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US 1
is under heavy
construction between Key
Largo and the C-111
canal. The road is
impassible to
pedestrians in several
places, affecting the
route as outlined in the
the ECT appendix in the
Florida Trail Long
Distance Hikers
Companion Guide.
Card Sound Road is your
only alternate route.
For road construction
updates, call
1-866-513-ROAD.
For
northbound hikers, Card
Sound Road starts
several miles north of
John Pennekamp Coral
Reef State Park at Mile
106.5. There is a curve
in US 1 where the
highway swings left and
Card Sound Road
continues straight. Stop
at the convenience store
where the roads split,
as it will be your last
opportunity for fresh
water for at least 14
miles.
For
southbound hikers, the
Card Sound Road route
starts across from the
Last Chance Saloon in
Florida City along US 1
south of Krome Avenue.
Mileages are calculated
from the beginning of
Card Sound Road at the
convenience store. As
you walk north, the
natural lands on your
right are Key Largo
Hammocks Preserve State
Park.
(http://www.floridastateparks.org/keylargohammock/).
Admittance is permitted
at the main entrance; if
you want to visit the
backcountry, check in at
John Pennekamp first for
a backcountry permit).
The natural lands on
your left are Crocodile
Lakes National Wildlife
Refuge. No access is
permitted.
There
are mile markers along
Card Sound Road numbered
C1, C2, C3 … etc up to
C9, where you leave the
road for CR 905A.
0.5 Pass entrance
on right to Key Largo
Hammocks Preserve State
Park. Privy. Honor fee
$1.50
1.8 Pass
Gulfstream Shores sign
on right for small
residential area
A power line
parallels the road
within the state park
boundary
4.8 Jersey
barriers on the left
provide a rest stop
8.5 Pass entrance
on right to backcountry
section of Key Largo
Hammocks, permit
required (pick up at
John Pennekamp)
9.2 Intersection
with CR 905A. Turn left.
Note:
CR 905A is narrow but
traffic tends to be
light. The berm on the
right has enough room
for hikers. All surface
water along this route
is salt water. The road
and its pulloffs are
popular with fisherman.
Between dusk and dawn,
mosquitoes will be
fierce.
10.9 Bridge and
parking area with
garbage cans
11.8 Bridge and
parking area with
garbage cans
12.5 Bridge and
parking area with
garbage cans
12.8 Bridge and
parking area with
garbage cans
13.2 Long tall bridge
over channel. Fishing
walkway removed so
pedestrian use is not
encouraged. Cross with
caution.
14 Enter historic
fishing village of Card
Sound. Tollbooth for
bridge. Tollbooth
operator building on
left. Just past
tollbooth on left is
Alabama Jack’s
(305-248-8741), 58000
Card Sound Rd, a bar and
grill open 11-7. Stop in
for cold beer, conch
fritters, and a refill
of your water bottles.
Pass fishing
shanties and boat slips
18 Pass “Panther
Crossing Next 7 Miles”
road sign
18.2 Old borrow pit
off highway to right
19.2 Pass first of
several trash piles
dumped along open spots
adjoining highway
21.6 Pass power
substation on left
22 Pass CEMEX
concrete plant on left
24.2 Pass road on
right
25.8 Join US 1 across
from Last Chance Saloon
at the southern fringe
of Florida City. Turn
right and walk briefly
north, cross US 1 to
continue along Krome
Avenue north. |
