The Good: a good length of flat paved pathway that would accommodate those with wheelchairs, mostly shady, fresh air, lots of benches along yellow path. Good place for dogs and baby buggies. The Meh: the only thing to see is a rock wall. We saw 1 small bird, one small lizard in the parking lot, some berries & deer poop. Yeah there's plenty of botanical specimens if that means trees. If you're looking for flowers or wildlife, you might be disappointed. read more

Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park - Fancy entrance - Parks Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

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Often an experience is "good" or "bad" based on expectations. The name Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park did not live up to typical state park or botanicals gardens. Typically state parks have more to do. We did the trail in December so maybe the botantical part was not as in season. A decent amount is ADA paved with droves of trees so thick it's all you can see. Eventually it becomes a natural path with a pond. There's a $2.50 suggested donation box. No one was there at the west big entrance. read more

Nice trails to walk, no bugs in February, small parking lot, an employee in a truck told us to pay a fee with an envelope, put it in the box, so we did, just $2.50, we had the cash. He left. So we walk in and look at the map, there's trails to walk, a river to see. We didn't know what to expect, but we weren't seeing much of anything to write home about, so we decided to go off trail to get a closer look at a pretty little stream nearby. Just then a woman in a yellow vest comes walking out of the brush calling out, "Don't worry, I'm a human, not an animal!" She was the most interesting thing we'd seen so far, so we asked her if she worked at the park and she told us the most fascinating story. She's a python hunter! She catches invasive python snakes with her bare hands and puts them in the bags she had tied around her waist, takes them back to a place where they humanely euthanize them, and then the hunter has the option to collect the skins, which she does and makes jewelry out of it. She gets more money catching pythons in the Keys rather than the Everglades because the Keys are harder to get to and find the snakes. She told us more about her life and story to go into here, but I just want to say that while I was polite and listened to her, I am animal rights activist so I am 100% against catching even invasive animals and killing them. Hopefully one day we'll come up with a better solution to this problem. We didn't see any snakes while we were in the park, but just know that they are there. She said they'll probably scurry away from you, but some are big enough to take down and eat whole deer and gators. If you run into her there and she finds a gigantic snake, she may call on you to help her catch it. At least, that's what she told us. read more

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A nice stop for a walk. This area is a piece of history won over from a court battle to prevent development in a sensitive, environmental habitat for many wild species. This is not a developed botanical garden. Entrance is $2.50 per person and relies upon the honor system. The day we visited there was a volunteer at the entrance who offered quite a bit of information. The preserve entrance is actually a remnant from the original housing development. Any of the infrastructure originally installed to support the development has either been demolished or is being allowed to returned to its natural state. For this reason, there are no amenities ( no food/no water) in this area (bring some water, a hat and sunscreen; there are two primitive, gender neutral, camp type toilets in the area). Parking is rather tight unlimited to approximately a dozen spots; mini folks were parked across from the entranceway along the shoulder of the road. There is basically a larger outer loop that is 2 miles long and a shorter inner loop just over a mile. Most of it is paved, and some areas are not HC accessible. The day we visited the loop was flooded and impassible. Some of the trees species are labeled along the walk, the most prevalent being the poison wood plant that where result in symptoms similar to poison ivy if touched. It was nice to get out of the car and get a little air in nature. read more

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I was very excited to explore the garden and convinced my family to do it first thing this morning. We could not even enter beyond the registration point due to the heavy guard of vicious mosquitos!! We were all covered with repellant & were still bombarded - NO garden is worth donating so much blood! when the mosquitoes are reigned in I may reconsider! SO DISAPPOINTED. read more

Quirky Florida fun's Always a five!! Though I think these curious trails are worth exploring not everyone will agree. So what? These lands were saved from development years ago and have been allowed to be reclaimed by the environment. So don't expect well manicured gardens or trails because this isn't that though you wouldn't entirely be wrong for thinking so from the name and impressive Jurassic Park looking gate! Unsung heros saved these hardwood trees and habitat where the Key Largo cotton mouse and wood rats largely make their home from massive sprawling concrete jungle development in the late 70s, early 80s. And though it may not seem like it to some, this is what success sometimes looks like. Who would have thunk? Most any all evidence of that has been raised including parts of an old radar base leaving only few curious features to explore. Fun fun. read more

