After scoring an unobtainable campsite in the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park for three nights, we settled in to do whatever there was to do in the area in two days. The first day, we took the dogs for a walk down the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, which basically parallels Route 1 down the length of the keys. We didn’t feel threatened by traffic, but we also had difficulty holding a conversation due to all the loud cars and trucks going by. We also got our e-bikes out for the first time, and rode the Heritage Trail into Key Largo proper. It wasn’t the nicest ride we’ll ever take, but it was a great place to figure out how our bikes work and get used to them. We also took a walk around the park, which was pretty impressive in how many activities were crammed into a relatively small place in what is basically a busy city while maintaining the illusion of being immersed in nature. But, walking the entire perimeter of the park takes about a half hour and covers less than two miles. That said, we really liked the park. It is right off Route 1. It is in the middle of Key Largo, which is basically a Florida city. But, when you’re in the park, it’s all about the activities offered. And, at night, the traffic subsides and the campground is very quiet and peaceful.
For the second day we were there, we decided to make the approximately 100 mile drive to Key West since we wanted to see Mile 0 of Route 1 and the most southern point of the US. I, honestly, wasn’t expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised. It was 100 miles from where we were staying, but it was a really easy 100 miles on a straight road with minimal traffic and nice scenery, and Key West was way nicer than I expected. We found a great free parking spot at a small city park around mile 1.5 on Route 1, and docked the truck so we could follow Route 1 into the town. We somehow took a wrong turn and had to use our phones to get us to the actual Mile 0, but with help, it was easy. After taking the obligatory Mile 0 photo, we walked to the Zachary Taylor park, which had been recommended to us by a ranger at Timucuan. We were really pleasantly surprised at the park, which, besides allowing photos at the very tip of Key West, also has a reconstructed turn-of-the-century fort which was fascinating in both its location and its history. We walked back through the town and found our truck, and had an uneventful drive back to the campground where we spent one more night before departing the keys the next morning.
For the second day we were there, we decided to make the approximately 100 mile drive to Key West since we wanted to see Mile 0 of Route 1 and the most southern point of the US. I, honestly, wasn’t expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised. It was 100 miles from where we were staying, but it was a really easy 100 miles on a straight road with minimal traffic and nice scenery, and Key West was way nicer than I expected. We found a great free parking spot at a small city park around mile 1.5 on Route 1, and docked the truck so we could follow Route 1 into the town. We somehow took a wrong turn and had to use our phones to get us to the actual Mile 0, but with help, it was easy. After taking the obligatory Mile 0 photo, we walked to the Zachary Taylor park, which had been recommended to us by a ranger at Timucuan. We were really pleasantly surprised at the park, which, besides allowing photos at the very tip of Key West, also has a reconstructed turn-of-the-century fort which was fascinating in both its location and its history. We walked back through the town and found our truck, and had an uneventful drive back to the campground where we spent one more night before departing the keys the next morning.
We walked the mile and a half from where we were parked to the Mile 0 sign in the rain, so we couldn’t do much about the drowned-rat look.
The fort was armed with cannons which had been buried but were unearthed by archeologists and replaced at the walls of the fort facing the ocean.
The fort in the Zachary Taylor State Park seems, to us, like it should be a national heritage site. We would have missed it had we not been told to go there by a National Park ranger at Timucuan.
The outside of the fort used to be at the edge of the ocean, but the ocean has receded over the last 100 years.
This pile of rocks is at the very southern tip of Key West, which is the furthest south point in the US.
Christmas Eve morning, we visited Biscayne National Park. Unfortunately for us, we did this during the country’s bomb cyclone weather event, which, while it didn’t bring blizzards and horrible weather to southern Florida, did bring weather in the low 50s with high winds which made enjoying what is primarily a marine park impractical. Most of this park is under the surface of the ocean, and the best way to see it is by diving or snorkeling or kayaking, all of which would have been unpleasant. So, we walked through the very nice visitor center and wandered the board walk along the ocean, looking at both the marine life under the boardwalk and the distant view of Miami, before heading to the Everglades National Park, which is where we are now camped.
 Probably the most interesting National Park sign we’ve seen so far. |  That’s Miami in the distance from the edge of Biscayne NP. |  The boardwalk leads you to the end of a jetty. |
So far, we’re really impressed with Everglades National Park. We booked a campsite online a few nights ago, and when we pulled in they had our reservation ready for us, and even though it’s Christmas week and they’re busy, they’ve spaced out all the campers so we feel like we’re camped all on our own - with the amenities of a well run campground. We’re planning on hiking and biking and investigating what there is to do around here tomorrow, and spending the next couple of days experiencing another beautiful national park.
The campsites at Long Pine Key are enormous. This space would have been three campsites at John Pennekamp State Park.