
My wife and I stayed at Long Key state park and loved it. the sunsets were spectacular, the staff courteous
We walked the trails through the park and it was very interesting. Also, enjoyed seeing the beach area on a beautiful day.
Long Key State Park is so absolutely beautiful. Every camping spot is right on the water. Not a lot of trees but in the late fall, winter and spring you can't beat it. We go camping in Long Key whenever we can. The park is booked up 11 months in advance therefore you have to plan ahead but it is worth it.
Spent maybe 60 minutes here walking the Orb Trail and it was worth the stop to get some exercise and enjoy the serene setting. Cute campsites. Gross outhouse.
Stopped here briefly for a picnic lunch. Idyllic setting of trees and picnic benches just at the water's edge.
Nice walks. Pleasant beaches. We weren't tent camping there but loved the tent only sites located on a raised wooden platform next to the beach.
Let's face it - it's a busy drive down the Keys - 100 miles of pavement, lots of bridges, tons to see and do. I found this to be an oasis - easily accessible - certainly not a 'back country' experience but… this is the Keys!! Nice place to pull up a chair, go for a walk, cool off, check out the birds and flowers. Liked the trail - as already mentioned, a bit wet in parts. I took my shoes off but some walked thru in their runners. Quite lovely for a Canadian trying to get away from the snow!
The first thing you need to know before visiting this park is do not expect white sandy beaches. The shore is very shallow and a bit muddy but with that aside, it is still a beautiful campground!
My boyfriend and I camped for one night at this park and we had a great time. Although I wish the shore was dug out a little bit so we could go swimming closer to shore. We couldn’t find any sort of public beach in the park other than what we had right in front of our campsite. So if there is a public area, I wish it was easier to find. Signs or maps at the campsite would help.
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the park to see a rare North American bird. Sadly, the park's staff were not at all welcoming to those of us who had come from far-and-wide to see the rarity. Admittedly, not all birders obeyed the rules, however only a select few caused a problem, yet I felt antagonism towards all of us. When problems arose (i.e. birders going off-trail), they were screamed at by the park staff. Surely there must be better ways to handle crowd control! Staff also created a very dangerous traffic situation on Highway 1 when they steadfastly refused to open the gate a single minute before 8 am! I would advise the park staff to keep in mind that although many people visiting a small park can create problems, those same people generate many dollars in entrance and camping fees they otherwise would not receive.
Beyond the problems directly related to the issues described above, the park is pleasant but be aware that traffic noise from the Highway 1 can be a problem.
We hiked the Golden Orb Trail with our toddler in an off-road stroller and were pleasantly surprised. Glorious trees, flowers and plant life in a variety off diverse environments. Scenic vistas along the ocean and quaint footbridges and boardwalks. Truly a hidden treasure. Be ready for the possibility of slogging through brackish floodplain along the last mile depending on time of year and the state of the tide. We had fun with it (as did our son) and got great photos.
Sucked for tent camping. Swarms of biting no seeums at dusk that laughed at DEET. Rats like The Pied Piper story overran the campsite at night, ate through thick plastic food containers and my favorite day pack, and ate through the airbag wiring harness in my car for $1100 damage. Maybe my worst camping trip ever.
We came here to take a break from traveling and get a little exercise. It's not very big. They have a flat hiking trail with plenty of shade which is nice. We were here in early April. We did not have a problem with bugs but if I came much later in the late spring and summer, definitely bring bug spray and expect it to be hot.
The path is about 1 1/2 miles in a circle, mostly through trees but parts are along the shoreline. As is typical with the Keys, there is not much beach here. Overall, a nice stop for a quick break.
The campsites here are very nice and clean. They back up to the water, which gives you great views. The water is not very deep and you can go out pretty far. One of the groups camping next to us had a boat moored about 100 yards out and were able to walk to it. Many people also had kayaks and canoes that they launched from their campsites.
The campsites with the lowest numbers are tent only and are a bit smaller. I would recommend going google earth or another similar site that can give you a road view of the sites.
The bathrooms were clean and well maintained. There is a boardwalk trail through the mangroves that is really nice.
This park is long and skinny and is right off the main road. Some sites have much more privacy than others.
Grate Park it is beautiful place great camping spots right on the water great for kayaking,fly fishing,swimming,and beautiful sunrises. Bathroom and shower are very clean. Power and water hook ups work great Park Ranger are very nice. U1 is right next to the park but to tell u the truth I did even notice, but I live I the city so maybe I am used to it. The reason I gave it a 4star is because u have to remember that u are camping in the mangroves so the bugs bother some, especially the noseeums. Make sure to have a nice fire, or smokey fire if it is hot out. The park has some great trails,wildlife, plants, and history P.S ask me for an all natural bug repellent no deet or crazy chemicals. Remember noseeums love deet, and this is Florida the bugs here are not fazed by deet or weak bug spray.
Another beautiful park in the Keys, Long Key State Park welcomes walkers, swimmers, boaters and campers. A long boardwalk leads out to a beach that is better suited for sunbathing than swimming. Along the way, there are picnic pavilions that offer places to "set up shop" for the day or the afternoon while exploring the park. Also, there is a two-story lookout for viewing across the tidal lagoon. An interesting, lengthy nature trail on the other side leads through the complex vegetation of this area. Good restrooms and large parking lot. Moderate admission fee.
We spent Mother's Day weekend camping at Long Key State Park. The sites are right on the water, which is calm and shallow all the time. We could walk right out from our tent into the water. During low tide, you could walk forever (it seemed) and only end up in water up to your waste. Lots of young coral and sea life to see. Lots of campers had their kayaks and canoes to explore the area. The bathrooms were well maintained, with the #2 and #3 bathrooms being newer and bigger than the #1 bathroom. The campground was very quiet, even when it was full. Our kids loved this campground and we will definitely go back. If you are just visiting for the day, take the road leading to the campground to find a nice spot on the water. The road is lined with picnic tables, grills, and a bathroom with an outdoor shower. There are covered picnic areas on the other road in the park, but they do not have direct beach access.
There was a nice boardwalk out to the mangrove beach where there is tent camping available along with a few screened in enclosures you can camp in. Walking trail was along the water then also through the mangroves. You go in and out of the trees and there were lots of butterflies and birds to see while we there. Also a group of small crabs busy on the trail. Take bug spray and water. Trail is well marked. Clean bathrooms and plenty of parking.
Wanted to kayak or canoe, but the water was too choppy. We did some hiking instead. It's an easy, enjoyable walk with a couple different views to appreciate.
The best thing about camping here all of the sites are right on the beach. I love that I can sit in my beach chair at my camp site and the water is only 10 feet away. It does not matter which site I am in. They all have the same great unobstructed view.
We enjoyed a leisurely hike on the golden orb trail. Part of the trail was under water so we decided to turn back and retrace our path. Other waded through. To be fair they had warned us of this! We would definitely return!
Nice place, very laid back. Not much info once on site. It was all self guided once inside. Nice hiking trail.
Simple state park off the side of Rte 1. When you're sick of the tacky shell shops and key lime pie stores, come chill out at Long Key State Park. Simple beach is great to sit and look at the water. Shallow water, bit of a slimy bottom, so not as great for swimming. A great 2 mile nature trail through mangrove swamps. Great platform camping spots with water views. $3 per person entrance fee. Highly recommended!
It is a nice park, has a few trails, they are not to long so you won't take all day for it, the picnic area is great, lots of tables with and without covers. Bugs, lots of them, maybe because it was on and off raining. There was not really a beach, it was very muddy and it smelled bad, deffently not right for a swim. It is something to do if you look for a short walk or you wait till you can check in to your hotel.
We stopped here on a day trip down to Key West. I had thought it would be a nice place to just take a walk in nature. There was a nice trail to walk, walked along the beach for awhile, but overall, not much to see. Lots of no see ums that bit us all. I think maybe if you planned to camp or spend a lot more time, you might enjoy it more, but for a short stop, not worth it.
We spent 10 days in the Keys. Wonderful food, boating, snorkeling. Key West is fun! Even 10 days wasn't enough!
Nice nature walk with board walk. Has nice bathrooms and long natural coast area with some sandy spots.
Very nice location, would think you are on an isolated island. Two very nice walks, one a boardwalk.
I made a short-timed visit to this park since it was nearby the hotel we were staying. Nice views along the shoreline with some decent picnic and resting places to overlook the water.
I also hiked the .Golden Orb Trail and was extermely disappointed that there was no warning that nearly a 1 mile into the loop the trail was flooded. This was even after the Ranger at the entrance recommended it - I wonder why she didn't warn about the flooding - or did she just not know? I was forced with the decision of backtracking the mile or wadding through ankle-deep water I was not prepared to wad through.
We stayed at site 25 - excellent site. Site was large enough to comfortably fit our 36' fifth wheel with 4 slides and still have room. The site has quite a bit of shade & buffers between the sites next to us. Being right on the water was amazing, relaxing, breath taking... The water is very shallow, we could walk out 500' before we were in waist deep water. The water was very calm. A nice variety of marine life to see while snorkeling. Plan on wearing some type of water shoes while in the ocean to protect your feet. We loved this State Park & we are returning next July.
We have spent 2 amazing weeks here with family in a pop up camper on site 19. Every morning an ocean view every night dinner on the water. Lots of rest in the hammock and amazing snorkeling in the shallow waters. If you love to be right on the water then every site has a great view.
We've gone there for over 10 years, often just to run the trails however sometimes to camp. Nice park, great views, friendly staff. Well worth going to.
My husband, tween kids, and I rented two double kayaks at the price of $21 or so dollars an hour. The water was pretty calm and temps were 82. We had a blast. Kayaked out to left of rental and went through a few mangroves that weren't too overgrown. Further down the shoreline the mangroves were too overgrown to kayak through. Wear a swimming shirt or bring mosquito spray because my one son was bitten by many mosquitos (but no one else). Bring water for the kayak not only for drinking but in case your daughter also splashes salt water into your son's eyes and you're far from shore.
Went there to hike the trail which I did it, was very pretty, great photo opportunities. There is a board walk and showers to rinse your feet off, in my case I wore my bathing suit and a cover up so I used the shower to cool off then went for my hike on the trail. After that drove over to the beach, which was disappointing not much beach and the seaweed had washed in. Was there about an hour then headed out.
We decided to stop here because we weren't sure what else to do, and it ended up being a very enjoyable time at the park. We decided to hike along the Golden Orb trail, and it was very beautiful. As someone from Michigan, we're out of blooming flower season, and yet here in Florida in December, there were probably 10-15 different species of flowers still blooming. As you're hiking along the trail, you'll also end up at the beach abound 1/3 of the way through. It was a really beautiful area. We were able to see pelicans diving and what we believe were two juvenile hammerhead sharks chasing each other. It was a bit wet in parts, but most of the trail was dry. There is also a boardwalk that seems to be available for camping.
My partner spent childhood summers in this State Park, which is why we stopped (his grandparents use to be the campground hosts). Some things have changed a bit since he was a kid, others felt exactly the same (in a good way).
The campground layouts have changed and there are some neat educational plaques that weren't up when he was younger. We had a great time walking one of the trails in the area and watching the crabs scuttle around. It was definitely warm, I'd highly recommend sunscreen if you're planning to stay out for any length of time.
We'll definitely stop back on our next drive through.
I really liked camping here. The Park Rangers were helpful and friendly. Site #10 was near a bathroom and pretty quiet. I had fellow tenters on one side, and camper van on the other side. There was plenty of trees for shade and privacy just the same.
Be aware the US Route 1 is about 150 feet from the campsite, but the lapping of the waves covered the night time road noise.
I only spent one night so didn't explore the entire park. I did check out the "rustic" tent sites, and found them to be wooden platforms and indeed without amenities.
I would definitely camp here again, and reserve in advance.
Long Key State Park is a low-key park situated along the Great Florida Birding Trail. We ducked into the park on our drive up Route 1 from Big Pine Key to Miami. Hurricane Irma destroyed much of the mangrove forest, but nature is remarkably resilient, and baby mangroves are sprouting from below the ghostly white dead ones that remain. Sitting at a picnic table right at the water, we saw a little blue heron and an ahinga bird. We were able to wade knee-deep 50 yards out from the shore. The park has screened-in picnic cabins and wooden stands to hang hammocks.
We stopped at this park on our way to Key West and took a walk on the Golden Orb loop trail (MM 68, 1.2 miles) as it was recommended by our guidebooks as a "must see" in the Keys. It's a fascinating and very worthwhile trail to do (quite easy too, no problem wearing just flipflops). Lots of interesting and unusual plant life, mangrove swamp, tropical hammock, as well as great views of the Atlantic ocean from the scenic beaches. We were there around noon, it was sunny with temperature in the 80s, so it was really hot. As most of the trail has no tree shade, better to cover up neck and shoulder area to not get burned (or use lots of sun block!), and bring plenty of drinking water (water fountain available at start of trail). Not very buggy, actually didn't get bitten by any insect – probably due to time of year (early April) and time of day. It was middle of the week so the trail was fairly deserted – think we saw about 10 people total including a few rangers during our leisurely hour-long walk.
There is only a few tent campgrounds in the keys. The primitive one has excellent facilities. Used eucaluptus oil for noseeums a must. Yes there are animals, its a caping not a hotel, but never had prob. Staff very friendly.
This is a good recreation area with lots of space and things to do. We really enjoyed a great day here!! Definitely worth the stop.
