The Blue Hole[edit]
The Blue Hole is an abandoned rock quarry that was used for nearby road fills and Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad.[3] The water it contains is mostly fresh and is used by various wildlife in the area, such as birds, snakes, alligators and feral Green iguanas. It is part of the National Key Deer Refuge.[4]
Shopping, Dining, Commerce & nightlife[edit]
The primary grocery store is the Winn-Dixie, located in a shopping center just north of US 1. This same shopping center contains several restaurants, a Beall's Outlet, a well stocked Super RadioShack store, the visitor's center for the National Key Deer Refuge, and a branch of the Monroe County Library (with WiFi internet access). Walgreens and CVS pharmacies are located along US 1 as well as a shoe store, a tropical decor store and a bait and tackle shop. A small hardware store in this same area sells typical paint, hardware, tools and other goods needed to build/repair items around the home. They also carry a limited selection of parts for boat repair. For a good time in the evening join up with the Big Pine Key Drinking team at one of the local watering holes and enjoy an evening of great laughter and hilarity. Local resident Mike Piekenbrock, a self-proclaimed "movie buff" and "facial hair enthusiast", can often be found frequenting these local establishments.
Several bars and restaurants are available along the US 1 corridor, Good Food Conspiracy has served healthy, organic food for over two decades and the No Name Pub is located near the bridge to No Name Key in the NE part of the island. The nearest city of note is Marathon, approximately 23 miles (37 km) "north" on US 1. Key West, a major shopping and cultural hub for the area, is about 30 miles (48 km) "south" on US 1.
Accommodations are limited, though RV/camping and a small number of motel-style units are available at the Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge on the far Southeast side of the island.
Key Deer[edit]
The island of Big Pine Key is home to the National Key Deer Refuge, this island is where the majority of the Key Deer population can be found.
As Key deer are endangered, many precautions have been taken to preserve as much Key Deer habitat as possible:
- Signs are prominently placed along U.S. 1 (the Overseas Highway) to inform drivers that they are entering Key deer habitat, and warning them that feeding Key deer is prohibited
- Approximately two miles of US 1 on the eastern end of Big Pine Key are elevated and fenced off to allow Key deer to pass under the road
- The stretch of US 1 in Big Pine Key has a night-time speed limit of 35 miles per hour (as Key deer are most active at night) and the speed limits (45 MPH in the day) are "strictly enforced" according to signage
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