Coastal Sites: 6 Lighthouses Along the Florida Keys
Lighthouses are a great way to get a bird’s eye view of an area. Unfortunately, a lot of lighthouses in the Florida Keys are of the skeletal variety and are located off the coast on the reef (hence, they can’t be climbed). Fortunately, that’s not to say you can’t visit by taking a charter boat trip or heading out from where you are renting your private boat slip. Some can be seen from land, and they make awesome snorkeling spots.
Alligator Reef Lighthouse
Photo: NOAA/Flickr/Commons
Constructed in 1873, Alligator Reef Light is located about four nautical miles east of Indian Key near the Matucumbe Keys. It gets its name from the USS Alligator, which had run aground in 1822. That shipwreck, along with several others, is the reason for the construction of the light. The wood and wrought iron skeletal structure is 136 feet tall and can be seen from Islamorada. Operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, it’s not open to the public for climbing, but it’s a great site for diving and snorkeling.
American Shoal Lighthouse
American Shoal Light can be found just off of Sugarloaf Key. It’s a brown skeletal structure with a white staircase and a living quarters area. Constructed between 1879 and 1880, it’s about 124 feet tall. While it’s not open to public, the light is approachable by boat and makes a popular Florida Keys snorkeling spot.
Sombrero Key Lighthouse
The steel octagonal pyramid-like Sombrero Key Light was built in 1857. The light is about 156 feet tall and is operational. With the nearby reef, it’s another excellent Florida Keys diving destination. Boaters can access the area from their private boat slip rentals in Marathon. The light can be seen from Sombrero Beach on Marathon.
Key West Lighthouse
Photo: Pixabay
You can walk right up to the Key West Lighthouse. As far as lighthouses go, it’s not super tall (86 feet), but it is located on a hill that’s the tallest spot in Key West. The light is longer active. It is open for climbing (96 steps to the top) and is a very popular tourist destination for the amazing aerial views. The whitewashed brick tower has a black lantern and was originally built in 1847.
Operated by the Key West Art & Historical Society, there’s a gift shop and a museum that was the former keeper’s quarters. The museum has several Fresnel lenses including a first-order fixed lens from the Sombrero Reef Light. Other historic structures include an outhouse, an oil storage house and a chicken coop (if you’ve ever been to Key West, you’ll understand the chicken coop).
Tortugas Harbor Lighthouse
Located about 70 miles west of Key West in the Dry Tortugas, the Tortugas Harbor Light is quite remote. It stands 70 feet tall as part of the octagonal Fort Jefferson on Garden Key. Dry Tortugas National Park is the most secluded of the U.S. National Parks, but it’s perhaps the most beautiful with crystal clear water, warm waves and soft sand. Explore the fort and then hang out on the beach and snorkel the day away.
Obviously, this Florida lighthouse is only accessible by boat, seaplane or Yankee Freedom II high-speed ferry from Key West. It takes about two hours via the ferry, and can be quite pricey, but it’s a trip worth taking. Operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, the light was first lit in 1826. The lighthouse is also known as the Garden Key Light.
Dry Tortugas Lighthouse
Photo: Wikipedia
Not to be confused with the Tortugas Harbor Light, the Dry Tortugas Light is on Loggerhead Key near Fort Jefferson. Operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, it was built in 1858, stands 157 feet tall and is an active light. It’s white at the bottom and black at the top with a black lantern. Visitors can’t enter it, and it’s only accessible by boat or seaplane. There’s a 1926 dwelling, a kitchen and an oil house on the property.
Have you been to any of these Florida Keys lighthouses?