We had a lovely day hiking the trail. There are guide posts and markers explaining what you might be seeing. The trail was very easy to walk, about one mile long, and went through different terrains. You saw the water and mangroves, little crabs on trees, lots of birds. There were shady areas and open sunny areas. Bathrooms at the beginning of the hike.
I visited one morning and the park was completely peaceful. The camp ground was awesome nice spacious area on the beach. Perfection. Nice picnic area. Lots of wild life. From the observation deck I scared some bats and had them flying around (early morning) saw a variety of birds and crabs. Neat little park to spend some time.
Well kept State park along the water. Offers shelling, kayaking, swimming. Bring your own food & water as there are no options .
After the horible experience that was Key West, this little park was such a delight. The golden orb trail, a walk of an hour, was really nice. The mangrove, the ocean, the swamps, it has it all.
Long Key is a favorite among campers. Cost $5. per vehicle, get there early enough and you can park your RV right on the water. Some say its the best beach camping. I like my hotel room, so I am a day use visitor. Long key's beach is shallow for about 100 yards, depending on the tide, its a tan sand. It has pockets of deeper water but they aren't over your head. It's perfect beach for kids. It has lots of sealife and fish. The shore has some sea grass, few shells, lots of bugs and lizards.
We expected to see beaches, mangroves, walking trails and a lagoon water trail. We ended up taking a nice mile-long walk along the "Golden Orb" trail and saw virtually zero wildlife (one bird, a few land crabs, and a raccoon). We would have liked to rent kayaks and paddle the water trail through the lagoon. However, upon arrival, the kayaks were down at the beach and you needed to go back to the ranger station at the entrance to rent one. The water trail launch was unmarked, very small, and about a 1/4 mile from the beach where the kayaks were stored. I would definitely recommend John Pennekamp State Park on Key Largo ahead of this one.
WOW, this place is gorgeous. I live in Michigan, and thought we had some nice parks. Nothing compares to the unaltered beauty of the Florida Keys parks. Love just walking on the beach looking for treasures.
Nice trails through a variety of local vegetation. Raised pathways, bay views, lots of birds, mangroves...
Very pleasant and mostly shaded walk. Lots of birdwatchers !
To be fair we did not take the one hour walk/excursion,we did not have the correct shoes. There is no beach, a walk along the water, nothing special.
We had an enjoyable time hiking the 1.25 mile Golden Orb Trail through different habitats. It was an easy hike, no hills, just very gradual slopes and inclines. Trail was smooth and sandy. Good place to spot wildlife. There are a few rough campsites, a beach and picnic area, and restrooms. The main campground is still under construction from Irma.
This State Park (like the others in the area) was devastated by Irma. The mangroves were certainly ravaged, but already there is evidence of regrowth coming through. The lake trail is not totally back in service, but you can get in a nice walk along the board walk and going down the scenic trail and back. There is no beach or campground at this time.
My wife and two teens took a bike ride from nearby Lime Tree resort for a nature hike. Recommend going early or late when it's a little cooler since there absolutely no shade. Didn't have enough time to check out the beach area but will next time. Park ranger friendly and boardwalk new since hurricane in 2017.
We stopped here on the way back from the Turtle Hospital, which was excellent by the way. I wanted to go there earlier but we didn't make it so by the time we got there, it was 1 hour till closing time. I wanted to walk the Golden Orb trail since the reviews said it was nice. The sign said it takes about an hour and my husband and I are tall so we figured we'd have this easily accomplished before 1 hour for a 1 mile long trail.
First of all, the entrance fee was $6 for two people, which was expected based on other reviews. And no, they don't give discounts to you even if they do close in an hour. We didn't expect that. The bathrooms were nice and clean. The trail was nice up until the point where there was water blocking the last 1/4 mile of the trail. The water wasn't that deep but spanned at least 30 feet across the trail. We didn't want to take our shoes off and then have to walk barefoot the rest of the way letting our feet dry so we just turned around and went all the way back to where we started. Plus, didn't want to contract something strange from standing water.
There were no signs alerting us to this fact and no signs to even say it's a possibility so be aware. You'd expect it I guess given the proximity to the ocean but a sign or even the park ranger alerting you to it would have been appreciated. Just aware that this is a possibility. We made it out on time but had to hustle a little since we had to do major backtracking.
There is some garbage along some of the trail. We assume this has washed up from the ocean, which is gross. People really should be ashamed of themselves if they litter like that.
Smaller park, it has some camping areas and a typical "keys beach" aka not much sand lots of seaweed all over the shores etc, there is a nature walk too and a tower that looks over the mangrove growth. The bathrooms are nice here, not really a lot else to say about this park.
A 1 mile walking trail provided a surprising variety of natural habitats including beach access with stunning views. Could have had more plants and trees named
I think it best if I just copy and paste my wife's post from Facebook about our stay:
This morning at 3:15 am. at Long Key State Park, Tim and I were awakened by loud shouting and celebrating. We thought it was drunk kids who had just made there way into the park. Tim sat up to see what was going on. He said he saw a bunch of young people at the bathroom across from our camp hugging and celebrating. He counted at least 13 of them walking down the stairs at the bathroom. They finally quieted down and we went back to sleep. We woke up around 6:00 am and laid there looking at a small boat that was sinking, a snake slithering by and we talked and giggled as we waited for the sun to come up.
Moments later the Park Ranger came walking down the beach and asked if we heard any commotion last night. Tim told him we had and he saw a bunch of kids hooping and hollering at the bathrooms. The Ranger said," Yea, they were Cuban refugees and their boat is about 60 feet down from your camp". We hurried out of the van to see. These pictures are of the approximately 12 -14 foot boat that at least 13 refugees used to travel across the gulf stream in hopes of finding freedom. It's made of tin and old scraps of wood. The sail is made of feed sacks sewn together. There was a tire tube that I can only assume was their only life raft. They had paddles made of a stick and a piece of plastic nailed to the bottom. They had hand painted "El Gladiador" on the side of the boat, which means Gladiator.
When they made it to land, they went to the tent next to us, frightening a young family. They asked them to call the police. As that man pulled a knife on them they ran to the next tent. That man pulled a gun on them, but did call the police for them. They told them they were in that boat for three days. There was a small bag of sun block and lotions in the boat but no food or water was left in the boat.
After the police were called they began celebrating their freedom. That was the commotion we heard.
I can't imagine a life so horrible that they would risk their lives to be here. I can't imagine their fear of possibly being caught trying to flee by Cuba. I can't imagine or even make up a story like this. This unimaginable thing that happened changed my day for sure. Tim and I couldn't stop talking about how lucky we are to have been born here. Our freedom is taken for granted so often.
On a side note, the park is way too expensive for camping in my opinion.
Coming back from Key West we wanted to stop here to see one more beach, and unfortunately read this was four stars. After paying $7.50 we drove in to become thoroughly disappointed that there is no sandy beach. It's awfully covered with muck and we promptly turned around and drove to the front gate to nicely request a refund. "No sir" said the very stern and unfriendly park ranger. So we decided to make the best of it and hiked through the mangrove. Not too far we took some stairs up a small tower, only to have a view of absolutely nothing interesting but the tops of the mangrove as far as one could see. Continuing on we got to some wooden platforms and realized they were campsites when we saw a tent on one of them, and out walks an old man in a speedo. I guess it would be ok to camp there, but I've certainly camped in better places. Long story short, Bahia Honda has by far the better beach to enjoy. Don't even bother to stop at Long Key unless you want a long face. BTW, kids would be bored to tears here, definitely don't bring them here.
We stopped at the park on our way out of town. The trails were nice and well kept up. The views were beautiful. Would like to see them fix the lookout tower.
Nice park. Not much in the way of a beach. Camp sites right on the water. We'll be camping here at some point in the future for sure! A couple of venomous snake warnings although we didn't see any. Definitely a repeat!
Stopped here when our snorkeling trip departure got changed unexpectedly. We wanted to check out the "beach" area (shallow areas, bit murky and some jellies in the water) and also decided to take the nature trail around the 1.1 mile loop. Some parts of trail prone to flooding and we experienced this around 0.6 miles in -- easy enough to cross the first 2 flooded areas (luckily we had flip flops on so removed those, waded thru the 5 inch deep water and out the other side after maybe 15-20 feet). The third flooded area we came across was much longer in length and wrapped around a bend so we didn't know when/if it ended or how deep it was so turned around and headed out of the trail the way we entered. That was all ok, but BRING BUG SPRAY if you get bit easily. After our brief stint in and out of the trail I think I had (no exaggeration) 25-30 bug bites on me. And more that appeared later on. I typically do get bit easily but my husband does not. He had 15-20 on him easily as well. Don't do as we did and forget the bug spray at hotel.
Our first goal was to find a picnic table by the water, which was the best feature of the park, because of the views. Several tables were under the trees. Some nice benches were along the water's edge and a small pier helped you take in the view. There are a couple of trails through the mangroves, along with some picnic shelters. The most action we saw were the campers pouring in to set up, there must be a lovely camping area for visitors to spend a few days. There wasn't too much to do here but enjoy the views. That was perfect for us!
We camped here one night, and it was lovely. Clean bathroom facilities. Sites have a fire pit, picnic bench, oh yeah, and an incredible view. We even had a palm tree that gifted us a coconut. Just be ready for little nasty gnats that bite you and hurt and low tide smell. But it's the beach so that's what ya get.
Really nice park, beautiful place!!! People there were friendly. We did not stay long only because the wind was blowing so hard. Hope to go back on a calmer day.
We stayed in site 43 with our pop up camper for 4 nights in December 2013. We loved it. The wind was blowing pretty good the first couple of days, but other than that it was great. The bathhouse is big and clean. The site is directly on the ocean. We had a nice large picnic table and a fire ring. Our hook ups were on the correct side for the camper (drivers side). Site 44 would have had hook ups on the wrong side- passenger side, so you would need longer water and electric cords. They are in the middle of the 2 sites. Our site was not quite level, but close. The ocean was calm (no waves) and corally/sandy. We waded out barefoot a long ways. The bottom is cushioned with sea weed. If you are not happy stepping in it then wear some old shoes. It is not a great place for swimming as it is about knee deep for a couple hundred yards. It would be a good place to put a chair out and sun bathe. Dogs are not allowed on the beach. We just kept ours in the campsite. Sunrise and sunset are visible from this campsite. We took pictures of both. The birds are everywhere...they loved fishing in the shallows right there in front of us. Key West was about 1.5 hours away. We visited Bahia Honda for a beach day, which is about 30 minutes south. I can't wait to come back here. We had a fabulous time. Park rangers didn't bother us at all. They did tell us to have a fire ....for the atmosphere. You can't camp on the ocean with a fire in too many places. We did .... had a fire - it was about 72 degrees for a low that night. lol. Temps in December when we were there were great. Highs in the high 70s/low 80's and lows in the low 70's. We went swimming in the ocean at Bahia Honda and in Key West. The water was warm. I was shocked! Loved it! The only bad thing.... noseeums. The wind died down on the last day we were there and I went out at sunrise to take pictures and was eaten alive. 24 hours later my legs were itching like crazy. I have since learned that you can get eaten up by them at sunrise and sunset on calm days. Next time i'll wear bug spray.
Enjoyed our morning spent at the park. Friendly ranger at the gate. Easy entree for Kayaks and shallow waters to enjoy paddling along the shore
Late February but only a few turkey vultures and a catbird. Brochure promised lots of avian species, but where have all the birdies gone? Nice boardwalk and clean toilets/washrooms.
A true gem of the keys!! Camping in front of the ocean, do the fire at night embraced by the subtle sound of the minimal waves of the keys sea, turquoise and blue all around; outstanding sunrise from your campsite... Just peace on earth!! I would live there forever!!
I like tent camping in the Keys: last night was my first camping trip to Long Key but I've stayed at Bahia Honda and Curry Hammock several times each. The Pros on Long Key are the beautiful camp sites: they are practically in the ocean. My site was literally 10 feet from the edge of the water. You can just sit back in a beach chair or the picnic tables and get lost staring out over the water. When the stars come out at night: it is a beautiful sight! As in all the FL state parks I've been to, the camp sites are nicely maintained. The main Con is the nearby road (overseas Highway/ US 1). I suppose if you are in an RV, the location of the road won't matter, but even with ear plugs in, the road is really noisy while sleeping in a tent: especially when large trucks go by. A couple of those trucks applied their airbrakes too! The bathroom facility was OK but not great (the facilities at the other two parks I mentioned are nicer). So, I guess I'm only giving three stars from a tent camper's standpoint because of the road noise: other than that though, this is a pretty nice state park and camping area.
We camped here for a few days. The beach campsites were not disappointing. Enjoyed kayaking and searching for blue claw crabs. The water is very nice. You can place your chair in the water and relax. If your looking for a place just to chill and do nothing this is the perfect place. Great place to star gaze no light pollution so you see everything.
Took a nice walk in this park. Lovely trail, with great views, nice boardwalk, and very clean bathrooms. A great place to go to get away from it all, and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Highly recommended.
This park was so breath taking. Each of the sites were water front and literally the tide comes to your back door. Beautiful sandy areas to set up in and enjoy the views. Great kayaking and a good map at the ranger station none of the sites are pull through but they are worth the backing in. We were able to stay the night without turning on the air all of the great sea breezes made it possible to enjoy the night air. Only one thing freaked me out and that was the ghost crabs that decided our camp site was home. I had to dodge them whenever I went to the bath house. Well worth the trip.