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This state park was on our way to our trip to Key West and since I have it on my list we decided to stop. Parking is not that big and it's free. The entrance has a price and you can check it out as soon as you get in with the envelopes that they provide you. Once you pay you put that envelope on the car. We really enjoy to walk around this park and if I had better shoes I will probably walk even more. They have a few benches (not that many) This place is great for families, to bike, or simply to walk around enjoying the weather like we did. read more

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Located in Key Largo is Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock state park. Ms Johnson was a lawyer, naturalist and Key Largo native that fought the late 1970s Port Bougainvillea development which would have brought a Venetian style condo mixed use to this vast property. After the project imploded Ms Johnson fought hard to reclaim this largest track of Indian Hardwood Hammock left in the US; successfully. The park is named in her honor; rightfully so. The main attraction is the 2.4 mile long trail that takes in the park. The trail starts by the gazebo: you go right that's the outer loop, go left, that's the inner loop. We did half, cutting across the half loop link. There is a picnic table area and a unisex bathroom, with very little amenities. The outer loop has more of the Indian hammock and the inner loop has gorgeous views of the lake. If you notice you can see the fossilized coral rock underneath you. Windley Key State Fossil Park down the road is dedicated to this unique geological formation. Tips: bring plenty of water and sunscreen. Even though we did it in March we were thankful we brought along a thermos. There are no amenities other than the bathroom and neglected picnic area. Price is 2.50 per person cash on the honor system. Parking is out front before the gate. Spaces are limited. read more

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My daughter and I stopped at this park on our way to Key West. We visited in the summer which is not the best time to explore due to the scorching heat. Per the honor system you leave $2.50 in a box so bring cash. I love that this land was saved from becoming a condominium. In fact the park was named for environmentalist activist Anna Dagny Johnson in who worked tirelessly through the 1970's, 80's, and 90's to fight development of key Largo. In the 2,421 acres here you will find one of the largest tracts of West Indian tropical hardwood hammock as well as 84 species of protected plants and animals including crocodiles, the Key Largo woodrat, Key Largo cooton mouse and wild cotton. The creation of this park also helped to preserve the reefs at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park which are sensitive to land development. Once you park in the lot you head down a long road that takes you to a trail that runs left and a trail that runs right. The park has over six miles of trails and many of them are bike and wheelchair accessible. I didn't get to explore as much of the park as I would have liked due to the heat and time constraints but I would love to visit in the winter. The gazebo area where the trails meet looked neglected and the bathroom was not able to be used because it was filled with wasps. Don't come here for amenities because there are none. This is a place for people who appreciate seeing what a natural Key Largo would have looked like. read more

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I was looking for a place for a walk with my dog and this was a great spot. It's both paved and has gravel and has a decent amount of shade. What was particularly nice, though, is hardly anyone was there and my dog was able to walk off lead. She's not a wanderer and stayed by me but it's nice for her to get off the lead in a safe environment. I wear bug spray period going to any forested area and didn't feel particularly bothered by pests. Keep moving and they usually can't get you. This is a nice place to just get away for a nice walk with someone or your pet. read more

Dagny Johnson is a park for those who appreciate nature. It is as close to old world Florida as you will get. There are no tours or refreshment stands or bells-and-whistles. It is nature. Trees and plants and naturally occurring birds and little lizards. It is usually quiet and rarely will you encounter other visitors, except on weekends. Loved to walk my dog on the paved part under the shade of the hammocks. There is a $2.50 admission fee, unless you have a FL State Parks Annual Pass, and then it is free. If you want a park with all the amenities, skip Dagny Johnson. If you appreciate TRUE nature, this is a place for you to visit. (Summer can be buggy!) read more

Not the botanical garden we had in mind. We were eaten by mosquitoes which followed us into the car. Not recommended for families.

Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park in Key Largo is a beautiful and nature filled park with trails and places to explore. I enjoyed seeing everything here and the area that is away from it all. Overall it was a good experience and worth the visit. read more

Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park - Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park - Parks Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

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What a great little space I stumbled upon. While looking for things to do in the Keys, I came across this park. There is a $2.50 entrance fee (honor system) at the front and then you walk through to the park. One point of confusion for me is that it's listed as a botanical garden, but I didn't really get that. There were a few trees marked in the beginning of the trail, but after that there was nothing. There are two loops to the trails, but once you go to the right side of the park you don't know if you've wandered into unknown territory or if what you're on is the trail. It's not well labeled. What's nice and makes up for all of that is that the place is beautiful. It's great for a nice walk/run or bike ride. It won't take you terrible wrong, but it's truly beautiful nonetheless. It's definitely worth taking the time to walk through if you're in the area. read more

