• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
Open water edged by tropical plants in Florida Keys

Blue Hole

For the easiest wildlife watching at National Key Deer Refuge, visit the trail and observation deck at Blue Hole, a cenote-like pond that is the largest body of fresh water in the Florida Keys.

National Key Deer Refuge  |  Big Pine Key
( 24.7060, -81.3800 )      0.3 miles

215 shares

On tropical islands with karst landscapes, a blue hole is a type of sinkhole where a lens of fresh water floats atop a layer of salt water seeping in from the sea.

The fresh water comes only from rainfall, so the blue hole acts like a natural cistern.

Expanse of water in round area The expanse of Big Pine Key’s Blue Hole


Think of Big Pine Key as a giant sponge with lots of small surface holes. Fresh water soaks into the limestone karst 22 feet deep, with salt water lying below it.

Early settlers dug shallow wells to trap this natural resource, but the population has long outstripped the availability of fresh water on Big Pine Key.

Water framed by palms and trees with interpretive tags Blue Hole sits in a tropical rockland hammock where rainfall collects in limestone pockets


While Big Pine Key has the proper geology to create a natural blue hole, this particular Blue Hole is man-made. It formed within a quarry where rock was mined for construction of the Overseas Highway.

By exposing the fresh water lens in the karst, Blue Hole became the primary source of fresh water for the wildlife of Big Pine Key.

Key deer Key deer doe emerging from the forest at Blue Hole


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

50 Hikes in South Florida book cover South Florida Explorers Guide book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: Big Pine Key
Length: 0.3 mile round-trip
Trailhead: 24.7060, -81.3800
Address: Key Deer Blvd
Fees: Free
Restroom: None
Land manager: National Key Deer Refuge
Phone: 305-872-0774

Open daily from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. Repellent is a must.

Bicycles are not permitted on the trail, and pets are not advised so as not to scare away wildlife. Do not swim in Blue Hole. There are large alligators living in it.

Report wildlife emergencies such as injured or dead Key deer or aggressive animals to Florida FWC immediately at 888-404-3922; press Monroe County extension.

View of water through vegetation

Stay within the marked path to avoid brushing into poisonwood.

Poisonwood is found along this trail, and is much more irritating than poison ivy. Its fruit is an important food source for endangered white-crowned pigeons but deadly to humans.

Poisonwood sap oozing from trunk Oily spots on the trunk of a mature poisonwood in the forest at Blue Hole


Directions

 
From US 1, follow Key Deer Boulevard past the shopping center. Pay attention to the speed limits as they are slow for a reason: you may see Key deer cross the road along this stretch, especially at dusk and dawn. The turnoff for the parking area is on the left after 3.1 miles.

Hike

Two trails lead from the trailhead kiosk. The one to the right is a short spur to an overlook that gives you a quick glance over Blue Hole.

It may be obscured by vegetation, but it’s also the first place you might see wildlife.

Iguana on a deck A decidedly non-native iguana at the overlook


Return to the kiosk and take the trail to the left. When it forks, keep to the right.

The footpath winds through an area planted with native trees such as pigeon plum, gumbo limbo, and silver buttonwood.

Thatch palms Keys thatch palms along the trail


You quickly reach the observation platform overlooking Blue Hole, which is as far as many visitors get.

The panorama takes in the entire water-filled quarry, only shallow enough for cattails along its near edge.

Deck over water with telescope The observation platform


Look straight down. The water is clear, and hosts a constant parade of aquatic life. Large Florida softshell turtles drift through the shallows.

Bluegill, bass, and bream dart between the coontail. A massive giant oscar noses up to the platform piers.

turtle and bird on rocks Florida cooter and green heron


Watch for the bobbing heads of Florida cooters and the Florida mud turtle as they scoot across the limestone bottom.

If an alligator surfaces, don’t be surprised. They like the shade that this deck provides.

Shoreline along water Near shore along Blue Hole


Leaving the platform, follow the worn path to the right. It makes an arc around Blue Hole. It’s in this area that we’ve most commonly seen Key deer grazing.

At Blue Hole, deer have access to copious amounts of fresh water, no matter how dry the adjacent pine rocklands may get. That’s not true in the rest of the Lower Keys.

Man on path in tropical forest Walking the worn path around Blue Hole


At a Y junction where a paved road is visible on the left, keep right. There are several open spots with clear views across the pond.

The trail ends at an “Area Closed” sign with a fence, blocking off the rest of the quarry road to enable deer to reach Blue Hole without human disturbance.

Water view from rocky ledge Rocky ledge at the far end of the trail


Return the way you came, but take the natural path to the right. This loops through the native plant garden and arboretum.

The names of the plants are mapped out on the kiosk by the trailhead. The full round-trip and loop is slightly more than a quarter mile.

Path outlined by rocks through tropical forest Native Plant Arboretum and Garden


Trail Map

Map of trails on Big Pine Key, National Key Deer Refuge
Mannillo Trail in yellow. Watson Trail in red. Blue Hole in blue.

Explore More!

Learn more about National Key Deer Refuge

Key deer peering out of palm fronds

National Key Deer Refuge

Established in 1957 to prevent the extinction of the diminutive Key deer, National Key Deer Refuge spans 84,351 acres across 25 islands in the Lower Keys.


Slideshow

See our photos from Blue Hole


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

White path between palms

Fredrick C. Mannillo Jr. Nature Trail

Key deer browse the understory of a pine rockland explored on this short accessible interpretive trail within National Key Deer Refuge.

Unusual pine forest

Jack C. Watson Wildlife Trail

Rare pine rockland and rockland tropical hammock are key habitats for Key deer along this immersive interpretive loop on Big Pine Key.

1943 carved in concrete railroad bridge over mangroves

Overseas Heritage Trail, Lower Keys

38.0 miles. Between Key West and Bahia Honda Key, this segment of the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail crosses many historic railroad bridges in view of mangrove-lined shores.

Palms along iconic beachfront at Bahia Honda Key

Bahia Honda State Park

Long known for its natural beaches, Bahia Honda State Park continues to heal after the ravages of Hurricane Irma stripped much of its tropical vegetation

Official Website

Category: Nature Trails, Southeast FloridaTag: Big Pine Key, Botanical, Favorites, Florida Keys, National Key Deer Refuge, National Wildlife Refuges, Wildlife Viewing

Reader Interactions

Have an update? Contact us.

Primary Sidebar

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA OVERVIEW
East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida Trail

Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area . Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

Our Newest Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideOur definitive guidebook to planning backpacking trips on the Florida National Scenic Trail, now in its fourth edition. Full data charts and maps. B&W, 356 pages. $19.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail Hikes 2nd edition coverFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
A visual journey the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now
 


50 Hikes in Central Florida 3rd edition
Five Star Trails Orlando guidebook
Explorer's Guide North Florida & The Panhandle guidebook

Florida Trail Apps

Farout GuidesFarout Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the
Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles), the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (108 miles), and the ECT Florida Connector (92 miles).

Explore More

Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Broad sand road through sandhill habitat

Atlantic Ridge Preserve State Park

Atlantic Ridge Preserve State Park
Well worn path through a wet pine flatwoods landscape

DuPuis Loop Trail

DuPuis Loop Trail
Bike along bike path in greenway

East Coast Greenway Stuart

East Coast Greenway Stuart
Nature trail in pine-palm forest

Gomez Preserve

Gomez Preserve

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2023, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact