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Blue Hole

Key Deer Boulevard, Off U.S. 1, Mile Marker 30, Big Pine Key, FL
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Ranked #9 of 20 attractions in Big Pine Key
Type: Nature/ Wildlife Areas
Activities: Viewing wildlife
Traveler Description: The Blue Hole is a beautiful place to visit.  Great stop off on the way to or from Key West.    Situated on Big Pine Key, one of the nicest of the... more »
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88 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    23
    32
    24
    8
    1
Date Rating
Lakeland, FL
Top Contributor
100 reviews 100 reviews
27 attraction reviews
Reviews in 28 cities Reviews in 28 cities
34 helpful votes 34 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed June 10, 2013

This isn't a showy place or something that will attract lots of tourists. It's basically just a freshwater pool that attracts different wildlife than the rest of the islands. We spend about 20 minutes here and a bold little gator swam right up to us. There were also lots of fish visible, a nest with baby birds (herons maybe?), turtles,... More

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Wellington, Florida
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
3 of 5 stars Reviewed June 10, 2013

Sorry, but I expected more. This is a semi-circle around a small lake. We did see a small "Gator" and a few interesting birds and a lizard, but seriously this is a small hole.

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See 3 more reviews by DKFL1956 for Big Pine Key
Denver, Colorado
Top Contributor
77 reviews 77 reviews
30 attraction reviews
Reviews in 31 cities Reviews in 31 cities
71 helpful votes 71 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 29, 2013

We were looking for key deer and decided to check this place out while in the area. It was maybe a 15 minute stop…we walked on the short path to the pond and saw some fish and birds…no luck with an alligator. We didn’t see any key deer either at this site, but did spot one close to town, as... More

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Dallas, Georgia
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
8 attraction reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed May 18, 2013

Took family vacation the week before Mother's Day. We had seen several things recommending you visit the Blue Hole. We were expecting something really grand. All we found was what appeared to be an abandoned pond with overgrowth abound. Some some large fish from an observation deck & some turtles. Wasn't worth the drive from Marathon.

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Key West
Top Contributor
171 reviews 171 reviews
32 attraction reviews
Reviews in 55 cities Reviews in 55 cities
100 helpful votes 100 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 5, 2013

OK, so this is not a big place. It is, however, a small oasis of tranquility in the Keys. The alligator was right by the observation deck so it was easy to get photos. There are also fish and turtles. Things are well marked with signs containing information about the area and its creatures so it is quite educational. It... More

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See 3 more reviews by guavagirlKW for Big Pine Key
Racine, Wisconsin
Top Contributor
50 reviews 50 reviews
30 attraction reviews
Reviews in 30 cities Reviews in 30 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 20, 2013

We tried to find the visitor center for the National Key Deer refuge and saw this trail instead. There is a walkway leading to a platform where a large pond is located and as we looked over the railing we saw a huge alligator! Swimming alongside were several turtles too. There is a short trail we walked on to the... More

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torrington
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
9 attraction reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed April 10, 2013

It's unique place, saw a alligator, as couple of turtles and some birds. Apparently at one tome it really was blue

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See 5 more reviews by ediejb for Big Pine Key
Punta Gorda, Florida
Senior Contributor
40 reviews 40 reviews
12 attraction reviews
Reviews in 18 cities Reviews in 18 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 8, 2013

Tucked away on Big Pine Key, this blue hole is home to fish and a few gators. It is staffed by a volunteer who can give all kinds of good information about how the hole was formed and the flora and fauna that reside there. An observation deck overlooks the water and there is a short walking path.

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See 2 more reviews by snowescapers for Big Pine Key
Pensacola, Florida
Top Contributor
145 reviews 145 reviews
99 attraction reviews
Reviews in 28 cities Reviews in 28 cities
41 helpful votes 41 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 3, 2013

An abundance of fresh water makes Big Pine different from almost any other key and an oasis for larger non-marine animals. We visited the Blue Hole and the nature trails to the north on our return from Key West. We wanted to find Key Deer and while we did not see any here, we did see 2 good size gators... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
See 2 more reviews by Grover R for Big Pine Key
Avon Lake, Ohio
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed March 25, 2013

This old quarry is a freshwater oasis in the Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge. Worth a stop as you go through looking for Key Deer, this is the rare place in the Keys where you can see an Alligator and other freshwater species. The quarry also harbors interesting invasive species such as South American pacu, and numerous turtles, with saltwater... More

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See 2 more reviews by John K for Big Pine Key

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