A bike ride with an ocean breeze at your back and brilliant blue waters sparkling in the sun. Who wouldn’t be tempted by that?
Especially when we’re talking riding the length of the Florida Keys, a slice of the Caribbean connected to the Florida mainland by US 1.
That’s why the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (OHT) is a destination ride. It is not, however, a continuous bike path.
The 108-mile route is appealing to cyclists visiting Florida because of its unique beauty and abundant services.
Underpass at Boca Chica ChannelFollowing the route of the Overseas Railroad, and using some of the railroad’s historic bridges, it is a ride like no other in America.
Serving as the southernmost leg of the East Coast Greenway, it offers sweeping panoramas of mangrove-fringed islands in turquoise waters.
John at the southernmost marker for the East Coast GreenwayResources
Our FarOut Guide to the Overseas Heritage Trail is an app available for smartphone or browser use and presents our guidebook details about the trail – including recommended lodgings, dining, and points of interest as well as parks and hiking trails throughout the Florida Keys – in a map-based format.
Our guidebooks for exploring the area
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: Key West to Key Largo
Length: 108.3 miles linear
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 305-853-3571
Fees: Free
Open to pedestrian and bicycle use. Hikers should use sunscreen and insect repellent.
Class 1 ebikes (pedaling required) are permitted on state trails but other motorized transport is banned on bike path segments.
Because this is an island hopping route, sun and wind play a factor in your enjoyment of the ride. Check wind direction and speed before deciding which direction to ride, or to ride at all.
About the Trail
The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail uses a combination of bike paths, side path along US 1, and bike lanes on US 1 to connect the Florida Keys together.
Benches are provided in many places, especially at the ends of the long bridge crossings at the southern end of the trail.
A bit of shade and a bench before a historic bridge crossingIf you are looking to ride the length of the Florida Keys, you must be comfortable riding with and in traffic to complete it all.
This includes crossing the Seven Mile Bridge in a wide bike lane with high-speed traffic next to you and no shelter from sun, wind, or storms for seven miles.
A stop before starting the ride across the Seven Mile BridgeSome parts of the trail are better suited than others for day trippers looking for a paved bike path in the Florida Keys. Please see our Ride Details for our recommendations.
The historic bridges of the former Overseas Railroad provide a great deal of the allure to the trail in the Lower Keys.
Along one of the long historic railroad spansThey are best crossed when there are few people fishing along them. On weekends, both the bridges and US 1 can become overwhelmed by traffic and people.
It’s not unusual to find vehicles parking on the trail (even official vehicles) but especially near the bridges where the anglers gather, and especially on weekends.
It gets very busy around Duck Key on weekendsThe usual traffic, distracted drivers, and trash tossed by motorists is familiar to anyone using bike lanes or side paths. But this trail has some oddball hazards to watch out for as a cyclist.
Spare tubes, tires, and a repair kit are a must. Watch out for roughed-up surfaces from storm surges, construction debris, and iguanas darting in front of you.
We used mountain bikes but spots like this are still a bit roughBoth cyclists and hikers need to think twice before slipping into a forest for a bathroom stop.
In the Florida Keys, the forests are full of poisonous trees: bushwhacking is a very bad idea here.
Florida’s Toxic Trees
Southeast Florida is home to two poisonous trees, the poisonwood and the manchineel. Learn how to recognize them so you don’t get too close, and find out how truly dangerous they are.
There are well-spaced campgrounds that a cyclist or hiker carrying camping gear can use. However, these generally require reservations well in advance.
But with so many classic motels and resorts along the route, if you budget for it, you can relax on the beach or the bay every night, and even get in a swim after your ride.
Sunset at Big Pine Key Fishing LodgeRide Details
While your choice of direction for riding the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail should be determined by the prevailing winds, we describe it from Key West to Key Largo.
That’s how we rode it, for two very specific reasons besides the direction of the winds that week in late November.
Riding northbound in the US 1 bike laneFirst, the southern terminus of the East Coast Greenway (ECG) is at Key West, so if you’re looking to ride the entire East Coast along it to Maine, start here.
Second, hikers who are looking to walk the length of the entire Eastern Seaboard on a route called the Eastern Continental Trail (ECT) start north from the Southernmost Point buoy.
A section of boardwalk through a mangrove swampTheir journey takes them along the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail to a series of connections through the South Dade Greenway to reach the Florida Trail, which spans 1,100 miles to Alabama.
Connections through Alabama and Georgia lead to the Appalachian Trail and the International Appalachian Trail, with a finish at Cape Gaspe, Quebec after more than 4,800 miles of hiking.
Eastern Continental Trail
A hiking route spanning more than 4,800 miles along the East Coast, the Eastern Continental Trail spends nearly 1,300 miles crossing Florida from its southern terminus at the Southernmost Point in Key West.
Most hikers take a week or less to walk the length of the Overseas Heritage Trail. Five days is common, but keep in mind it’s all on pavement. It’s tough on feet to do big miles.