Beautiful campground, mile marker 67.5, great view ocean side . Great staff. I am not a camper, and did not stay. Clean facilities, picnic tables, firepit. "SSS" Super sunrise, smelly seaweed, sand fleas". But I walked past, SSS and swam, the water was great; but then I had to go back on shore. Cost $
We were not properly prepared to hike 1 mile on Memorial Day weekend. No water, not the right shoes and 2:30 in the afternoon the hottest part of the day. We survived! It would have been much more enjoyable had we been prepared. It was a spur of the moment stop. We hiked the mile just to get it over with in the heat. Still it was all our fault. This place is excellent, don't miss it and bring water......
A nice boardwalk takes you out to a further walk that eventually loops close to water. Odd camping site as there are sites right along the boardwalk. Didn't camp but saw several tents pitched along this path. Pretty beach and enjoyable walk through mangroves and beach front.
Our campsite was beautiful! All campsites are feet from the water. We saw lots of pretty birds and had lots of privacy. The Stars were amazing at night! Bathrooms were immaculate! The highway was so close that sleeping was tough in a tent. Maybe in an RV you would be ok. The brochure says you can swim there all year but there are rocks under the water and it stays shallow for a long way out. I could not get out to the deep water...it hurt my feet! Fishing was tough too because of the rocks.
This is just off the highway but immediately you park up you are transported to a very different environment. Choose the nature trail. It's is very accessible and full of fascinating natural things to observe from the tiny crabs scampering all over the red mangrove trees, to many types of birds and fish. The trail is a loop of around 1 mile. Afterwards the beach walk offers many places to bathe or have a picnic.
It costs $3 each.
Some people love this place. Nice boardwalk. Poor views of the ocean. Clean restrooms. It may be a decent place to camp, but it looked fairly deserted. You might want to pass it by and head further south along the Keys.
We absolutely loved our first family camping trip. We brought our paddleboards and took our 3 year old and 5 year old exploring all over the place. While paddling we spotted a tarpon, a couple cute little baby sharks, an angel fish, some parrot fish, and my personal favorite an eagle ray. The kids enjoyed romping around in front of our campsite finding tons of hermit crabs to watch. There was a lovely breeze at night to keep us cool. In the mornings we would take a walk at see what creatures would be out to greet us...land crabs. Bathrooms were very clean. Rangers ever so welcome. Oh and the Golden Orb trail beautiful! We took our bikes and rode it at least once a day. We are coming back...I see yearly trips on our future.
The park trail was a nice walk. Saw hermit & sand crabs. A couple areas were very wet & no bridge. Had to take off shoes & walk through. Remember bug spray.
We visited Long Key State Park for the simple reason that we are fans of the excellent Netflix drama, Bloodline. It's here that the pivotal scene between the principal characters John and Danny Rayburn plays out, and with a bit of help from the ranger at the entrance, you can find the exact spot. We rewatched the relevant episode later that evening to double-check, and it was definitely the place. But if you're not a fan of that particular series, probably still worth stopping by as it's quite an atmospheric strip of coastline.
This trail, named after a native spider, is a very enjoyable 1.1 mile walk. You walk thru several different types of terrain, going thru hammock, along side the Atlantic and then sandy, open areas.
The park is well maintained and the trail was well marked. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend for anyone seeking a nice, scenic walk in a "natural" setting.
If you are looking for a nice quiet walk thru local vegetation then this is the place for you. Did not see any wildlife except for some crabs but really enjoyed our time here.
If you need to kill some time like we did, it's a good place to stop for a couple of short hikes and an overlook. we also had a picnic. there are lots of tiny crabs everywhere so that's fun to see. it looks like it might even be nicer one day when they finish the rebuilding from hurricane irma.
ust came from there. It's only open for day use. All the campsites are closed, destroyed. We were told it may never open again for camping they have no idea how long. There is no restoration going on, nothing. So sad we had been camping there for 16 years.
We visited in December which we learned is a choppy time of year to be in the water. We tried kayaking in the little mangrove lake. It was interesting, the upside-down jellyfish and mangroves were unique. If it's too choppy on the open water to kyak, give this spot a try.
Setting is more rustic. Sites are good for not being on top of each other. Good bike trail. There is a huge land fill close by. The air was sniffy to say the least. No laundry. Good shower house. Kayak rentals. Beach access for swimming is a bit rugged. Beautiful sunsets. The Keys State Parks are tough to get into if you do not book ahead. However one thing I learned this trip is they have to keep 10% of spaces as non reserved for drop ins. However once you get the site you have the option to renew upto 14 days. This is a day to day option. So each day you have until 1 o'clock to decide.
We have a state park pass for Florida and try to hit up every state park that we can when we travel. We stopped here and did a nice long trail and enjoyed the walk along the amazing clean, blue water and natural beach area. If there was a beach area good for swimming we missed it.. But the water is so clear and shallow it looked as though you could just walk out into it for miles without it even reaching your waist. Mostly good for water sports. The trail is great to explore the hammock and mangrove habitat.
Small, severely damaged, but still a charming state park. The famous flats are the fishermen's delight.Possible to camp there, or you go as a day visitor. For the bird watchers, the Golden Orb Trail leads to several places. Using a shorter one, the Layton Trail, you can reach the bayside waters. Either way provides you plenty of exciting things. Rare birds, beautiful flowers, fascinating plants on one of them, and sea creatures and rocks on the other one.Unluckily this island because of its location is exposed to the anger of hurricanes. Last time Hurricane Irma damaged it badly, but one or two years, and we can enjoy Long Key's old beauty again.
I have been going down to the keys for over 30 years and have driven past Long Key State Park numerous times and have always thought about actually going inside. This trip I finally did and boy was it a nice surprise! The park rangers were very nice at the front gate and informed us of all the activities within the park. You MUST go on the hiking trail. It was only about a mile long but it was absolutely beautiful and worth doing multiple times. After we did that we rented canoes and watched our inexperienced friends go in circles around the lagoon which was very entertaining. This is a great park and I highly recommend people to check it out.
If I could I would give it a 3.5. The extra point .5 would be for the amazing oceanfront view. The beach is a typical Florida Keys beach so its not really a beach and during low tide it's alot of sand flies and seaweed. I looked at reviews before I went so I already knew the bugs were going to be crazy and we had a mesh tent and cover over and I still wound up with no see um bites everywhere. If your someone like me who out of every friend you'll get bit the most I'd say winter time in Florida might be your best bet. I literally have over 40 no see um and mosquito bites lol. It was expected and I tried my best with bug spray!
We brought our pup with us which was a cool bonding experience he's only a year old. We couldn't really do anything but go on that one trail they have. We couldn't on the beach either which I already knew going as well due to turtle nesting and trying to preserve wildlife totally understandable but the place lacked much to do other then bbq and hike for a mile. They do have kyak rentals available.
If you decide to go during this time bring at least two fans for your tent. The bathroom was decent not dirty but not nice so in between. We're not experience campers so if you can handle the bugs and your looking for a place just to camp then this is the spot for you with the best view. it's beautiful.
Overall nice park rangers I only really saw them when I entered the park. I only stayed one day and a night. You pay for the view.
If you get chance stop at harry harris park it's a decent park!
Pretty and scenic and probably good for hiking. Most of the park was closed off and we weren’t told that when we paid to get in. Bahia Honda is a far better park.
We have a 2016 sprinter van and have never had problems before this but at this campground our normal 30 amp plug would not fit in their 30 amp electric box because the old design cut out for the cord is at an odd angle. They told us to go to Home Depot 21 miles away and get a 30 to 30 adapter on a Sunday night at 4:30 pm (getting dark) in a torrential downpour, with flood warnings. We called Home Depot and they did not carry those. We also called a local True Value which was closed on Sundays. The ranger could not refund us that night, so we stayed without power which was fine but bummer at $46. He did allow us to cancel the following night we had reserved (whew). They said we were the first to have this problem so if you have a newer model rv your plug may not fit so bring extra adapters. We had a 30 to 50, but we also needed a 50 to 30 to make it extend far enough away from box to fit. Other than that it was pretty by the ocean.
Park to enjoy wildlife, sea birds. All clean and protecting the nature around. Entrance is paid 10,00 per car, has parking. The place has plaques explaining all the animals and birds that inhabit there, simply magnificent. It is not a place for beach bathing but to enjoy the marine life. Photographers and nature lovers a full dish !!!!
This park is fairly small and is right off US 1 with nice views of the ocean to the south. There is an entry fee. There are several nice picnic tables overlooking the ocean and the narrow beach. Kayaks are available for rental Unfortunately, the beach is covered by thick, brown, odorous seaweed. There are also campsites that are directly on the water which require gate entry with a camper's key code. The park has a nature trail. Unless you wish to walk the nature trail or are a camper, I'd save your entry fee and find a beachfront picnic table elsewhere.
We stayed at the Lime Tree Bay resort which is in the Long Key area so we took a visit to the state park. There is a nice trail, observation deck, and covered picnic tables. I've been told that their camping facilities are one of the best in the keys area but we did not get to see the camping area.
We've vacationed numerous times at Long Key State Park in a tent and have loved it every time. It is such a beautiful campground. We prefer campsite 10 for tent camping as it is close to the bathrooms, far enough away from the highway noise, while still providing the breathtaking views you come to the Keys for. Each campsite provides electricity and water hookups as well as a picnic table and charcoal grill. We've managed to fit as many as 3 tents and 2 cars on our campsite before. I also love where Long Key is located in the Keys, perfectly between Marathon and Islamarada, you can't go wrong! Beautiful campground, but be prepared to bring stuff to do as there are no activities provided by the campground.
A rather small place, as state parks go, but a delight nonetheless. We stopped for a break while driving from Miami to Key West and it was just what we needed. A tidy boardwalk, fascinating nature trail through different ecosystems, and lots of shore birds to see. From mangrove swamp to tidal dunes, the stroll took about an hour. Bring insect repellant.
We stopped here hoping to swim, but there wasn't a place along the shore that wasn't grassy. The ranger at the gate was super friendly. We walked the Orb Trail during a hot time of day. It was pretty, but we didn't see too much wildlife. We did see several very cool hermit crabs. There were a couple of men with huge lenses on their cameras looking for birds. It was a nice trail and I think if we had walked a bit more slowly that we probably would have seen more birds or animals.
I am a native Floridian and can say this is a beautiful park. However If you do not like nature and camping, don't come. The Florida keys are not known for beautiful beaches. It's a different kind of beach with a different kind of beauty. Mosquitos??? Yes welcome to Florida!! This is a great park! If you have kayaks, canoes or paddle boats you will enjoy yourselves thoroughly! Sites are right on the water! This campsite is midway to Keywest which makes it easy to drive to and from the park in one day. Clean restrooms! And great Staff! Again seaweed Mosquitos no seums and sand fleas... All part of the Florida keys and Florida in general if you want to be a part of the outdoors especially in the summer months! Cheers :)
This park is a lovely place to stop for a picnic when traveling through the Keys. There is a waterfront picnic area with access direct to the water and with picnic tables. There is also a short and easy one mile trail you can walk. There is a small entrance fee to the park $6 for 2 in a car.
The long key state recreational area is a stretch of oceanfront sandy beach on Islamorada. You can watch the waves and enjoy the view.
Great walk from the mangroves to the ocean. It wasn't crowded at all so it was nice to get away from crowds of people. If you walk slowly and look carefully you'll see lots of really cool wildlife. It was a very peaceful place! Fantastic views of the ocean with many informative plaques but no beach.
The staff was wonderful -- kind, helpful, and friendly. However, the beach is unusable for sand fleas. Dogs are not allowed on the beach. For the mucky dead seaweed, trash, and popping fleas, I would not permit my dog to go there. I paid for a beach site; the state should deliver on their promise.
Went birding here to look for a recently reported rare bird. We got to see the bird and enjoyed the other wildlife and pleasant trail. Very friendly and helpful staff.
We visited for the day. Enjoyed the nature trail, although we didn't get to see any wildlife. The camping looks good, but I imagine the road noise would be unpleasant. It was a pleasant way to spend an hour or two, but wouldn't go out of my way for it.
It's a very small park and not a lot of people, which was AWESOME! Super shallow water, great for floating and chilling. Nice spot to BBQ with the fam and veg. Lots of things to look out for and explore with the kids! Just don't tell anyone, keep it on the down low! :)
This was a rather quick stop for us one afternoon when we wanted to get out and walk, and have some quiet time. The entrance fee of $3/per person was reasonable. We spent about 2.5 hours there one afternoon. The Golden Orb trail was very nice (about 45 minute walk) to see various vegetation and be in a natural setting. We drove down to the beach and walked around there, as well, and it proved to be a pretty area. It was a great place for a picnic. There are bathroom facilities and water fountains at the beach area and also at the beginning of the trail. I recommend bringing a bottle of water on the trail because even with the sea breeze and shaded areas, it was very warm. There are benches along the trail for sitting and resting.
