At John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the Mangrove Boardwalk is an accessible boardwalk that gets you right into the heart of a mangrove tunnel along a tidal creek.
After years of being shut down due to hurricane damaged, it reopened in early December 2025.
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Overview
Location: Key Largo
Length: 3/4 mile 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. The Mangrove Boardwalk is wheelchair-accessible and 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.
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. Nearby Adventures
Pennekamp Grove Trail If you've ever wondered where Key limes came from, take a walk on the 0.5-mile Grove Trail at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park to see of one of the historic groves of Key Largo.
Pennekamp Wild Tamarind Trail Tunneling into the deep shade of the Key Largo Hammock, the Wild Tamarind Trail provides a close-up look at a not-so-common forest. 
Key Largo Hammock Nature Trail On the interpretive Key Largo Hammock Nature Trail, tunnel into the largest tropical forest in the United States to enjoy its natural beauty while learning about its unusual trees
Port Bougainville Trail At Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park, enjoy the island's bounty of National Champion tropical trees from the 2.4 mile loop of the Port Bougainville Trail
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