John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park on Key Largo is a perfect spot to spend a day or two when you’re in the Florida Keys. You can kayak through mangrove tunnels, discover 18th century artifacts as you snorkel, or spend a few days and stay at their campground.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park History
In the 1950s conservationists were getting worried about the extensive damage being done to the reef surrounding the Florida Keys. Souvenir trinkets were being blasted, hammered, and chiseled out of the reef to sell to tourists. The fact that thousand-year-old coral was being destroyed to feed the tourism industry wasn’t sitting well with Dr. Gilbert Voss. Dr. Voss was employed at the Marine Institute of Miami and was vocal about doing something to preserve the reef. He strategically teamed up with John Pennekamp, Assistant Editor of the Miami Herald.
John Pennekamp was a conservationist/newspaperman who helped establish the Everglades National Park in 1947. Together he and Voss lobbied the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials to turn the reefs into a preserve. After a lot of cajoling of the state, they succeeded in getting the Florida controlled area of the reef, 75 square miles, as a permanent preserve. In 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower granted the federally controlled area of the reef to the state and formed the Key Largo Coral Reef Preserve. In 1963 the nearly 70 aquatic square mile park was opened as the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the country’s first undersea park.
Beaches at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
There are two beaches at John Pennekamp, Cannon Beach and Far Beach. While they are on the Atlantic side, they are not directly on the ocean, rather they are on Largo Sound, so they’re protected and relatively calm. Canon Beach is the bigger beach while Far Beach offers wheelchair access to the water. You can snorkel right off both beaches and see stingrays, snappers, and other marine life. Canon Beach has a bonus, about 100 feet offshore, there are artifacts from a 1715 shipwreck that you can snorkel to. Snorkel equipment can be rented at the gift shop if you didn’t bring any. The bottom can be rough, so you’ll want to be sure that you have your water shoes.
Kayaking and SUP
There’s an extensive network of mangrove streams and tunnels that you can paddle in the crystal-clear water. There are over 2 1/2 miles of trails, plus the Largo Sound to cruise around in. Bring your snorkel gear and jump in and explore, you can view mangrove snappers and even an occasional small shark. While you’re in the Mangroves, keep an eye on the trees, you’ll spot herons, egrets, and osprey. If you have a fishing license, drop an anchor and throw out a line. just check at the ranger station for the designated areas. If you forgot to throw your spouse’s life vest in the trunk, you’re in luck, life vests, kayaks and SUPs are available to rent. The kayak rental kiosk also has mangrove trail maps, so stop by and ask for one.
Boat Tours at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
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If you’re an underwater park, you better have a way for visitors to see underwater, and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park doesn’t disappoint. If you want to stay above the water, there’s a 2 1/2 hour-glass bottom boat tour. Climb aboard the 65′ high-speed catamaran and get whisked to Molasses Reef, about 6.5 miles away. You’ll visit shallow reefs and the accompanying marine life that lives there. Cost is $55/30 for adults/children, and the tours go out three times a day.
For the ones who want to get wet and swim with the fishes, the park offers 5 tours throughout the day that last 3 hours each. Snorkel time ends up being 1 1/2 hours and travel eats up the rest of the time. The cost is $49.95/45.95 for adults/children and does not include equipment, rentals are available. There are multiple areas that the tours go to due to weather and sea conditions, if you want to go someplace specific, such as the Christ of the Abyss statue, you’ll have to ask if they are going there that day. If none of the park’s tours match up with what you want to do, there are numerous snorkel tours offered by vendors outside the park.
If you want an exclusive tour, you can get with a personal guide, cost is $120 plus $70 for each additional person up to six. You’ll have your own guide as you explore the beautiful reefs and the amazing marine life of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
There are nine state parks in the Florida Keys, find out about them here!
Scuba Diving at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Key Largo is the scuba diving capitol of the world, John Pennekamp is an underwater park, it’s almost as if they were made for each other. If you’re a diver, you’ll want to visit the dive shop in the marina. They offer lessons, gear rental, and tours for all, from the most inexperienced wannabe diver to seasoned pros. Whatever your needs are they will be able to meet them.
Boats go out twice a day to water depths that vary between 15-50 feet. Two tank/two location dives are $105 and if you need to rent equipment, they offer full gear for $40, as long as you’re on one of their tours. Reefs visited include:
- French Reef
- Molasses Reef
- Snapper Ledge
- Benwood Wreck
- Carysfort Reef Lighthouse
Reservations can be made online, or you can call the dive shop at 305-451-6300 for more information and special group rates.
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Boating
If you brought your own boat by car, there’s a boat ramp that you can use for $10. If you’d rather leave the headache of owning a boat to someone else, there are boat rentals at the marina.
Fishing
There are sections around the park that you can fish, ask at the ranger station for the designated fishing areas. If you’re out in the open water, you can pretty much drop a line anywhere. Just be aware of your surroundings, no fishing near the snorkel tours. A valid saltwater fishing license is required.
Camping
Even though it’s labeled as an underwater park, John Pennekamp has 42 RV/tent camping sites that include electric, water and sewer hookups and they’re all above water. Grills and tables are at all campsites.
Reservations are made online and it’s best to make them as early as possible. Depending on the season they do sell out quickly, so head on over to the Florida State Park Reservation page to secure your camping spot.
If you’d rather camp on your boat, you can do that. The marina has wet slips available for rental, check in and pay at the marina when you dock. Give them a shout on VHF channel 16 when you’re getting close.
If you can’t get reservations for camping at John Pennekamp State Park, check out our list of other campgrounds in the Florida Keys.
Hiking
There are two short hiking trails and one constantly under repair boardwalk trail.
The Wild Tamarind Trail is a six-tenths of a mile long trail that loops through the hardwood hammock that used to cover the Florida Keys. At the end is a citrus grove and if you’re there at the right time hang out on the bench and watch the butterflies that frequent the grove.
The three-tenths of a mile Grove Trail is through a hardwood hammock, before they were settled, this is what the Keys really looked like. Dense hardwood forests with various types of trees covered the land, some were even used as medicine. Many of the trees have signs on them explaining their value to the area and any other characteristics.
The Mangrove Trail is a short boardwalk through mangroves, unfortunately, it’s often closed for repairs.
Restaurant and Amenities
The Blue Heron Cafe will grill you up a great lunch or snack, save room for the ice cream.
The gift shop has locally made jewelry and art. T-shirts, hats, bags, and shoes, plus many other souvenirs are available, along with sunscreen. If you’re in need of any water sports equipment, they’ve got you covered.
Visitor Center at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Make sure to take some time during your day to stop at the visitor center near Cannon Beach. There are informative nature videos playing during the day near the entrance. Once inside there are aquariums with fish and other marine life lining the walls along with information about the history of the area. The centerpiece (literally) is a 30,000-gallon aquarium featuring live coral and the fish that hang out at the reefs of the Florida Keys.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is about an hour south of Miami on Key Largo at MM 102.8. Their hours are 8 a.m. to sunset every day of the year. Cost to get in is $8.00 per vehicle plus 50 cents per person.
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