Long Key State Park is open for business. There are three trails. The first trail, which is very nice and easy to walk winds through the hammock out through the mangroves and all the way to the water. Part of the trail is sandy, and doesn't have trees overhead. So, it can be warm and you might want a hat. The other trail is a boardwalk through the mangroves which, of course, are still quite damaged due to Hurricane Irma. However, you can see new mangroves starting to grow, plus other flora and fauna that you would not be able to see if the mangroves were intact. At the other end of the park is a really lovely picnic area with picnic enclosures, benches, Palapas, and a beautiful sunset viewing platform. There is a short boardwalk trail that leads to some recently uncovered original railroad ties from Flagler's side line railroad. Incredible to see these ties from 1912 uncovered by Irma. The flats are accessible and you could walk out and fish or just walk around and look at the fish in the water. There is no camping currently, but they are working on restoring campsites. We highly recommend spending a half a day or so taking a walk on each of the trails looking around, maybe having a picnic looking out at the beautiful water. Enjoy!
What can i say that hasn't being said...I love this campground. All the sites are Ocean Front and I mean it. Plenty of beautiful birds feeding on creepy though still interesting small marine creatures (sea worms,crabs, horseshoe crabs, etc...) that you get to see when the tide goes down and this happen (sometimes even more than once during the same day). The Sunrise and Sunset are the most beautiful I've seen so far-well compared to the ones you see in Bahia Honda State Park which is like 30 miles south...The Rangers are very friendly. Never have and/or seen any bad response and/or attitude coming from them. Kuddos to them and the volunteers for keeping the park very clean, the bathrooms and showers are always immaculate. There is a Rustic and well secluded area for Primitive camping where you can place your tent under a Wooden Pavilion which seems pretty cool 2 though I haven't tried it since I have a Travel Trailer...The beach, for those that haven't adventured into the water, once you pass the first 15-20 meters it's all sandy and the bottom is very clear. Once of the most beautiful swimming spots in the keys as well...I call this place "My Little paradise".
Absolutely amazing view from our campsite. No beach, but can sit at the back if the site and watch the kids play in the ocean. Kayaking off the site was uneventful, hope to get back to try the kayak trail (have to enter from inside the island). Road noise can be problematic if that slept of thing bothers you. Other campers very friendly. Will visit again!!
Was a nice trail to follow and an easy hike. Alot of native vegatation and easy to walk in the water shallow for a long distance. Good for kids to play. Camping is available at this park.
Well marked trail.
This is the only state park in the Keys where your campsite is on the beach. Stayed on site 13 and this was perfect for our three small kinds (all under 5) as there was a sandy beach. Some of the other sites have rocks on them. Another plus was that our kids could ride their bikes to the nature trial and easily complete it.
We took a walk on the Golden Orb Trail on a warm day and it was lovely to be in the shade of the trees and then to step out onto tiny deserted beaches and stand in the cool water. Water shoes are highly recommended as some of the path is under water - something I did know beforehand but luckily had my water shoes in the car. The path is easy to walk.
we were driving the overseas highway & pulled off here for a short break. the price to get in is per person instead of per car but it still only cost $6 for the two of us. it was a pleasant stop with a gorgeous view of the ocean & some wildlife in a mostly undisturbed area. my favorite part was the boardwalk through the mangrove swamp!
Have been camping there many times over 5 years. It's a real get away from it all experience. The trees and vegetation between the sites gives you a lot of privacy. S there you are, just you and your very own slice of oceanfront delight. And at night, you can spend wondrous hours just looking up at the millions of stars.
The most stunning campsite I have ever stayed in. 30+ large campsites for tents and small camper vans, all of them right on the waterfront, with vegetation in between which gives privacy. Unlike most of the other Keys, Long Key doesn't have the swampy smell, which makes camping on the water fantastic. Clean bathrooms (not air-conditioned, it's a State Park), and the campsites come with picnic tables and fire pits. Slightly buggy at night, but in the summer months (we were here in June) a good breeze blows them off. Will be staying here next time we camp in the Keys!
It cost $6.00 for two to enter the park. The hiking trail was very interesting and easy to do. It is a little over 1 mile and goes through interesting changes of scenery - by the water, through thick trees, over bridges, etc. There are signs explaining about different things you see. There were not any bugs! Definitely good to do as a couple or a family.
This park had some nice hiking trails that looped through a variety of nature areas. The park seemed very well maintained and the ranger who welcomed us was very friendly.
We are such a fan of this campground that we have been camping here for the last 4 years. Every campsite is directly on the water. The bathhouses are always clean and the park rangers are friendly and helpful. I know that the highway noise is an issue for some tent campers, but we use a window fan in our tent and it isn't an issue.
We stopped here for a rest whilst travelling from Key Largo to Key West, lovely scenery and we found a nicely shaded picnic table to have our lunch. Walked along the Broadwalk to the area where they have the recently discovered railroad exhit. Plenty of places to put your hammock and just relax. There is still a lot of work going on in the park due to storm damage.
It has a nice walking trail, though it is like any other mangrove beach walking trail. If you’ve never walked in a mangrove-covered beach, then go. If you have, maybe skip this one. We didn’t see any interesting wildlife.
Love it, right on the water. But being in a tent u can hear the traffic and kept us awake. Now if you were in a camper it might now be bad.
Long Key has a board walk, facilities, trails that are partially under water from all the rain. It's a very good beach, tan sand, lots of flora and fona, lots of birds, some wildlife.
The beach is very, very small and full of seaweed--not good for laying out or playing in the sand. The nature trail, however, was very nice. We saw geckos, hermit crabs, and a couple man of wars on the beach area.
This park may be suitable for people looking for a trail system to walk, kayaks or camping.. BUT not for people looking to swim, snorkel or lounge on a beach.
This was a very pretty walk if you enjoy nature. There was a spot where the trail went near the shore and in was hermit crabs galore! The kids loved watching them.
Nice natural park. Good to ride bikes through. The gate guard ( Lee) was helpful on tips to check out.
Very nice beach area, with several small cabanas.
The camping area appears to be closed due to recent storm
One of the many places severely damaged by Hurricane Irma in September 2017, Long Key State Park is in the process of recovery and much of it is still under reconstruction. As with many of the mangroves in the Middle and Lower Keys, they were stripped bare and are mostly dead, thanks to the general area being Ground Zero for Irma's landing. But the park needs your help, needs the visitors, and it's still worth it, if only to visit a small spot discovered in the aftermath of Irma: a stretch of long-buried railroad from Flagler's days, with a few remnants of other rail-related treasures found. It's an exciting find, an exciting discovery of a link to the Keys past! The staff, the rangers, at the park are so welcoming, so friendly, and really are to be commended. We're Key West locals and will be going back as soon as we can, even if to just have a picnic there at that lovely waterside area!
Our primary purpose for visiting was kayaking, and we were not disappointed. It was very windy, so we didn't spend much time on the ocean, but paddled the inner lagoon/lake. Both were just beautiful! We didn't go into the campground, but if it looks half as good as the rest of the park, it would be well worth visiting! The staff was extremely friendly and helpful!
We rented an RV to try it out and decided to go to Long Key State Park, as it's only 2 hours away.
Our campsite was right on the ocean so we thought it would be perfect. Wrong!
The camp sites are right next to each other, have no privacy and absolutely no shade at all.
The beach was almost as bad as it is on Grassy Key. At high tide its pretty but at low tide there isn't any water, just brown ugly mud.
I just stopped by this park on whim on the way back to my motel in Key Largo after going to Pigeon Key. I am glad I did. I can't speak to camping there, but having just stopped in for an hour or two, it was a great place to take in some views of the ocean, wade into the sea a little, and walk a little of the trail system.
I saw some great places to picnic or just relax in a beach chair. The part of the trail I took provided a walk through mangroves on a boardwalk and a packed earth trail through a dryer forest. There were many plants to look at and a few crabs skittering about as well as butterflies and birds.
For the small entry fee it was well worth it for a break from driving and to enjoy the ocean and a bit of scenery not marred by development. If you are looking for a bit of nature, this is a good place to stop. Not much of a sandy beach in the area I explored, but nothing wrong with a chair in the grassy area by the ocean or one of the picnic tables right at the sea and a dip in the warm water.
Nice to visit and hike, but super hot in August. The mangroves were of interest as was the piece of Flagler's Railway.
To enter the park you have to pass a check point where a guard tells you where the parking lots are. There are essentially 2 areas: the first to watch the sunset with some nice little beaches to the right of the entrance and the other to the left with a larger parking lot from which a ring walk starts. The walk has potential even if the wooden walkways and view points are not in good condition. I haven't seen alligators, but I think there are...
I've tent camped there and loved the water and snorkeling..a lovely place to stay. Bring your woods off and wear your tee shirts in the wate or you will get sun burned badly
First time visiting Long Key State park. A bit disappointed that the south end was closed and it appeared that the camping areas were as well. We did take a walk on the Golden Orb trail. At the entrance we were informed that part of the trail was washed out and that there was a foot wash/rinse area at the end of the trail. The start of the trail/ boardwalk is notable and quite picturesque, with the expanse of boardwalk and barren trees. Disappointed that the viewing platform was closed. I don’t know how long it’s been closed and if it is even going to be repaired but I think that notification on the website and maybe a board at the entrance is a reasonable request.
The weather was pleasant and the trail was nice. Not many visitors at the park when we were there. The trail is easy to walk and easy to follow. We decided to go barefoot at the washed out section and it was very refreshing. Lots of little fish swimming about.
Nice park, I’d like to visit again when the other areas are open and the viewing platform is open.
Absolutely beautiful views. Clean campground. Clean bathhouse too. Not much privacy between sites as mentioned before but wasn't horrible. At low tide you can walk forever. Sites from mid 30s to 40s are rockier but you can walk around them. Anne's beach was not far and was very shallow at low tide with lots of shells and crabs. My two-year old loooooved it there. no current to worry about and she could sit, float on her hands, and pick up crabs. She just loved it. Even my older kiddos enjoyed it - and appreciated the view. Mosquitos were bad (as expected). And a fair amount of noise from rt 1 especially because there was road construction at one end of the campground - but again expected because it is the Keys after all
So surprised when I was able to book a campsite in February when the weather in the Keys is excellent. All the campsites were right on the beach. We pitched our tent 15 feet from the water and had a panoramic view of the ocean. The spot included a firepit -- we were able to have a campfire right on the beach. It was awesome. Wood is available for purchase at the ranger's station. The site had both water and electric. The site fees for campers over 65 are half price. The day use area of the park is awesome too. There are kayaks for rent right at the park and the Golden Orb trail takes you through a number of unpopulated beaches. The sunrise each morning is absolutely the best. The water is pretty calm and its great for observing shore birds. The fishing is also very good and the water is shallow so you can really explore far from shore. The only downside is the road noise, but we placed our car to help counteract it. We'll definitely be back to Long Key. It has to be one of the best camping sites in the Keys.
This place is just magical!!! We went with our 6 year old and 9 year old and it was amazing all around. We checked in after 3 pm at the station, they gave us a map of the canoe/kayak trail and the grounds with our code. The camping portion is private fro mthe day use which is nice. Every campsite and I mean everyone has their own private piece of Atlantic Ocean. Most campers drug their tables and chairs down and ate in the water or on the beach. We stayed in campsite 12, the only issue I can speak of is that our hookups were on the other side of our camper so we hadto pull in and finagle our car back out so for us personally we need to get an odd number spot for hook up sake. Thye have gorgeous trails to hike, we went on the kayak trial with my daughterand we stopped at each pole and read the exerpt fro mthe brochure. We saw lots of starfish too. My son and his dad fished as well. We were ablt to rest our kayaks right on our fence around the camp spot and slid them into the ocean as we pleased and come back out. Both kids were in the water the whole trip from sun up to sun down. Bathrooms were cleaned multiple times daily and trash was taken out regularly. I like that they recycle as well and make it easy for campers. We did venture out and what was perfect was Long Key is 12 miles from Marathon the next city and 15 miles from Islamorada the next city up. We went snorkleing for free on the Sombrero Beach. I wish I had researched the area better for things to do but it was our first time and honestly we could have dat on the beach the whole four days anyway but wanted to explore. I know now to order travel info when going camping in a new place to get a handle on all avalable attractions. The smell ocean is maazing and breeze never stops which did make grilling a little technical, we had to block the breeze with aluminum foil. I was so sad to leave and look forward to already going back. It was perfect in every way!!!!!
We were 'day users' and wanted to hike only but the gate attendant did not tell us that the best trail is on the Bayside part of the park and does not require a park admission. Oh well, it's a good cause and we didn't mind paying. Good trail markers and signage. Mostly shaded. Uneven trail with trip hazards- wear sturdy shoes. About 45 min. at a leisurely pace.
Been here 5 days and love/hate this park. Love: beauty. Hate: rats that come out at sunset Lots of them. I noticed that dumpsters don't tightly close. No communal sink to wash dishes. Advised by a worker to wash dishes at campsite. I'm toting bucket of dirty dishwater to dump in toilets because I don't want to toss any food particles in brush. All food,dirty dishes and anything gnawable must be secured and car doors and windows closed.Other problem is roadside noise. Loudest campsite ever.
The site was beautiful, the beach was awful, the seaweed made it smell terrible, the bugs were terrible both small black bugs, end mosquitoes. We could not enjoy a fire because of the bugs.
