Adams Key

Adams Key is an island on the north side of swift Caesar Creek in Biscayne National Park, reached by boat. Its public day-use area has a short trail through hardwood hammock, a picnic pavilion and toilets. Stop if you want a brief walk and picnic break during a boating day; this is a simple island visit, not a built-up attraction.

The day-use area is open from dawn to dusk, and overnight use is not allowed. Caesar Creek is a main navigable channel with swift current, so account for tides and boat traffic when approaching or tying up. Park waters are shallow, and the National Park Service recommends checking tide predictions before boating. The sources checked don't establish regular passenger service to Adams Key, so confirm your ride before planning around a drop-off. No food service or potable water source was confirmed; bring the provisions you need.

The short Adams Key Trail crosses the hardwood hammock. The picnic pavilion and toilets are the visitor facilities identified by the park. Visitors also report snorkeling around the island, but the park doesn't identify a designated swimming or snorkeling area.

Adams Key was once home to Cocolobo Cay Club, a private retreat associated with developer Carl Fisher and Presidents Warren G. Harding, Herbert Hoover, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon. Don't expect a preserved clubhouse: the main building burned in 1974, and Hurricane Andrew destroyed the remaining club structures in 1992. The island is now a day-use stop, not a museum of the club.