The Best Natural Beach in the Florida Keys Sits Beneath a 109-Year-Old Abandoned Bridge

Bahia Honda State Park, Florida

Bahia Honda might be Florida’s best-kept beach secret. While tourists pack into Key West, this state park quietly offers something better.

What you get instead is the Keys’ deepest natural beach, water so clear you can spot reef fish from shore, and the skeletal remains of Flagler’s historic overseas railway arcing into the sunset. Here are some of our favorite things about this slide of Florida paradise.

The Railroad That Turned This Spot into a Getaway

Henry Flagler kicked off his railroad project in 1904, changing Bahia Honda from a lonely island to a vacation spot. The bridge had a special design different from others in the railroad.

After a huge hurricane in 1935 wiped out the railroad, they turned what was left into U.S. Highway 1. Building it cost $27 million and gave jobs to over 4,000 workers. The bridge stood 65 feet high so ships could pass underneath.

Thanks to the railroad, you could get from Miami to Key West in 7 hours instead of 3 days.

You’ll Need to Climb Down Makeshift Paths to Find Some Beaches

To reach certain beaches, you’ll have to take an adventure since storm damage closed the regular stairs. Your effort pays off with quiet spots away from other visitors.

About twenty feet from shore, seagrass creates perfect places to snorkel without swimming far. You’ll need to work around coral rocks at some entry points. Wear water shoes to protect your feet on the rocky bottom.

If you want an easier walk, Calusa Beach has well-kept paths you can use.

Three Beaches in One

You’ll find three distinct beaches at Bahia Honda, each with its own character.

Calusa, the smallest on the northwest side, has small picnic shelters and outdoor showers. Loggerhead features shallow water and a big sandbar just offshore. Sandspur, the biggest beach, stretches 2.5 miles and offers three large shelters. At Loggerhead, the water stays only 3-4 feet deep for about 100 yards out.

Better Stargazing Than Almost Anywhere in the Keys

When the sun goes down, Bahia Honda turns into an amazing place to watch stars because there’s hardly any light pollution. On nights without a moon, you can often see the Milky Way clearly.

Sometimes the park hosts special star events with experts and telescopes. It ranks 4 out of 9 on the Bortle scale for dark skies, making it one of the darkest places in the Keys. Spring and fall give you the best viewing conditions.

If you’re interested in astronomy events, the park ranger station hands out monthly star charts.

You Can Walk on the Old Highway Bridge for Amazing Views

The trail to the Old Bahia Honda Bridge starts on the southwest side in the Calusa area, following the path of the original U.S. Highway 1. From the top, you’ll see the whole island and waters all around.

You’ll be 65 feet above the water with views in every direction. The walkable part goes about 0.8 miles across. The concrete supports date back to 1912 and still show how they built railroads back then.

Look for signs along the way that tell the story of how the bridge changed from railroad to highway.

December Gives You the Quietest Time to Visit

While winter brings crowds to the Florida Keys, December stays surprisingly peaceful at Bahia Honda. Your admission ticket lets you leave and come back the same day with your receipt, so you can check out nearby spots and return later.

Temperatures in December usually hover around 76°F without much humidity. If you visit between 8:00-10:00 AM, you’ll find the fewest people. The water stays around 72°F in December, warm enough for swimming.

Hotels in nearby Marathon cost about 30% less than during busy season.

Silver Palm Trees Grow Here Better Than Anywhere Else in the Keys

Bahia Honda protects the biggest group of rare silver palm trees in the Florida Keys. These special palms stand out with their bright, fan-shaped leaves.

Each silver palm can grow up to 20 feet tall and live for 80 years. You’ll find about 300 full-grown trees within the park. This is the northernmost place they grow naturally because of the special climate here.

Every Tuesday morning, park rangers lead walks where they help you spot and learn about silver palms.

Fall Brings Thousands of Hawks Flying Over the Park

From mid-September to mid-November, you can watch the hawk migration at Bahia Honda. The old railway bridge gives you a perfect spot to see falcons as they head south for winter.

Bird watchers have counted 18 different kinds of birds of prey during the busiest migration times. In a typical fall, more than 5,000 hawks and falcons fly over the park.

Your best chance to see peregrine falcons is between October 10-25. Standing on the old bridge puts you at eye level with these birds as they soar past.

One Camping Area Only Fits Vehicles Shorter Than 6 Feet 8 Inches

To get to Bayside Campground, your vehicle must fit under the new Bahia Honda Bridge with its 6-foot-8-inch clearance. This limit makes for a more private camping experience if you have a car small enough to fit.

This camping area has just 8 total sites, making it the smallest and most private. Sites 30-34 look right out onto Florida Bay. Regular pickup trucks and many SUVs are too tall to get in.

If your vehicle is too big, you can still stay at Buttonwood or Sandspur campgrounds where there’s no height limit.

You Might Spot Endangered Sea Turtles While Swimming

In the waters around Bahia Honda, you’ll often see loggerhead sea turtles that have become rare in other places. While kayaking or snorkeling, you might also spot manta rays and dolphins.

The park counted 42 sea turtle nests in 2024, mostly from loggerhead turtles. Turtles lay eggs from April through October, with babies hatching 45-60 days later. Out of the world’s seven kinds of sea turtles, four visit these waters.

Park Workers Keep Fixing Hurricane Damage Years Later

Since Hurricane Irma hit in 2017, park staff and volunteers haven’t stopped working to restore the park. Some areas look different now, but new plants and animals are making themselves at home.

The hurricane took out over 40% of the plants and changed the shoreline a lot. About $3.8 million has gone into fixing things up.

Sandspur Beach finally reopened in December 2023 after major rebuilding. They also put in a brand new boat dock after the storm surge completely destroyed the old one.

Visiting Bahia Honda State Park

You can visit Bahia Honda State Park every day from 8:00 AM until sunset, all year round. It costs $8 per car (2-8 people), $4 if you’re driving alone, and $2.50 if you walk or bike in.

You’ll find it at 36850 Overseas Highway, Big Pine Key, FL 33043, about 37 miles from Key West (a 45-minute drive).

The park often fills up on weekends and holidays, so get there early. If you want to camp ($36 per night plus fees), you can book up to 11 months ahead by calling 800-326-3521.

Boat slips cost $2 per foot with a $30 minimum. Cabins rent for $120-$160 per night depending on the time of year.