Long Key State Park
Long Key State Park is a state park in Monroe County in the US state of Florida . The 390 hectare state park is located on the Overseas Highway at Mile Marker 67.5 on Long Key Island, an island in the Florida Keys .
geography
Especially in the western part of the island there are higher areas known as hammocks , while large parts of the island are only slightly above sea level and are inundated by high tides or storms. These seagrass meadows contain numerous tide pools , and in the interior of the island there are a series of shallow lagoons of around 56 hectares .
Flora and fauna
The tree islands called Hammocks are covered with subtropical vegetation, including rarer plants such as Opuntia triacantha , Bursera simaruba , Thrinax radiata and Pseudophoenix sargentii .
In elaborate actions, the invasive casuarina and portia trees that had shaded the campsite for years were felled and replaced by more than 500 native trees and bushes.
The vegetation of the low-lying parts of the island consists of seagrass meadows and mangroves . The long coastline, the hammocks, the lagoons and the seagrass meadows are habitat for a wide variety of birds, butterflies and land crabs . The island is on the Great Florida Birding Trail , and in addition to the native birds, the island is also a resting place for numerous migratory birds. Ibises , egrets and egrets can often be seen, white-headed doves and rose spoonbills are less common . Horseshoe crabs , starfish , loggerhead turtles and green turtles live in the lagoons and in the shallow sea around the island .
history
From 1961, the land for the park was acquired until the state park was officially opened on October 1, 1969.
The hurricanes Georges and Irene destroyed the campsite in 1998 and 1999, so that it had to be rebuilt.
The island is supported by the Friends of the Islamorada Area State Parks Association.
activities
The park is open all year round and there is a fee to use it. During the winter season, ranger-led hikes or canoe trips are offered several times a week.
In the west of the park there is a campsite with 60 parking spaces right on the banks of Floridastraße . The island has several beaches and spots for swimming and snorkeling. The island also offers good opportunities for canoeing or kayaking. A canoe trail leads through several inland lagoons. Across the island are two 3 km long paths, of which the Gold Orb Trail , named after a local spider, leads over a boardwalk to a wooden observation tower that offers a panoramic view of the island, while the Layton Trail leads to the shore on Florida Bay leads. For anglers, the island is one of the best places in the Florida Keys to fish for fishbones .
literature
- Michael Strutin: Florida State Parks: A Complete Recreation Guide. Seattle, Mountaineers Books 2000, ISBN 0-89886-731-2
Web links
- State Park website
- Long Key State Park on the United States Geological Survey's Geographic Names Information System
Individual evidence
- ↑ Long Key State Park: Unit Management Plan, 2004, p. 21. (PDF; 1.5 MB) Retrieved January 26, 2013 .
Coordinates: 24 ° 49 ′ 2.5 ″ N , 80 ° 49 ′ 11.2 ″ W.