Hiking in the Florida Keys

[buckowens]

I am doing a flight next week to Guantanamo Bay Cuba, and will be overnighting Monday and will have a day on the ground Tuesday waiting for the pickup. Anybody know of any worthwhile hikes in the area? We will have a car and can drive a bit as well.

[TDale]

http://www.florida-keys.fl.us/parklwr.htm

[Appalachian Tater]

If you've never been there before, then the town itself is worth checking out. You can go count the toes on the cats at Hemingway's house.

http://www.hemingwayhome.com/HTML/our_cats.htm

[mudhead]

I'd skip the town, you are flying anyway.

Plenty of sand to plop down on after wandering around. Warm water and all.

[Trillium]

forget about hiking; GO SNORKELING. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

or go swim with the dolphins. Dolphin Research Center or a commercial joint up A1A

[buckowens]

If you've never been there before, then the town itself is worth checking out. You can go count the toes on the cats at Hemingway's house.

http://www.hemingwayhome.com/HTML/our_cats.htm

That's funny, I just saw something on TV about how the Government was giving them a hard time about those cats...

[buckowens]

forget about hiking; GO SNORKELING. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

or go swim with the dolphins. Dolphin Research Center or a commercial joint up A1A

Twist my arm... That sounds like a great idea. Thanks for the idea. My fishbelly like skin may need a bunch of sunblock!!

[RockStar]

There was an article in an issue of backpacker a while back about camping on a privately owned island for 25 bucks a night. Thats all the info I have. Sounded nice.

[orangebug]

Drive up A1A to Middle Torch Key Rd (Sign points to Big Torch Key) Follow road around heck of a long way taking a left turn toward Big Torch along a causeway surrounded by tidal basins. Watch for the large concrete pipes under the road. Find the middle ones. Wear some water shoes (the coral is hard underfoot) and notice that there is a pressure gradient/current from the tide. Wade into the high side (changes every 6 hours) and float, heading down one of the pipes. Shoot thru like grease thru a goose!

Or drive up a bit further to Big Pine Island and look for the signs left to No Name Key. If you drive past the Key Deer BBQ, you've gone too far. Follow signs to No Name and drive slowly to see the Key Deer. Now, they are into the rut now, but will come out, especially as the does try to take a break. When you've satisfied that thing that you had to do in this lifetime, satisfy another by going to the No Name Pub and ordering one of the Best Pizzas in the Known Universe. (It is really called that and is really up to the name).

Not a lot of hiking with those plans, but it gets you out of the urban stuff.

[Paws]

Check out Fort Zachary Taylor, it's right on Key West, if you can make the arrangements take the day to visit Fort Jefferson you take the boat out of Key West, if you feel like taking a drive visit Bahia Honda State Park, Mile Marker 40 something I think, they have some hiking trails, you can swim, take your pick; the Gulf side or the Atlantic. I ditto the No Name Pub - great pizza!

[Appalachian Tater]

That's funny, I just saw something on TV about how the Government was giving them a hard time about those cats...

Wow, you're not kidding.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/10...y3385431.shtml

And when I was there I was jealous thinking how they had it made, living a perfect cat-life. The USDA actually went in undercover!