Sombrero Key Light is located near Key Vaca in Marathon, Florida. The lighthouse is located on a mostly submerged reef. The name Sombrero Key goes back to the Spanish, and old charts show a small island at the spot, but by the later 19th Century the island had eroded away, with some parts of the reef exposed at low tide. As a result, the reef and the lighthouse have also been called Dry Banks.
The lighthouse was put in service in 1858, automated in 1960, and is still in operation. The foundation is iron pilings with disks, and the tower is a skeletal octagonal pyramid of cast iron. It is a 142-foot (43 m) tall brown painted tower. It has two platforms. The lower one, 15 feet (4.6 m) above the water, held water and fuel tanks, the generator (after the light was electrified), boat hoists and a workshop. The upper platform, 40 feet (12 m) above the water, held the quarters for the staff. The original lens, a first-order Fresnel lens, is now on display in the Key West Lighthouse Museum. The Sombrero Key Light is the tallest lighthouse in the Florida Keys, and was the last lighthouse constructed under the supervision of Lieutenant George Meade of the Bureau of Topographical Engineers.
Just off of a hiking/biking trail. Not much shade on some of the trails. Be sure to bring plenty of water. You may get wet feet and bug spray is recommended depending on the season.
Myakka River State Park is one of Florida's oldest and largest state parks. The scenic Myakka River flows through 57 square miles of wetlands, prairies and woodlands. The park is popular for hiking, fishing, camping, and wildlife observation.
As of January 2017, the Park Entrance Fees are as follows:
- $6.00 per vehicle. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle
- $4.00 Single Occupant Vehicle.
- $2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass.
- $60.00 Bus Tour Fee (30+ people).
- $2.00 per person, Bus Tour Fee (less than 30 people).
Placed with permission of Park Manager Steve Giguere