Manager's Message

In April, the interpretive staff will be taking a short break from presenting nature programs. They will be putting all their efforts into our Earth Day Celebration which is April 12th from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Look in our Special Events section for more details about our Earth Day Event. The staff will also be conducting a variety of off-site special events throughout the community.

Spring migration has begun in the Florida Keys and recently staff has noticed barn swallows, several species of warblers and a variety of shorebirds heading north to their breeding grounds.

Be sure to come by the Sand and Sea Nature Center when you visit the park. We have an excellent sea life display, a small marine aquarium and several environmental activities to explore. You might want to sit a spell and watch a nature video. Park staff will be available to answer your questions. The Nature Center is open daily from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. (closed for lunch from Noon – 1:00 p.m.)

The middle of April is the beginning of the sea turtle nesting season in the Florida Keys. When you visit the park you may see staff out walking the beach very early in the morning looking for new nests. April through October, female sea turtles crawl out of the ocean onto the beaches and dunes to lay their eggs under the sand. Sea turtles dig a large body pit, then a smaller clutch cavity [egg chamber] in which they lay about 100 eggs. The turtle covers the nest with sand and crawls back into the water. Approximately 50 days after being deposited, the eggs will hatch. Hatchlings emerge from the nest and make their way to the sea. The young turtles’ voyage through the seas is a life fraught with peril. The next 20 to 30 years will be spent growing and maturing. The surviving females return to the same nesting area where they were hatched. They will continue the cycle of sea turtle life that has existed for millions of years. Male sea turtles do not come on beaches; instead they spend their lives at sea.

Here are some things you can do to help ensure nesting females and hatchlings are as safe as possible during their brief time on the beach:

1. Turn off any unnecessary lights. Keep necessary lighting low and avoid any light on beaches. Nesting females are repelled by light and hatchlings are attracted to light.

2. Never have a fire on the beach.

3. At night, keep noise to a minimum to prevent interrupting nesting attempts.

4. Chairs, kayaks, canoes, boats, etc. left on the beach at night can deter females from nesting and prevent hatchlings from reaching the ocean. Please do not store any such items on beaches.

5. Do not approach nesting females or hatchlings. You may disrupt their natural behavior.

- Manny Perez, Park Manager

Welcome to Bahia Honda State Park

Henry Flagler's railroad to Key West turned the remote island of Bahia Honda Key into a tropical destination. Today, the island is home to one of Florida's southernmost state parks, known for beautiful beaches, magnificent sunsets, and excellent snorkeling. Visitors can picnic on the beach and take a swim, or simply relax and enjoy the balmy sea breezes that caress the shores year-round. Anglers can fish from shore or bring a boat and launch at the boat ramp. The park's concession rents kayaks and snorkeling gear and offers boat trips to the reef for snorkeling excursions. Bahia Honda is an excellent place to see wading birds and shorebirds. The nature center can introduce nature lovers to the island's unique plants and animals. Full-facility campsites and vacation cabins are available. Located 12 miles south of Marathon.

Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
For Information about Bahia Honda State Park, please call 305-872-2353.

Book Your Vacation Spot Now!

Hours of Operation

Florida state parks are open from 8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.

Driving Directions

Bahia Honda is located 12 mile south of Marathon on US1.

Park Fees

Admission

$1.50 - Pedestrian/bicyclist fee
$3.50 - Single-occupant vehicle
$6.00 - Double-occupant vehicle
$0.50 - Each additional occupant up to 8 people
$1.50 - Each additional occupant over 8 people
$10.00-Boat Ramp

Campsites

$31.49 (includes taxes)

Cabins

$136.30 (includes taxes)

Pavilions

Full-Day $53.75 (includes taxes)
Half-Day $32.25 (includes taxes)
Does not cover regular day use fees, parking
spaces are not guaranteed if day use parking
is full.

Bahia Honda State Park

36850 Overseas Hwy.
Big Pine Key, Florida 33043
Phone: 305-872-2353
Fax: Contact Park for Number

Visitor Service Provider

Coral Reef Park Company
36850 Overseas Highway
Big Pine Key, FL 33043
(305) 872-3210
Bahia Honda Division of Coral Reef Park Company