Mangrove Trail Pennekamp State Park

At John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the Mangrove Trail is an accessible boardwalk that gets you right into the heart of a mangrove tunnel along a tidal creek.

This trail remains closed due to damage from Hurricane Irma. The boardwalk will be rebuilt.

Meanwhile, you can hike two other nature trails at the park: the Grove Trail and the Wild Tamarind Trail. Both are an easy walk from the visitor center parking area.

Mangrove Trail — Mangroves in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

Resources

Resources for exploring the area

South Florida Explorers Guide book cover

Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

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Overview

Location: Key Largo
Length: 3/4 mile boardwalk loop
Trailhead: 25.124285,-80.402824
Address: MM 102.5 Overseas Highway, Key Largo
Fees: $2.50 cyclist or hiker, $4.50 individual in vehicle, $8.50 per vehicle (2-8 people). Includes per-person Monroe County surcharge
Restroom: At the concession area
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 305-451-1202

Open 8 AM until sunset daily. Leashed dogs welcome but not at beach. Both campsites and docking slips are available for overnight stays. Reserve online.

Stop by the visitor’s center for a look at aquariums filled with fish native to the offshore coral reef habitat. As you’re walking around the park, keep alert for iguanas!

They are not native, and are large enough to startle you when they scramble out of your way. Fortunately, they are herbivores.

American crocodiles are native to this area, and they are not herbivores, so keep alert near bodies of water.

Directions

The park is at MM 102.5 along the ocean side of the Overseas Highway (US 1) in Key Largo. As the park entrance road curves, pass the main parking area and follow the park entrance road to the farthest parking area inside park, past the campground the and mooring for sailboats. The trailhead is on the right, just before the small beach where the parking area is located.

Hike

One of Florida’s most well-known state parks, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is famed for its coral reefs, but not so well known for its trails.

Several nature trails showcase the land-side habitats of the park. Mangrove Trail is a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk that gets you right into the heart of a mangrove forest.

It’s a delightful diversion that the entire family will enjoy while waiting for the next boat out to the reef.

Although it’s a short, easy walk, this trail is best visited in winter, as it gets inundated with mosquitoes the rest of the year. Feeling brave?

Slather on the mosquito repellent and walk on. This is an interpretive boardwalk that engages you in the mangrove forest along a tidal creek.

Halfway through the loop, the trail emerges out into the open along shorter mangroves, running parallel to the creek.

A staircase leads up to an observation deck. Enjoy a refreshing walk through a gorgeous tangled jungle of white mangroves, thanks to the cool salt breezes off the Atlantic.

The observation tower provides a great overview of the mangrove forest and a peek down the creek. The trail loops around to the left, away from the creek, to return to the parking area.

Trail Map

Once the trail has been rebuilt, we will provide an updated version of the map shown below. Currently, the map does not show the Mangrove Trail since it is inaccessible. However, it is near the parking symbol shown in the lower right corner.

Explore More!

Learn more about John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

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.