Did you Know?
Big Pine is the largest of the Lower Keys and second in size only to Key Largo. The fossil coral that form the backbone of the Upper and Middle Keys underlies the southern edge of this Key while the rest of Big Pine and all the Keys to the west of it are formed of oolitic limestone.
The Indians had several villages on Big Pine, at least refuse heaps left by them can be found in several locations. These are identified by the pottery fragments, deer and turtle bones, and worked shells. The Spanish charts show that Big Pine had no name of its own in those days, but was just one of the pine keys.
Welcome to Big Pine
One might say that there's not much going on between the Seven Mile Bridge and Key West, but that's just the way the residents like it. This thirty-mile expanse is arguably the most spectacular stretch in the Keys. Between Key West and Marathon there are no malls, no fast food restaurants, few buildings, few accommodations; but here you will find plenty of water. To the north is the Gulf of Mexico, and to the south, The Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between the sea and the sky.
There is a jewel of a beach in Bahia Honda State Park. It has been mentioned at times in important travel magazines as being one of the most beautiful in the world. Here you will find fantastic sandy beaches, as well as marina, RV and camping facilities. This natural preserve also boasts many indigenous plants and flowers that grow almost nowhere else in the world. The old Bahia Honda Bridge is there for you to photograph; just look to the south toward the Atlantic as you pass by the State Park.
As you approach Big Pine, you will notice that the speed limit drops to 35 mph. This is not to protect the resident humans, but the endangered Key Deer. A slow drive into the neighborhoods on the north side of the island will make it almost a sure bet that you will see some of these tiny creatures. Don't feed the deer, however; it's against the law!
Diving and Snorkeling
Big Pine is also home to several shops that host dive and snorkel trips, daytime and nighttime, to Looe Key Marine Sanctuary, part of the reef system that runs along the length of the Keys.