For cyclists, our research rides took three days, although there are many cyclists who’ve done it in a day or two.
We’ve broken the trail up roughly into the Lower, Middle, and Upper Keys based on our own end points each day. Adjust as needed for your personal daily mileage.
The Atlantic Ocean at Key WestLower Keys
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.
Middle Keys
Overseas Heritage Trail, Middle Keys
43.6 miles. With the most island-hopping of the ride, the middle portion of the Florida Keys delights with its aquamarine waters and coconut palms, a very tropical vibe.
Upper Keys
Overseas Heritage Trail, Upper Keys
26.8 miles. Through the most heavily populated part of the Florida Keys, the trail quickly leaves water views behind for tropical forests between residential and commercial areas.
Short Rides
These segments work well as a stand-alone ride for families and for cyclists who aren’t all that comfortable dealing with traffic along US 1.
Grassy Key Trail
A pleasant piece of the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail that is entirely bike path, the Grassy Key Trail is 4.4 linear miles through Curry Hammock State Park
Trailheads
Please see our individual segment pages (Lower, Middle, and Upper Keys) for exact locations of parking areas, pulloffs, and parks with parking along the route.
Each has an interactive map where you can zoom in and get directions to any particular trailhead or access point along the Overseas Heritage Trail.
Most trailheads are day use only. If you want to leave your car overnight, doing so at a state park or private campground is a good idea. Check before making plans.
The northern terminus is at Key Largo Hammock Botanical State ParkCamping
Random camping is not permitted along the trail. Please make use of established campgrounds with tent camping.
Camping is much more expensive in the Florida Keys than elsewhere in the state so plan to share a site with friends to split costs.
Campgrounds that accept tent campers include:
| Mile | Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 5.2 | Leo's Campground | Stock Island |
| 5.6 | Boyd's Campground | Stock Island |
| 34.2 | Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge | Big Pine Key |
| 38.0 | Bahia Honda State Park | Bahia Honda Key |
| 57.4 | Curry Hammock State Park | Grassy Key |
| 60.5 | Jolly Roger RV Park | Grassy Key |
| 68.7 | Long Key State Park | Long Key |
| 102.9 | Key Largo Campground | Key Largo |
| 104.1 | John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park | Key Largo |
| 105.0 | Kings Kamp RV Park | Key Largo |
Call in advance to reserve a campsite. Fees apply. Some sites must be reserved online. These parks with campgrounds are listed south to north.
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
Curry Hammock State Park
Bring your binoculars for fall birding at Curry Hammock State Park, where migrating raptors cruise overhead by the hundreds following a major flyover route.
Long Key State Park
Spanning shore to shore across much of its namesake island, Long Key State Park offers a bounty of botanical wonders across a variety of rare Florida Keys habitats.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Molasses Reef, the most accessible living coral reef in the United States, is the reason that John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park exists in the Florida Keys.
Tent camping has reopened oceanside at Long KeyMileage
| Mile | Location |
|---|---|
| 0.0 | Southermost Point marker |
| 1.0 | East Coast Greenway terminus marker |
| 1.9 | Smathers Beach parking |
| 5.0 | Key West Tropical Hammock & Botanical Gardens trailhead |
| 11.9 | Shark Key parking |
| 24.8 | Summerland Key parking |
| 32.6 | Nature Center for the Florida Keys NWRs |
| 35.1 | Spanish Harbor trailhead |
| 38.0 | Bahia Honda State Park |
| 41.3 | Seven Mile Bridge |
| 50.4 | Marathon Community Park |
| 56.5 | Grassy Key trailhead |
| 57.4 | Curry Hammock State Park |
| 61.7 | Tom's Harbor parking |
| 64.2 | Conch Key parking |
| 66.8 | Long Key parking |
| 68.7 | Long Key State Park |
| 72.0 | Channel Five parking |
| 74.4 | Channel Two parking |
| 74.8 | Anne's Beach |
| 81.6 | Upper Matecumbe Wayside |
| 82.4 | Green Turtle Hammock Preserve |
| 86.5 | Windley Key State Park |
| 88.4 | Founders Park |
| 101.1 | YMCA Park |
| 102.6 | Friendship Park |
| 104.1 | John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park |
| 108.3 | Key Largo Hammock State Park trailhead |
Articles
Articles about our personal explorations along the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail
The Florida Keys, Revisited
Nine months after Hurricane Irma, we headed to the Florida Keys to see how both the infrastructure and the natural areas are healing. Here’s an overview of what we found, from Key West to Key Largo.
Indian Key: An unusual ghost town
John takes a trip back in time with Florida Keys historian Brad Bertelli to discover the layers of history found on Indian Key, once the county seat of Dade County
Adding to the Life List
Although John is a native Floridian, our research trip to South Florida became an opportunity for him to see many natural “firsts” in Florida that most people have on their life lists.
Spirit of Pennekamp
Cruising on the Spirit of Pennekamp is how landlubbers – and snorklers uncomfortable with ocean swells – get to experience the living coral reefs of the Florida Keys
Trail Map