We drove down to the keys after some plans for the everglades fell through and found this campsite on a map. We asked the ranger a few questions but that didn't prepare us for what we found - only after paying the ridiculously high camping fee of $43 did we see what we had gotten ourselves into. Yes, thats right, for the price of a cheap hotel or a hostel we got what most would consider a driveway crammed in with a bunch of other RVs and trailers apparently living there. The space you get is no more than 10 feet wide and maybe 20 ft long which gave us absolutely no privacy. We could hear generators and air conditioning all night from the 2 RVs on either side of us. Not to mention the sound of cars and trucks passing on the highway. I honestly don't see the point of this as a camp site. If I wanted to hear a bunch of noise I could stay in the city and sleep in my comfy bed. AND WORST PART OF ALL - At one point in the evening we heard a horrid loud noise and realized it was a truck spraying pesticides for mosquitos all over the park and the actual camp sites themselves. I don't understand how they can just spray all over peoples things and children playing outside as it is obviously poisonous. My headache started shortly after and persisted into the next day, and was most likely caused by the pesticides. Would not recommend or do it again if you actually enjoy the tranquility of nature.
Driving from Key West to Port Charlotte we drove on the road off which Long Key State Park is located. The temperature was in the 40s. We stopped not knowing there was a fee as a bathroom break was necessary. We explained to the person working there the situation. We were told and paid five dollars to use the restroom. We were these a sum total of three minutes. However, not being familiar with the route we did not know how much further we would drive to find a restroom. The rating says nothing about the park but everything about being charged on a day that was so cold a five dollar fee to use a restroom. Had the weather been nice and we had the ability to enjoy the park even for a short while we would feel different about the charge.
Very disappointed!! Unable, impossible to swing in that horrible beach full of seaweed. Do not recommended at all. Go to Bahia Honda State park, much better.
Long Key State park is one of the many small state parks scattered along the Keys. It had been hit hard by Hurricane Irma and was still recovering when we visited. Some beach areas are closed and some of the amenities are not open. But, the views and trees and flowers are still there. If you want to see nature you can look and walk in any direction.
Watch out for flooding on the trail. We had to trudge through calf high water. Well worth it. Saw snakes and a ton of crabs and shore birds.
Good 1.1 mile trail through several different eco zones. Fabulous birds, they change with the time of day - visit at low tide and see the shore birds. Picnicking and camping available.
We walked the trail on a 70s day in February. The trail traverses a fascinating cross section of key habitats. We didn't find as many species or individuals of birds as we'd hoped, but were well entertained by the plants and some crabs. We did have a very good look at a Magnificent Frigatebird.
I find it impossible NO ONE saw the thousands of rats that come out at night. Granted I was in a tent, not a camper. No one is even warned to keep thier food up and away. This is your heads up if you are going to camp. I'm not saying, don't camp here. The state park is beautiful. Everything else about the park is wonderful.
Made the mistake of believing what was written on the official website.
Swimming and paddling - Ha, only if you want to wade through the tonnes of floating and washed up seagrass.
Trails - flooded after a few hundred meters.
Neither of these the Park's fault, but the beach info especially is flagrant false advertising.
The official site also mentions Geocaches. None within 1.5-2 miles of the parking.
Lots of the park closed for building work. Again not advertised (site mentions camping closed).
We were excited to find this Beautiful state park that had 1 camping spot left. Very tranquil setting with green belt between most spots, and ALL camping is right on the water! Park staff were very helpful, bathrooms were clean with showers available also. Very long beach although you have to walk out a distance to swim due to shallow conditions. Day use option is available for shorter visits.
I love Long Key, it could use some renovations but just a wonderful park and the rangers here are all super nice and helpful, they have some issues with erosion that could use an influx of cash to remedy, lets hope this happens soon! The most beautiful sunrises in the keys are right here, a true gem!
The beach is small and narrow. The water was super clear and we stopped by to go swimming. We were in knee deep water all the way about 100 yards from shore. The sea bottom was all Seagrass completely. We kept going out further and could not get to a sandy bottom. It is not a great place to swim or hang out on the beach. Bi would recommend bringing a picnic and eating it looking at the Atlantic from a picnic table.
This park is really not much of anything. It is simply a tiny road next to the very shallow ocean. There is no snorkeling and only one non air conditioned bathroom. We tried to get our six dollars back as we left right away, but super duper park ranger said nope.....because get this...we used the bathroom. Wow a six dollar pee. Anyway there is nothing there. You are better served by pulling of the side of us 1 by one of the bridges. A cool spot is near mile marker 78 or 79. Anyway don't waste your time with this very small state park.
Excellent State Park for camping. Safe, clean bathrooms and good service. Stayed at a full moon night and it was breathtaking...Had no problems with critters; small crabs here and there but they run away from you, lol...Had electricity and water hook ups.. To watch the sunset, you gotta drive across the street; do it!!...Overall, great place to camp but I just expected a nicer beach...It's just not the kind of beach that makes u run and jump in. Definetly not..
We left Key West in the morning and headed through the keys, with Key Largo our eventual destination. We made several stops along the way. Long Key State Park was one of them. The walk starts with a boardwalk section through mangroves destroyed by the hurricane and eventually makes its way to the water.
This was a nice stop along the way. We spent a little under an hour walking and taking pictures. It is not a "must see," but it was definitely worth the $6.00 for our vehicle of two people and the exercise we got. There are clean rest rooms, and there is a covered pavilion for a picnic.
We come back every year to Long Key State Park for the camping. All the campsites are right on the beach. The beaches are left natural, so you will have sea grass and some bugs. You can walk right out to the reef and snorkel off your campsite. There are alot of birds and wildlife to watch. This place could not be more quiet and relaxing. There are canoes and a canoe trail, as well as nature trails. You can also rent kayaks, and there is a nice picnic area.The bathrooms are well maintained, and the best I have ever seen at a campground. There isn't even a campstore, so you have to leave the campground for anything you need. This was a huge part of the charm for us, as we love the quiet. It is close to Marathon, and an easy trip to Key West where we can get all the stimulation we ever wanted, then come back to our little slice of Paradise.
This is a great great place to hang out camping for up to 14 days with reservation, it is an State Park located on the way to Key West, mile marker 65, you can use a tent or an RV, you MUST have a reservation. It is one the must ejoyable places to Kayak or fish, all the sites in this park are no more than 15 feet away from the Ocean, all RV sites have water and electricity, the swiming is poor due to the Coral rocks on the beach, the water is very shallow, you can walk more than 500 feet form the water's edge. The trip from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale in on 95 to US 1 south, from Miami it takes about 2 long hours on one of the must beautiful drives with the Ocean on both sides of the road, a bunck nof Keys little towns with restaurants and shops. this will be one trip you wont quickly forget. Go to Florida State Park's site, go from there. There are more camping grounds, you must bring everything to eat and drink. The facilities are new and very clean.
Bugs were kids love of a night fires marshmallow lots of the kids to play with ride bike great for kids expand their wings and let Luis run all day and play with new friends
Stopped in here on A Thursday in June. A nice hike and a view of the water was appreciated. Not a swimming park but more of a nature park.
You couldn't camp closer to the water without being in it. This beautiful beachfront campground fills the bill for scenery. It's a good mid-Keys location for accessing Marathon attractions. The bathrooms were clean and the showers were good. We were particularly impressed with the nature trail/boardwalk that highlighted 4 different habitats. Some reviewers mentioned bugs, but we didn't experience any during our two day visit at the end of April (we were there once in July and it was a completely different story)...maybe the wind was blowing in our favor. My only real negative was that all of the sites were so close to the highway. It was surprisingly loud throughout the night. I'm a pretty light sleeper and we use a tent...but maybe it wouldn't be an issue if you were staying in a trailer. Caution: some of the trailers had a tough time getting into these sites, so I might think twice if you're close to the maximum length. Overall, we had a nice stay.
We stopped here on the last day of our vacation. We walked on the trail and enjoyed the view of the ocean. We also liked seeing the hermit crabs. Beautiful state park!
Camping is nice there. In a camper you don't hear the traffic on US1 but I imagine in a tent it will be hard to sleep. Sites are water and electric with a dump station in the area. I was told that in October 2017 they will close to build a sea wall
My friend and I really enjoyed our 2 visits to this park in September. We came to the Keys for hawk migration and were not disappointed at this park. We had our own raptor watch from the platform on the boardwalk and the raptors flew closer down. They were attracted to all of the warblers near the beach. We also enjoyed seeing the white-morph reddish egret and bald eagle. I highly recommend this park for birders and nature lovers.
A nice little hike and a pretty beach. When you enter - the hike is to your left, the beach to the right. Still some hurricane damage that's in the process of getting repaired.
This was about our 5th year staying at Long Key and is still our favorite campsite in the Keys. Sites directly on the water. Clean bathrooms, nice staff. A smaller park that may not be for everyone. Not a lot of activities except the ocean outside your door and walking trails and nature. Located about halfway down the Keys so close to both the upper and lower areas. Be aware if planning-according to their website the park will be closing for approx a year starting October 2017 while they do work on the beaches.
This park was cheap to visit. There was a nice trail to walk around also a camping site. The beach part was covered in seaweed when we visited. We didn't get to see much wildlife but that could have been time of the day and month we visited. We would revisit though if we are back in the area.
We went to this park during the day and lots of campers right on the water with incredible ocean views. The park has a nice boardwalk that leads to the Orb trail which was great part of the park to see wildlife & views of the ocean.
Very nice state park with a nice boardwalk over a mangrove area and some beautiful views over the Gulf of Mexico. There were some good educational signs about the reef. I also saw some really nice and quiet picnic spots overlooking the gulf. I hope some of us keep sponsoring those kind of old school state parks to teach modern people about nature
The short 1.2 mile Goldon Orb Nature trail was a very pleasant excursion to get an idea of Keys geography and flora.
This is also a state park and was very upsetting to see how much trash was on the trail. It looked like someone had just dropped a bag of garbage all around. It's a shame that people have to litter. We were very disappointed with this park and probably would not return.
As we were staying on Long key it was not a stretch to take in Long Key state park 1) it was uncrowded 2) there was an extensive nature trail which led from mangroves into other micro systems 3) birding was good 4) they have mostly recovered from Hurricane Irma 5) beautiful coast and deep blue water - fun was had by all !!
I just came back from this campground. We spent fourth of July weekend there. Let me start by saying I was extremely disappointed this time around. We were there last year in July as well, but this time around the mosquitos were horrible. In the bathrooms and all. If you leave the campground at night, on the way back the front gates are closed. And you have to get off to put the code to open it. When you get off be sure to have mosquito repellent on, because in seconds you will have hundreds of mosquitos on you. Another thing is the beach. You have to walk through nasty, smelly, gooey, disgusting stuff to get in to the nice area of the beach. It's about a good 40 feet of nasty stuff! My kids decided to dig to see what was under and there were worms about 2 inches under the gooey sand. That means you are stepping on all that on your way in. It's a real shame because it really is a nice campground and very nice views, but they need to work on cleaning that beach up, before we even consider going back.
We spent 2 weeks at this campground. Wonderful time right on the water.
Clean restrooms and great shower houses.
Route 1 is a little noisy at night but ear plugs do the trick to lessen the noise.
We tent camped in the main camping are and one night at the Primitive Site.
Already booked for next year!!
Although this park is pretty small, we did visit this more then once! We took the trail and cam across beautiful flowers, trees and animals. We also did do a picknick at the beachside. Unfortunately this is unsuitable for swimming, but a great pleasure to see all the surfers.
I was stunned by this place. It's absolutely amazing. If you are looking for a back to nature experience-this is it. Biking through the park was nice-it's not a huge park--but enjoyable. Campsites are shady and immaculate. Bathroom was spotless. Sunrise is beautiful-and you can walk across the street to see incredible sunsets.
We were here the last week of December 2017. There is still a lot of hurricane damage and some areas are closed or not in good condition, so they were giving discounts on admission.
The "Golden Orb" trail was mostly closed, so all that was available was a short walk almost to the beach (closed) near the picnic area (closed). We climbed the observation tower (not very high) but since most of the plants in that area were dead, it wasn't much of a view.
The "Layton Trail" was open. The trail was in good condition all the way to the beach. At the beach, we had the option of going either left or right (we did both). There was a lot of dead vegetation and other stuff on the beach, and the trail was not always clear (it was marked with blue plastic ribbon tied to branches). I'm not sure what this looks like normally, but probably not like this.
There were very few people at the park, so our walk was peaceful. We didn't see anyone else until we were on our way back. We did not see much wildlife, except for a small iguana, the vultures circling overhead, two hawklike birds, and some dragonflies.
There is a tiny amount of shade on some parts of the nature trail, none on the beach. On a hot day, this can get really uncomfortable.
Take plenty of water, and wear comfortable walking shoes. Flip-flops would be a bad idea here. Insect repellent is a necessity, especially on the beach. You may want a hat or visor, and sunscreen would be a good idea.
One of my favorite state parks. Like all Florida state parks, there is an entrance fee, but it's worth it. Bring a cooler and picnic at a table along the water. Thick/mushy sand makes swimming a little difficult near the shoreline. Perfect and gorgeous place for kayaking and snorkeling. Walk along the boardwalk path through the mangroves to see crabs, Golden Orbs, and many other natural surprises. Peaceful! Nice camping and RV spots (like all camping in the Keys, you need to reserve a spot WAY in advance and will probably need to check daily for cancellations to reserve a spot). Still, this is a great place to experience the nature the Keys have to offer during a day trip. Thank goodness for the State and National Parks to make sure land such as this is protected from development.