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We enjoyed walking through this mostly wooded park, but we saw very few birds. Happily, we saw many vibrant butterflies and scuttling lizards. read more

A very interesting site with a number of protected species that could become a real gem in the state park network with adequate funding. As it is it appears to be a favorite of local residents read more

Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park - Parks Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

Ignore other reviews speaking negatively about this state park. It is amazing that land which would have been in private hands to be available for everyone to take a leisurely walk to enjoy the beautiful of natural Florida. Share and enjoy it. read more

Disappointing... I love nature trails so I visited with my dad thinking there would be more wildlife (only saw lizards, butterflies and garden spiders) So many bugs and mosquitoes even the best bug spray won't help. DON'T GO THERE read more

Stopped here yesterday on my way home from a resort in a Key Largo. DO NOT GO HERE ANYTIME SOON. As soon as we paid the admission and started walking into the park, there were thousands of mosquitos. We walked for 2 minutes and had to run out. 24 hours later I have welts all over my legs as I was wearing shorts. I'm sure it's a lovely park, but there was no way anyone could walk here. read more

It's a good thing it's technically free ($2.50 honor fee, sorry I was not feeling honorable) because this is literally just a walk through the woods. We only walked the half loop because I got so bored, but it might be more fun by bicycle (no motorized vehicles allowed). There is an overgrown canopy with a picnic table near the entrance, which would be kind of a cool site for an intimate lunch, if you're not interested in being near the water. I was pretty disappointed in the variety of plants along the trail considering this is a botanical site. Also the labels and descriptions are few and far between, so unless you're knowledgeable in the world of trees, this might not be that interesting for you. Bird activity was also minimal during my visit. There were quite a few nice photo opportunities, but there were also a lot of forbidden areas-- basically anywhere that isn't clearly a trail. The second half of the loop has an area marked as "wetland- submerged during high tide" which I am quite curious about. I'm thinking it might be a good idea to have water-walkers on hand for that part of the trek. The dense woods of a tropical hammock are a nice break from seeing the low, swampy mangroves and rocky shores. However, I personally do not have the patience to wait all day for nature to just happen. read more

Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park - Parks Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

OK. Not much to see. There's a loop path that takes you past a few signs describing the plants. You can either do the short 1 mile loop or the longer 2 mile one. Nice but certainly not a destination. read more

The largest intact Florida hard wood hammock left, this State park was rescued from a developer. Offers a 4+mile loop that you can walk or bike. You see a variety of landscapes including mangrove tidal marsh, mahogany hammock, and waterways cut from the limestone. You can take your dog for a walk here also! It's a bit light on facilities, but has nice picnic tables and a composting outhouse. Usually manned by a state ranger or two. Secluded, off the beaten path, and beautiful! read more

This is a throwback to the keys before they were developed. Wide array of plants, spiders, birds and even crocodiles! You can easily spend two hours here hiking and seeing the sights. Old Cuban Missile crisis military base is also here decaying. BRING bug spray!!! Also, go at low tide to see whole park. read more

Note: this review is solely for rainy days The full length trail floods (the 2 mile loop) after rain and at high tide. The nature trail was muddy and also flooded. I'd recommend going on dry days, and coating yourself in bug repellent. We couldn't see much, and ended up running the whole way way back since the mosquitos were visibly swarming around us. he park entrance fee is $2.50 and is collected via honor code. You deposit cash in an envelope and slide it into a box. Grab a map on your way in. read more

Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park - Nature trail - Don't go after it has just rained unless you enjoy being bitten by hundreds of mosquitos. - Parks Near Me - Key Largo, Florida

At least 50% of the 2 miles were "under construction" and the mosquitoes will devour you. No bueno!

Beautiful state park!! Nice to hike with option of different trails but gave 4 stars since only 2.1 mile and 1 mile trails clearly posted. Went in the middle of July with 4 grown kids and had a nice afternoon. Bring a backpack filled with snacks n chilled water with tons of bug repellent. There is a covered shelter with picnic tables in case you want to have a picnic. Nice place to spend with family if you are into the outdoors Happy trails! read more

Most of the 2 miles of trails are closed and you will be inundated with mosquitoes - AVOID!!!!

Very interesting place. It gets a bit dicey after it rains so bring bug spray on damp days and be prepared to turn back from muddy areas. More signage would help. read more