Upper Keys · Key Largo to Marathon

The Upper Keys on US-1, one way: from Key Largo the route rides south through Tavernier and Islamorada, past Anne's Beach, over the Channel 5 and Long Key bridges and on to Marathon. It's 55 miles of short and long bridges with water on both sides. US-1 has no toll; Card Sound Road, the other way in from the mainland, does, and this route doesn't use it. Expect crosswinds on the bridges, weekend traffic from Miami, and check FDOT for night lane closures on the Channel 5 and Long Key bridges.

The Upper Keys start in Key Largo, home of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and the route rides US-1 south through Tavernier and the Islamorada keys. Past Islamorada it reaches Anne's Beach on Lower Matecumbe Key, a small public beach with a boardwalk and a parking lot right off the highway. Then come the long bridges: Channel 5 at Mile Marker 71 and the Long Key Bridge at Mile Marker 64, followed by Long Key, Duck Key and Marathon.

Both bridges have had FDOT rehabilitation projects with single-lane closures at night, Sunday through Thursday, so check FDOT's weekly lane-closure notices before a night ride. US-1 has no toll. Card Sound Road, the other way in from the mainland, does: $2.13 with SunPass or $3.18 by Toll-By-Plate for a motorcycle since October 1, 2025, collected electronically only; this route doesn't use it. It's a one-way ride of 55 miles: expect crosswinds on the bridges and weekend traffic from Miami, and hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.