December-January camping in Long key was bug free, nice breeze, waves crashing, 89 degrees. There is also Electricity and water on each camping spot and bathrooms within a very close distance. The sky was so bright with stars and the moon show was amazing. Very enjoyable experience, can't wait to come down again.
Another great state park - we've been impressed at how well kept all the state parks are- some tiny beautiful beaches , great walks although very 'buggy' and friendly helpful staff - some great photo opportunities of driftwood on deserted beaches
Great little weekend getaway with the family! Clean bathhouses and property camped 2 nights on the water and truly loved the property.
Very small, but wonderful state park. Rode bikes here and found a perfect little spot to sit and relax in the shade with a coastal breeze. Nice restroom facilities, too.
The views were amazing. However, you cannot walk or swim in this beach. It is disgusting, very murky… The railroad was interesting to see the preserves from 100 years ago… This is not a park where you can take your kids and go in a playground or any activities… This is more a let’s chill in the hammock and enjoy the view, kind of place lol… They do have nice spots to put your Hamic in that are labeled and the bathrooms are brand new and clean. Campgrounds are under construction due to some hurricane… Not sure if they’re building spots that will be ocean front but truly there’s not much to do here.
Came in with a small crew for MLK weekend. The park hugs the Atlantic (no crossovers to the Gulf, but you get great views of it from the raised-platform restrooms).
The campsites were large enough for our vehicles, 2 big tents and room to spare.
You can purchase firewood for $6 a bundle (cash only) from the park rangers. No more canoe rentals.
We were told by park staff to call "Pier 68" for long-term kayak rentals. Best recommendation ever! Around $35 for 24 hours. If you are paddling watch out for low tide in the lagoon, we got stuck many times.
The nature trails are great, but pretty heavily trafficked. Very dog friendly.
Overall this park is a lot more quiet than others I have been to in the keys. Very clean, very nice staff - we had no complaints. I will definitely be going back again.
The rotting seagrass made it stink and the ranger was up front about no real beach. But the bugs jumping on the rotting vegetation was tough. There was a nice 1.5 mile hike around the mangroves. Cost $6 for two people to get in, but was worth that amount based on the park. Would I go again? No. But I also don’t regret it.
Like to see that the park preserves the natural shoreline. If you are looking for a beach don't come to the Keys. Sorry, but with the offshore reef and natural flow of water most of the Florida Keys DO NOT HAVE BEACHES. If you find one it is usually artificial and found at a more expensive resort. Electric and water hook-ups at the site were nice for our small camper. No sewer hook-up but they do have a dump station in the campground. Great facilities, newer looking showers and restrooms. Bugs can be an issue, but you are camping so it is expected. Tiki torches and some spray worked out for us.
December 2022: Please note the park apparently took some damage in September from a hurricane. The "west" area is completely closed, and the "golden orb" trail is closed. They did NOT charge us addmission to the park today.
The restrooms are open and the walkway from them to the coastline is open. Then you can walk west about 5 minutes or east about 3 minutes. That is the only sec tion that is accessible.
So at the moment it is a good place to stretch your legs, see a bit of quiet nature, and use the restroom if you need one. There are a few picnic tables on the shoreline that are aviailable to use (and another decaying and abandoned boat from Cuba lying and smelling on the shore - from the deluge allowed in by "President" Biden)
I have been camping at Long Key for 18 years and the staff has always treated everyone like family but sadly for the past couple of years the staff talk down to customers and go out of their way to treat you rude. The park rangers at this park are cold and not friendly. Tallahassee should really look at the management which is where this stems from.
Over the course of the last year, I have been taking my family on camping trips to various Florida State Parks; my young girls (6&9 years old) have really embraced it, even though, or because we have a 'no electronics' rule once we check in to the park. Please note that we are tent camping, not RV or trailer camping. The FL State Parks offer a lot of 'Bang for the Buck'!
Long Key State Park is one of the better in the state because the campsites overlook the ocean. Not many car accessible FL State Parks offer this. All sites have a water view looking south. It was literally 25' from the edge of our site to the water's edge.
If you have never been to the Keys, be aware that there are very few areas in the entire archipelago which have sandy beach...it is mostly coral rock or mangrove marsh; but at LKSP there is a very small strip of sand beach between the park and the water....although it all but disappears at high tide. The ocean here is a 'flat'...i.e. the water is a very shallow sandy and grassy bed; it stays less than waist deep (for adults) for a couple hundred yards out...which makes it a great place for little ones to be able to splash around. If we had kayaks, we could have launched them right from the site, although the water would be too shallow for motorboats.
One notable aspect of the ocean/beaches in the Keys is the sargassum weed....if the prevailing winds are out of the south or south east, the weed can pile up on the beach. At low tide the weed has a distinctly sulphurous odor as it decomposes, as do the nearby marshlands. Some find this unpleasant, but it is just part of the natural ecosystem.
Another thing to be aware of are biting insects. During the wet season (late spring thru early fall) the mosquitos and 'no see ums' can be pretty bad; repellent is a must. Windy days definitely help; 15mph breezes and above will also help keep them at bay. The winter months when it is drier and breezier are the most ideal time of year in this regard.
I had camped in Long Key State Park once before, way back in the early '80s....it has changed quite a bit! As with most of the Florida State Parks, the facilities have been updated...the bathhouse/restrooms for the campers is very clean and well maintained, although unlike other parks, this one did not have coin-op laundry machines or a 'kitchen sink' at the comfort station.
The most noticeable change was the eradication of the Australian Pine tress which once dominated the campground. The restoration back to indigenous flora removed the high canopy the pines once offered, and now the sites are pretty open, so sun shades, canopies or other means of shade should be considered when packing. There is still very good foliage separating the sites and providing decent privacy and maybe some shade.
US-1 is very close to the camp sites, and that particular stretch is a 55mph zone, so the sound of traffic is going by WILL be heard; especially on weekends when it will go on late into the night and early in the am.
We did find that our site was one of the smaller sites we have had in a FL State Park...our family sized tent is 15'x 10', but the site was only 15' wide so were limited in the way we could set up camp. Every site has a fire ring/grill and the ranger station sells bundles of firewood. Nothing can beat sitting by a campfire while overlooking the ocean!
The sites are sandy, so be prepared to have a lot of it in your tent, your car, and pretty much anything you bring. I like to think of it as a souvenir :)
Except for sites designated 'primitive camping' the state park camp sites all have water and electricity at each site; our site did not have a sewer connection (for RVs) but there was a dump station in the campground.
Long Key is not really close to much in regards to shopping; it is a 15-20 minute drive either back up to Islamorada or down towards Marathon to get supplies. Both directions offer excellent dining opportunities.
There are some pretty unique attractions nearby, must sees are: The Dolphin Research Facility; feeding the tarpon at Robbie's; and Indian Key historic site.
While this park may not have the deep water boat access, what it does have is awesome sunrises, and shallow shoreline for Fly fishing while wading. Also nearby are many attractions including Marathon Key, and all of its wonderful restaurant’s, and charter fishing options.
We had a nice time visiting here. The beach area is pretty but not really a good area for swimming. We enjoyed the trail however it was SO HOT. Recommend choosing a cooler time of day to go or a cooler time of year like maybe the spring. We didn't stay here very long but overall nice experience.
A small beach with large rocks.crevices filled with beach finds.tiny crabs scuttle across the sand.calm water and beautiful views
We camped here with our scout troop. I really enjoyed getting up early and running before any one woke up. Its mostly primitive campsites. The showers were excellent, especially since it was a state park. There are 3 or 4 walk in sites that are very remote. If you do not have a lot of gear, this might be an option. All of the spots have a great view of the water.
I stayed here for a week in early January. I had site #3 - which was small and eroding by the water (note - Sites 1-8 are being closed and can no longer be reserved because of the erosion).
I was able to fit my tent (REI Base Camp 4), my shade shelter, car, and small cargo trailer (6 foot box, 9 foot long). My tent entrance was literally 10 feet from the ocean. At high tide, there was about 3 foot of sand beach, at low tide about 30 feet before the water. Low tide reveals some rocks, turtle grass, and soft sand (sink almost to your ankle at times). On the site itself, there is sand then firmer dirt/coral about 6 inches below. Larger "nail" stakes hold well (plenty of rocks to pound them in). And you need to stake things down - we had winds at 30 gusting to 40 one night. The two newer bath houses were clean and modern. The older one (closest to my site) needs quite a bit of work - no hot water while I was there.
The view of the ocean is spectacular. The water is shallow - chest deep about 300 yards out - so the different hues of blue and green are beautiful. I anchored a small inflatable and 1.5hp outboard 30 yards out. I used this to explore and to launch/land my kiteboard kite. Kiting was great! Similar to Curry Hammock (only you must launch and land from the water) - shallow water a long ways out, not much to block the wind. Had maybe one other person kiting from the day use area - otherwise it was all to myself.
Snorkeling isn't bad further out (300 yards or so) - just use a diver flag as there are boats occasionally out there. I went all over in my inflatable and saw a couple of bonnet head sharks (18-22 inches), manta rays, etc. Light wind days, the water clears up really well.
Road noise is pretty constant, but quickly becomes insignificant background. Buying ice, food, or supplies from the little mart about a mile away is convenient - but will cost twice as much as driving into Marathon and hitting the Winn Dixie or Publix (about 16 miles).
Got another camp site for next year!
We arrived memorial weekend last minute without a reservation and luckily there was two spaces available, but we were informed that it's only the primitive camping available meaning no water, electric, or lights. We were fine with this considering we were just setting up our hammocks anyways, we would have settled just for some palm trees!
In order to get to the primitive camping spot you have to walk down a pretty long boardwalk surrounded by mangroves. Right by the parking lot is where the bathrooms are, which were kept very clean when I was there. But like they said, no light or electric so at night bring a flashlight for the bathroom.
Any who once you get to the end of the boardwalk there's trashcans for the campground and then you turn into the actual campsite where all the camps are on wood boards with roofs overhead! There are two sides of the campground one set next to the water the other further into the mangroves (I recommend closer to the water so you get more air).
Now here's my warning to all those who wish to camp here. Bugs. Bugs. And more bugs. Lots of bugs. Mosquitoes, noseeums, and some other little black bug that loves to eat you alive. I was told shortly after setting up that this is known to be the worst key above all the others when it comes to camping.
Also animals. Specifically snakes and angry raccoons. Very angry raccoons. Whenever we had to go to the bathroom we had to walk past the trashcans in order to walk down the boardwalk. Normally this would be fine had there not been angry raccoons who claimed the trashcans as their territory for dinner all night. Each time we went to go to the bathroom mama raccoon would scream at us and we would freak out and run back to the camp site where we would then encounter a large rat snake next to our hammocks just hanging out.
The worst part though besides the animals were the bugs. Specifically at sunrise and sunset. Luckily I had a bug net for my hammock, but the others were not so lucky and had to run off into their cars it was so miserable. I lucked out with my bug net and saw the swarms of noseeums trying to get through the barrier, needless to say I had nightmares back at home of bugs biting me in my sleep because a few got trapped in my net but it wasn't worth letting in the thousands of bugs on the outside.
So to sum it up yes it's a beautiful camp site, the stars are beautiful at night. But unless you like the smell of low tide, lots of bugs making a meal of you, and wild animals growling at you throughout the night I would recommend possibly finding somewhere else.
If you are a true camper or one who really understands and appreciates the Florida Keys for the paradise it is, then you will love camping at Long Key State Park. Every camper gets his own piece of million dollar Keys real estate. For a short time, this prime oceanfront property if your homestead on the Atlantic. Every site is a few steps from the sea and provides its residents with spectacular views of the ocean. The park has a interesting and scenic trail (Golden Orb Spider Trail) and kayaking available, but its best amenity by far is sitting at your campsite staring off into the blue sea and soaking in the Keys. Whether you are in a million dollar coach or a tent, camping of any kind does not get better than this.
My long anticipated arrival was ruined by the grouchy lady named "Dee" at check in! All we got was a list of "do nots' upon our arrival. No welcome greeting and no tips on things we must see. Other than that, the park is awesome. We were here to camp and the camping sites were nice. Great views, with a beautiful sunrise every morning! Bathroom number one is old but the other two seem fairly new. All of them were clean. At one point bathroom number one ran out of toilet paper, and Peter, the nice ranger, fixed the problem. I would highly recommend this park and hopefully "Dee" will be in a better mood.
This was our second time camping. The site was so unlevel and the ocean was muddy and disgusting to go into however, the biggest problem was the park ranger and their nasty attitude. We were a large responsible group (not rowdy) but apparently they stood by the community site to tell us that quiet time was in 5 minutes. Really? We know how to tell time. Let us be loud 1 minute over time and I totally understand. I was in the camp next door and couldn't hear anything. My friends daughter had to leave at 10pm back to miami because she didn't have a parking permit. I can go on and on and on. Go to Jolly Rogers if you want to see the strictest yet best campground in the south.
This was a great stop along the way. The beaches are authentic and there's a lot of nature to be seen. There are some beautiful birds!
