Long Pine Key Lake

Overview

Long Pine Key Lake is the calm, pine-fringed heart of the Long Pine Key area—a refreshing contrast to the park’s endless marsh. It sits beside the seasonal Long Pine Key Campground and anchors a web of multiuse trails through rare pine rocklands.

What You’ll See

• Open slash pine forest, palmetto, exposed limestone, and clear lake water.
• A classic pine rockland landscape on the Miami Rock Ridge—very different from the sawgrass prairies elsewhere in the park.

Things to Do

• Picnicking: A designated picnic area sits right on the lake, making this a laid-back stop for a snack or lunch.
• Hiking & Biking: Trailheads for the Long Pine Key Trails network are right by the lake/campground, with miles of flat pineland routes popular for biking.
• Fishing: Allowed, but follow health advisories—do not eat your catch due to mercury warnings. No swimming.

Wildlife

Expect birds, frogs, fish, and the occasional box turtle. Look closely on tree trunks for colorful liguus tree snails. Alligators are less commonly seen here than in other park waters, but they’re part of the landscape—keep your distance and skip the swim.

Logistics & Amenities

• Parking: Day-use parking at the picnic area and roadside parking near trail gates/trailheads.
• Facilities: Restrooms are available in the adjacent campground area; potable water is available there as well. No store or restaurant on site.

Getting There

From Main Park Road, turn onto Long Pine Key Road. The road splits around the lake: left to the campground loops, right to the lakeside picnic area. The eastern trailhead for the Long Pine Key Trails sits just north of the campground by the lake; roadside/shoulder parking is allowed where trails meet paved roads.

Best Time to Visit

• Season: The area is most active during the campground’s operating season (roughly November–April). Mosquitoes are highly seasonal; dry months are friendlier.
• Daily timing: Mornings and late afternoons bring softer light on the lake and cooler temps for biking and hiking. Weekdays are reliably quiet.

Know Before You Go

• Bring water, sun protection, and bug spray—the pinelands are exposed.
• Fishing is catch-and-release only; do not eat fish from the lake due to mercury advisories.
• No swimming.