We camped their four years ago in November and decided to go for 4th of July this year. The campsites are right on the water so each one has their own section of beach. Our campsite was quite big and we fit three tents and two cars. Each site has a picnic table, a fire pit, an electrical outlet, and a water spigot. The animals you can see right from the campsite include loads of birds, marine life, iguanas, and lots of other creatures. We snorkeled and fished behind the campsite daily. The things that we didn't like this time included the very loud road noise. All day and night long you hear the cars and trucks racing by on the Overseas Highway. It is louder that you would think and it never lets you escape civilization like you'd like to when camping. Our neighbors were also very annoying with three yappy dogs that barked constantly. There weren't really any mosquitoes but lots of gnats. The water was well over 90 degrees, which was actually unpleasant. The ladies room only had one functioning toilet and two showers so I often had to wait for the toilet. They are building newer bathroom facilities in another section of the park. I didn't visit them but was told they were nicer than the ones near our site.
Even with the minuses, we had a wonderful time and would go back (but not in July).
We stayed 3 nights in the RV on a short get away from our home in Key West. The campsites are partially shaded and are adjacent to the beach. The beach is shallow but swimmable at high tide...wear water shoes. My only complaint would be that it is close to Highway 1 and there is some road noise. Spectacular sunset and full moon.
This was our first trip to Long Key State Park and I'd go back again and again! My fiance and I got engaged in Islamorada and this was the perfect relaxing way to celebrate. It features peaceful, quiet, and untouched island landscapes with calm waters, mangroves, and plenty of wildlife to entertain you.
Since the waters were calm, we went out snorkeling (bring a dive flag) and saw some small luck with finding crabs, eels, and other small fish. This isn't a rocky, reefy area so you won't find huge varieties but it offers shallow, passable waters that anyone can enjoy.
This state park charges a small fee to enter but they allow you to exit and return whenever you'd like throughout the day of your admission. Just don't leave your receipt in your dash because the sun will destroy the ink and fade it within minutes!
We stayed nearby at Lime Tree Bay Resort which was a lot nicer than I anticipated! This whole key (though small) offers plenty to explore, kayak, hike and swim with the picture perfect sunsets you expect from the FL Keys. Since this is about halfway down from Key Largo to Key West, be sure to stop here to break up your long drive.
We're definitely going back.
Seaweed all the way up to campsite. Nasty, smelly, mucky. Needs to be cleaned up and get some sand in there. Major beach errosion.
This is our second time here in two months and enjoyed the trails and the waterfront areas of the park. The waterfront area is near the camp sites on the south end of the park. There is a small deck that goes to the edge of the water for viewing and pictures.
The trails are on the north end of the park and are nice. There is also some platform camping along the boardwalk here as well offering some nice spots. This time we were there there was a unusual extra high tides so some of the trails were flooded.
The Spanish named this island "Cayo Vivora" or Rattlesnake Key because its shape resembles a snake with its jaws open. We stopped here for two hours on our way north from Key West, partly for a picnic lunch, partly for a very pleasant walk.
The state website has it exactly right: "The Golden Orb Trail leads visitors through five natural communities to an observation tower that provides a panoramic view of the island and its profusion of plant and animal life."
I love beaches and travel for warm weather and relaxing sand. This was the muggiest rockiest mosquito infested beach I have visited. The Florida Keys look the same from the top to the bottom. It was an adventure that was tiring but good to say we went. I took my kids and they were not that impressed in comparison with the Miami area beaches. There were iguanas,hammocks and rocky sitting areas at this state park making it interesting for my teenagers. Also If you have a large group like to visit camp sites this might be you kind of vacation. I would advise driving past the Everglades go to the first lookout point and turn around. Going deeper south didn't offer clearer water or privacy as on might think. in fact it was quite the opposite.
Not going to badmouth the park as obviously they can't control the park layout but we stopped here to kayak for the afternoon and were told there was a kayak trail to try out. The trail was about 1.4 miles and we began at the hole in the mangroves at the front of the park. The paddle was very quiet but there was very little to see in the salt ponds (containing less than a foot of water throughout the entire body of water) and nothing but seagrass and jellyfish. If you are looking for a paddle with "oodles" of marine life, this is probably not the best, however, if you are looking for a quiet paddle through mangrove ponds and canals, then this is definitely the place. We did see a few wading birds but if you decide to go, try to go during the colder months to see more wildlife.
This is really a nice little state park with walking trails and beachside picnic and camping sites. My husband and I walked the Golden Ob Nature Trail which was very easy and pleasant as it progressed thru several different natural areas. Be sure to drive down to the picnic and campsite area. The views are beautiful!
This park has a lovely beach on the Atlantic with great views and picnic tables at which to relax and enjoy the scenery. Kayaks are also available on calm days. The 1.1 mile Golden Orb loop trail is interesting and a fun walk with no hills. It shows examples of the seashore and near-seashore environments. We saw lots of crabs and some fish living in a puddle. There is also a short boardwalk that leads to the beach huts and an "observation tower" from which you can observe almost nothing except one palm tree and the tops of the mangroves. You can't even see the ocean from there - c'mon Florida, add another flight to that thing so the view is awesome! Still, I highly recommend this trail and I'm not much of a hiker.
Outdoor showers are available as well as flush toilets. Facilities were fairly clean. Fresh water is available. Grills on site.
Don't go there wanting to use the canoe trail. The ranger in training told us they no longer rent out canoes to paddle through their inland lagoon, but you can bring your own boat to access the canoe trail.
Entry fee was $3/pp
Stopped here for a hike and birdwatching. Varied habitats mean that there were different types of vegetation so good for birds. We walked the Golden Orb trail - don; the put off by the fact that it is named after a spider - it is a very nice walk. Takes about an hour in all.
This is a nice state park located right off the Overseas Hwy in Long Key. There is primitive camping available with nice water views, but there are lots of rats around, so just be aware. The nature trails through the mangroves are nice, wooden, and elevated. If you're in the area, it's worth a stop.
This park was a refreshing stop on the long, slow ride down US-1. Nice, clean facilities. Not air conditioned so pretty warm in summer months. Great boardwalk with observation deck. Saw lots of wildlife, including a curious raccoon. Picnic pavilions with running water and right off the ocean. Left feeling refreshed and ready for more travel. Totally worth the $5/car entrance fee.
A very nice park and very cool walks to see the vegetation from the area. hard to top where we are from (oregon), so compared to some that we have, it was OK. For others it might be spectacular.
While visiting the Keys in April 2017, we made a habit of stopping at some of the State Parks to check out the scenery and see what they had to offer. Unfortunately, there is not much going on at this park. $6 to get in for a car with two people and one small beach area with nothing on it. There is a small play area for children. Maybe when the campground is open, there is more to this park, but not when we were there.
We were really looking forward to our stay here but were disappointed when we arrived at our site and could hear and see traffic going by on the road. We also have a dog and were told that she could not go on the beach or in the water. When we asked why, we were given a very generic answer that it was policy and no further explanation was provided to us. Every campsite was about 30 ft from the water, so having to keep our water loving dog from going in and off the beach, ruined our stay.
In hind sight, trying to tent camp in a mangrove was not our best decision. Although the primaries camping area looked really cool with covered platforms separated by thick bushes, we found out the hard way that the no-see-ums could get through our tent mesh. We went to sleep with a steady breeze keeping them at bay, but were awakened around 4am to complete stillness and bugs biting everywhere they could. None of our repellant kept them away, and we packed up early to leave. If you have a good big repellent, give it a shot. It is like a private, tropical paradise of the bugs leave you alone! :)
We really love Long Key for camping in the Keys, and have been three times. Some of the best beach camping in Florida. But, there are some things it would be good to know.
1) There's not a lot of shade, so by the third day, we were all a little burned and trying to keep from getting worse. There just aren't many indoor activities, so plan your clothes and sunscreen accordingly.
2) It is very shallow, so the tide is a big factor. When the tide is high, it is right near your campsite lapping away. When it is out (read: twice a day) it is about 100 feet away, with muddy, pokey mush to walk through. The tide also washes seaweed onto the shore, and we chose to rake it away to make a path.
3) You can get a local outfitter to deliver kayaks to your site (so convenient) and then paddle whenever you want. Some of our favorite was in the evening and then after dark! There are phosphorescent algea that glow when you paddle. One of the most exhilarating paddles of my life.
4) You're not too far away from Key west, so I'd make it a day trip. Publix on Marathon Key is a great resource as well.
5) It is a little loud because of the proximity of the highway. Expect it.
6) This is a very popular park, so make reservations way in advance.
A really nice place to spend the weekend with your family. The beach is only a few feet away, the facilities are close by and very well maintained, and the canoe rentals are fairly cheap. The only thing I'd advise against is choosing sites 30-40, the beachfront area on those sites are very rocky.
We camped in a tent here for two days.
Pros:
Each campsite was on part of the beach.
The site was plenty of room for at least two or three tents.
There is running water and a power outlet between each site.
There are plenty of bathrooms close to you.
Each restroom has two showers also.
Cons:
Bring earplugs! US1 is right next to the campsite and all night you will hear the roar of 18 wheelers back and forth. The cops also like to pull people over there, so at 2 am you'll hear police sirens. There is little vegetation between the campsite and the road and you'll hear the traffic all day and night, which for some reason seems busier.
The beach sucks, it's rocky and muddy and smells like rotten seaweed.
There is little privacy between the sites, you will see the neighbors next to you.
The electrical outlet is next to the water fosset and my partner got shocked while trying to charge his phone.
And there are rats everywhere. You'll hear them at night.
We took the hiking trail in the park and I advise against it. It's overgrown and takes forever to get out of the trail.
And finally, this place is infested with no- see-um flys. Which make their way through your mosquito netting.
Overall, I would definitely choose another site.
Despite not all areas being reopened since Hurricane Irma, this park still offers access to the beauty of the Middle Keys. The shallow waters offer a glimpse into the seagrass habitat full of conchs, whelks, oysters, mussels, sea urchins, and a multitude of hermit crabs. Watching the pelicans and osprey dive for fish is only topped by watching the pair of bald eagles.
Hubby n I have been coming here for the last five years all sites are on the beach and oceanviews and sunsets are beautiful! The beach itself is not the greatest but you have plenty of room for your beach chair with plenty of sun and no bugs. You will appreciate that at night when you look at the stars. No light pollution! Only downside n certainly not a deal breaker is that you can hear the traffic, but if you are tenting a small fan drowns it out. All sites have access to electric and water.
Not a park type we were used to, maybe good for fishing. It’s a nice spot to take a break and rest.
Long Key State Park is a beautiful spot to stop. If you plan ahead you can actually spend the day relaxing and exploring.
My girlfriend and I checked into the campsite on a Friday so that we could hit a couple of dives throughout the keys over the weekend.
Upon first checking in, the staff at the security booth was incredibly helpful. They didn't hesitate giving us information on anything we were asking about. You could tell these people really know their keys. They also noticed that the site we had reserved didn't offer a lot of shade, and that there were some shadier spots open, so they offered to set us up in a more comfortable spot to save us some sunburn.
As some other reviewers mentioned, there isn't a lot of privacy between sites, but our neighbors were pretty friendly and for the most part just kept to themselves.
When we were sleeping in our tent, we kept hearing a rustling sound from outside (and figured it was just some kids trying to play a prank). When we woke up, we realized that the sounds came from these HUGE crabs that are just hanging around the campsite - AWESOME! This put our minds at ease a bit and the crabs kept us entertained for a while.
If you're a fan of technology on vacation, the Florida State Parks app is free and provides a ton of information on the site and surrounding areas. Also, if you're at all into geocaching, there seemed to be quite a large caching community all along the keys.
Although our stay was only two nights, I would be sure to visit again. The staff was friendly and helpful, the bathrooms were clean, every site is waterfront, and the park is gorgeous. If you're a snorkeler, however, don't expect a lot of visibility in the water just off the site... The keys are well known for their clear waters a little ways out, but certainly not right along the shore.
Nice to visit. Only go to beach designated areas. The rest are just too soft to walk. Trail is nice. We went on a really hot day but nice in the shade. Pay to get in but nice to visit.
Wear bug spray for the hike and use sunscreen on the beach as there wasn't any shade. The campground should be open this year after renovations.
This is the most breathtaking campsite we have ever stayed at. Right on the water, with beautiful views of the sunrise. We made sure to get up and watch it. Bathrooms were clean and the park ranger was very helpful in giving us directions to the site, as well as how to get in and out after park hours. It was very windy at night, and most of our night was sleepless. Maybe push your tent back a bit so that the brush stops some of the wind. The nice thing about the wind- no mosquitoes! A win for us!
The trail in this state park is very beautiful and full of fascinating wildlife. The trail, which takes about an hour to walk, takes you through a series of different habitats from mangroves to the shallows. I saw lots of wildlife during my walk. When you reach the shallows sections the trail actually goes through areas of shallow water where fish swim around your feet as you walk.
Highly recommended.
We stopped here by chance while driving through the keys. Although we didn't stay too long, we thoroughly enjoyed our canoe trip around the mangroves. The scenery was surreal, an utterly different landscape to anything else I've seen and completely serene. A total bargain too at only $5 an hour. Will definitely go back next time we go to the keys and plan to spend a bit more time there, exploring all then has to offer.
If you love insects and birding like me ...go here. This place is mainly full of mangroves and it has an excellent trail...the Golden Orb Trail which is roughly a mile and almost stroller friendly. Hermit crabs everywhere, ants of all sizes and sorts and big birds of prey perched high on tree tops. There is a secluded beach at the end of this trail.....beware of some of the plants that sting and have barbs.
The beach at this park isn't the best, but the sites are right on the water. The water is shallow, flat and a little rocky for quite a ways. So, for swimming and fishing, it's not the best. If you have a small boat or kayak, it's great. Overall the campground is nice. There is an interesting path through the mangroves that goes in a loop for a little over a mile. The facilities were up-to-date and clean.
I would say that the biggest drawback is that the road is so close to the sites. I realize it's the keys and nothing can be done about that, but be aware that if you are sleeping in a tent, there is some road noise at night. That being said, it's a convenient short drive to Marathon and not too far to Key West. If you plan on tent camping for a week and never leaving the campground, you might want to look somewhere else.
Overall we definitely enjoyed it and would probably go back.
Beautiful park campsites right on the water. Great for paddle boarding . I think October is too
soon to come here. Very buggy and still hot.
We enjoyed this park and the hiking. We had to walk through water a bit. The park is very scenic. We also enjoyed Curry Hamock State Park.
Stayed on site 24 for 3 nights. Nice view from the picture window on our Fifth Wheel. There was enough space for the 4 slide-outs plus the awning. Long Key is about halfway to Key West so we made that drive on day 2 and driving the other direction to Everglades National Park on day 3. The bathhouses were very modern and clean. The Rangers were very friendly and accommodating. The trails and boardwalks were very nicely kept up and made for a great late afternoon hike before sunset. We ran out of time before renting the canoes or kayaks but now I have an excuse to come back. Would definitely recommend for any type of camping equipment.
Not very busy, but couldn't get into the campground to look around. Would have liked to do more paddleboarding there.
Long Key State Park is so absolutely beautiful. Every camping spot is right on the water. We had one site at the beginning of the loop for tenters only. The sites are semi-private and some have more shade than others. We got one with little to no shade at all, which was fine for a day in February, but I might not want to do that in a hot summer. We were right at the beach, which is shallow and not very deep. It is more suited for wading, swimming might only be an option at high tide, but we never walked far enough into the water to see when that was possible. In case you have kids, that is perfect, since they can easily sit in the water and have fun all day. The sunset was also gorgeous there and the sites and facilities are well kept and clean. The bathrooms are nice, spacious and have enough facilities to not overcrowd the place in the morning and afternoon. All sites have water and electricity which came in handy for us.
You have to be careful of ants and rats though, we heard about it from our neighbor who stayed there for a week. We had no issues with the rats, since we always put our food back in the car for safety reasons and never had anything out in the open or in the tent. The ants are not bothering you as much when you are there with an RV; but they get into the tent and every little nook and cranny, which means in the end, they end up in your car/stuff and are a pain to get out of there again. There is also a lot of highway noise, since you are right next to it. We always bring ear plugs for all our trips just in case and they came in handy for us.
We would still go there again, the place is amazing. I would just think of getting something for the ant problem.
Almost the entire park is closed for construction, something they fail to mention on their website and, amazingly, at the gate!
There were five picnic tables to the right that you could get to before the road was closed.
No beaches.
No marina.
No campsites.
To the left there is a small trail loop.
The whole open area is filthy, like they gave up.
Extremely disappointed, especially given the distance we traveled to get there.
We went one afternoon. Half of the family rented kayaks and the other half swam and looked for crabs and snorkeled. We were the only ones there on a weekday. Beach very gentle there is grass in the water. The keys beach experience is different but still great. My 9 year old spent hours looking for crabs.
Small park with a very nice nature trail and campgrounds. Trail says an hour but at a decent pace it's only 30 minutes or so. Worth an afternoon.
My husband and I spent a very nice afternoon lounging on the grass, seaside, at Long Key State Park. It is $3 per person to enter. It has a shower and bathrooms, picnic tables, and plenty of shady parking. Come here for solitude, hiking, fishing, and camping. Though we did not camp... the camping area looked very nice. I recommend renting a kayak ($17 for a single for 2 hours) and paddling out a bit for better swimming/snorkeling opportunities.
Although it's been 3 years this month since our honeymoon to the Keys, we are still fondly remembering our stay at Long Key. We drove the entire length of US1 to Key West and camped up and down....Long Key was our favorite because of the waterfront campsite, ample privacy between sites and quiet seclusion for breathtaking scenery and nature it provided. Soak it in all while you're there...I promise, once you've stayed there, you'll dream of going back.
Stayed there Monday-Friday near the end of September and it was beautiful. We stayed in a tent at campsite #24. The weather was great except for a storm Monday night after we arrived, but it passed pretty quick. There were a lot of fire ants, but we were able to buy fire ant killer at the store up the road. Beautiful sunrises. We were able to walk down towards the end of the park and go to the sandbar in the water. Bring water shoes and bug spray. If you can, invest in a ThermaCell for the mosquitoes at night. It worked wonders for us. The Rangers were very nice as well as our neighbors. The bathrooms towards the end of the park were indoor and nice, hot, but it is a FL summer. Great for kayaking and snorkeling, tried fishing but only a few bites. Did see a few jelly fish in the evening one night. Lots of sand fleas on the beach, but if you move your chairs far enough into the water, they don't bother you. Will definitely be going back soon. (I recommend checking out Robbies at IslaMorada. Great dining, great atmosphere and you can feed the tarpons!
Very calm and natural beauty. With the exception of high traffic holidays, it's pretty low key. Newer facilities make for bug free showering. Park Rangers are very engaging and keep a keen eye on rule breakers. Incredibly relaxed week in the FL.Keys.
Clearly took a huge hit in the storm and is under some repairs. However there are miles of walking trails to enjoy. A gorgeous area and I loved it. The only part that made me sad was the amount of trash that has blown in and needing to be removed.
We planned to spend a few hours here exploring the beach, trails, and nature but ended our visit after 30 minutes. The map was confusing and there were no signs in the park for direction. We looked for the beach which was by the camp sites and there were gates blocking cars from getting back there, so we just assumed we could not get there unless we were camping. Bummed, we headed for the trails which were just full of mosquitoes so that didn't last long. We did make it to the observation tower which is not tall at all and really doesn't provide a good few of anything besides tree tops. If you are camping I bet this would be a fun place, but I don't recommend it otherwise.
What a pleasure! Though we only had two nights, and had to move each day, this is a wonderful place with all of the sites right on the ocean’s edge. Like Bahia Honda it is one of the more expensive Florida State Parks ($43 per night after taxes and fees), but given the location and view onto the water from our front window, it is tough to beat such a place. Reservations are tough here, we only managed to get in on a cancellation, but we will try to lock in a five or six day stay next winter.
Great snorkeling and sunsets as always in the Florida Keys!!
Evidence of the damage that the Fall hurricane had wrought was evident along the road that led here and probably accounted for the restricted sea front/beach access beach.
Our little stretch wasn’t busy however although finding a comfortable sunbathing spot proved challenging. The water was pleasant, lined by mangroves. And the sea front offered a good opportunity to search out shells. Photographic opps were plentiful.
The female toilet facilities were limited with one out of order.
We walked some of the Golden Orb trail and enjoyed that.
The board walk was particularly appreciated. We saw some great spider webs en route.
We called here as nobody does parks like the US,they are well thought out and looked after.Long Key didn’t disappoint it is a great place to spend time in,the boardwalk is superb.
I enjoyed a brief visit to Long Key State Park on my way to Key West. I first checked out the picnic pavilions to the right after you enter the park. There were a couple large families having celebrations. It was low tide and the beach was pretty choked with weeds and not really great for swimming. There were some kayakers beyond the weeds. I next went to the left side of the park, which features a 1.1 mile nature trail. It was a nice walk with four primary habitats— mangrove swamp, coastal berm, salt pan, and rockland hammock. There are also some pavilions for camping that looked fun for a future stay. I highly recommend a visit to Long Key State Park.
We stopped here on our drive from Key Largo to Key West - two nice enough walks. I continue to be disappointed by the lack of water side hiking in Florida - but that aside. Part of this walk is on boardwalks, the other is a kind of sand trail that is partially shaded. If you need to get out and stretch your legs - worth a stop.
Every camp site is beachfront. You can't beat the view. The Atlantic beach here is shallow for hundreds of yards, totally walkable, and warm. The park overall is small. For sure bring your kayaks, stand-up paddle boards or canoes. This spot is perfect for it. Unfortunately, we didn't have ours with us, but you can rent them from the park.
Each site has lots of foliage which is good for privacy, but it was rainy while we were there, and we experienced a horrible and unforgettable noseeum infestation around the campfire on our very first night. My husband and I didn't know to expect this and each received hundreds of bites. After 3 sleepless nights due to itching, we went to an urgent care clinic and steroid pills fixed us up. But still, not a pleasant way to start our trip. It took almost a full week for the welts to go away completely. I do feel like the ranger station should warn people of this, if it's noseeum season (if there is such a thing?).
Islamorada is a about 12 miles north, Marathon about 12 miles south -- so there's plenty to see and do close by. We stayed for 14 days. Not sure there's enough to do for 14 days, unless you're into fishing.
I would definitely go back, just not for 14 days. And this time I'll avoid staying out after dusk unless I am covered in long pants and sleeves!
Camped here for a week for new years and had a great time. The campsites are on the beach, at low tide it is very shallow. Several different kinds of fish in the water. We took kids and let them snorkel and kayak off our campsite area. The trails are short but interesting. There is no concession area, buy wood out of the park. No grills on sites, just wood burning fire pits with grates for cooking. Restrooms clean and large. Small park, but can find things to do. We fished out of the park on a bridge and caught 8 different kind of fish.
Couldn't have dreamt a prettier picnic spot: Picnic tables under windswept trees and next to the ocean, Boardwalk through the mangroves, empty narrow shoreline, steady breeze, and four hours of quiet. Yes, you can hear a truck rumble by on the highway now and then. But, c'mon. That and the $6 entry fee (for 2) is a small price to pay for paradise.
I stayed twice. First time check in was fun, friendly, and I enjoyed it. Second time, even though it was after noon, we could not check in, and it was low tide...and smelly with the grasses. They had no clue who had checked out and would not even think about considering it until later. We we told to hang out until 3 pm. Sites are close to road and noisy...but are waterfront. There is a boardwalk in the visitor area where you can drop into the water when high tide. Being a raft, a hat, a line and enjoy floating around when high tide. Some girl on a bike showed me crabs digging holes. There was a broken soap dispenser in handicapped bath and thus no soap. Ran out of TP too. They are building new trellis over bench. Oh yeah, some loud salsa music was played by some day guests. the first two campsites are teeny. Limited to no shade in most. there is a trailer parking spot. I saw a snake. they picked up a dead rat. lots of wild life...ha!
We stopped by for the walk on the Christmas Eve, great boardwalk they have; you can enjoy water view sitting on a wooden benches and only white birds will be your company there. Loved it
PS We were lucky to meet Santa at the end of the day, totally unpredictable but such a fun for all
Long Key is a beautiful park, where you can sleep right on the beach. Great place for a weekend get away. One of the few parks that has fire rings at the camp site, so you can build your own ground fire and watch the sunset over the water.
Great location all camp sites on the water. Rest rooms were clean and adequate for the size of the park. Would have liked a little more water pressure.
We stopped for a short break before arriving in Miami, a bath in the ocean relaxing, I enjoyed the beach clean water, nice.
Nice boardwalk and narrow beach, however the sand was like wet clay, rather than packed sand. The camping platforms looked very nice with showers nearby.
Just stayed at long key for five days great site down towards end . Must say a lot of people can't stand the seaweed. But I guess being born and raised in Florida it doesn't seem to bother us as much. We walked out everyday and swam once u get past it's really nice . The smell and bugs were bearable . Bathrooms are clean and so is the park . Nice little spot where you can stay on the water under forty dollars . Had a great time we can't wait to book are next stay here .
We discovered the StatePark by chance having travelled without a pre-defined plan. And... what a surprise!
The camp site was great, with roof-covered pads located few feet from the water. Restrooms are decent and clean.
Included in the little fee we were pleasantly surprised to enjoy a free guided tour of the natural environment in the morning.
Great place.
Mind the raccoons at night: no food should be left in or around your tent!
I had a good morning here walking their scene trail named after the Golden Orb spider, which you really can find if you look hard. there was lots of low-key wildlife though the highlight was when another trekker pointed a small bright orange snake hanging out four feet up in branches, sunning itself. We stayed at the Lime Tree Inn nearby as a base of operations for going diving in Islamorada. If you're in the area, this trail is definitely worth a stop. It doesn't really have a lot of oceanfront views and seating, but the inland stuff makes up for it and if you want to know what sort of views writer Zane Grey had when he lived out here, it's a great slice of nature and history.
My wife and I camped here for two nights on out honeymoon. We enjoyed the location with our tent being only feet away from the water. Being on the ocean side a visitor can get a great view of sunrise. Snorkeling is only feet away and there seemed to be a good blend of animals located in the sea grass. The sites are secluded with trees separating each campsite.
We paid $6 to drive around, look for a beach, attempt to wall through several yards of washed up sea grass, and we quickly left. I don't understand.... why are these beaches not being taken care of? It isn't just this park... it's several areas. If it is a STATE PARK with paid admittance, they should be able to muster up the energy to clean up the stinky seagrass. Skip it!
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On a trip to The Keys, we decided to wander through Long Key State Park. What a beautiful location! We walked the 1 mile circle trail, which is a very nice, easy walk. It may be tough for a wheelchair or stroller, as a lot of the trail is sand. We then walked into the campground to check out the campsites, which are spectacular. Each site is oceanfront, with a tree line between each campsite. This would be a spectacular place to camp!