Curry Hammock State Park: Everything You Need to Know!

Each visit to Curry Hammock State Park is a fun one for us, whether we’re kayaking or having some beach time. One of our go-to spots when we’re in Marathon, Curry Hammock is a great place to see wildlife and enjoy the nature of the Florida Keys without needing to be out on a tour boat. Visiting with kids? No problem, there a playground and shade. Looking for wildlife photography? The waterways are amazing.

Have you gotten to spend time here at Curry Hammock State Park? If not, we’ve got the full scoop from kayaking to camping. If you have any additional questions or need more suggestions for things to do in Marathon, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a great Florida Keys trip!

Highlights of Curry Hammock State Park

Gosh, where to start… No matter how many times we visit Marathon we still always stop at Curry Hammock State Park to either enjoy some beach time or go kayaking. I feel like this is such a hidden gem for people to consider when they’re planning their Florida Keys trip because it’s not a famous park and it’s pretty small. It’s beautiful and the activities are awesome.

Kayaking at Curry Hammock State Park

My favorite thing to do at Curry Hammock is always kayaking. This is my number favorite place to paddle in the Florida Keys. You have a few options here when it comes to getting on the water: bring your own gear, rent gear from the self-serve kayak station or join the ranger led mangrove kayaking tour. If you have your own gear, there is one primary launch area that in into a quiet bay connected to the mangrove paddling trail. You can also launch from the beach if you like, but the bay launch is easier because you’ll have less distance to portage from your vehicle to the water.

If you’re renting gear when you arrive at Curry Hammock State Park, there is a wonderful rental system that is all self-serve. Whenever Water Sports has an app and you’ll input your payment info and id, then you’ll be able to unlock gear and pay by the hour. It’s really easy. You’ll launch right next to the gear station into the bay (same launch as if you brought your own gear). The last option for kayaking at Curry Hammock State Park is the ranger led kayak tour. This goes from just inside the park entry and happens every Friday at 10:00 am. You can sign up in advance through the ranger station. I’ve never gotten to do it because I always forget to sign up, but I’ve been on the water near the guided tour and it’s full of great information all about the mangrove ecosystem.

Kayaking Routes at Curry Hammock State Park

The easiest kayak route at Curry Hammock State Park is to launch into the bay and paddle just this small loop around the edges. You’ll see lots of iguanas and birds, and you may even see a manatee or two in this area. You can paddle to the mouth of the bay and to the open water if the weather is good, and that’ll be a nice mellow trip to enjoy with small kids.

The better route is to kayak in the bay and head towards the mangrove kayaking trail. This will take you through mangrove tunnels and out to a network of coves and eventually to the other side of Little Crawl Key to another bay. You can turn around here and go back the way you came or you can exit the bay to the left and paddle back to the start along the beach. If it’s not too windy, this is an easy kayaking route and should take under two hours.

Is this a good place to SUP?

While I have used my stand up paddle board here, and they are also available for rent, I think Curry Hammock State Park is much more well suited to kayaking. The mangrove tunnels are VERY difficult to navigate on a SUP due to all the ducking down and the underwater hazards. Because SUPs have a fin, it’s easy to get stuck on branches in the tunnels, and then when you’re in the bay at Deer Key, if it’s low tide you’ll damage the seagrass beds or even get stuck. Kayaking is best here, so save yourself the heartache and leave the SUP in the car.

Other Activities at Curry Hammock State Park

I talk about it often that there aren’t a ton of beaches in the Florida Keys, but Curry Hammock State Park actually has one, and it’s a nice one! White sand and a bit of dunes make it a great place to hang out, and at high tide you can enjoy swimming and paddling out on the open water. The grassy flats don’t start for about twenty feet out so there’s enough room to enjoy the ocean without vegetation in your toes.

There are also several picnic shelters just off the beach with lots of shade and picnic tables. You can reserve them in advance for a fee or they are first come first served (baring any reservations for events). It’s easy to share the shades picnic areas with other users as Curry Hammock State Park stays pretty quiet and the number of guests are limited at any given time. Between the parking area, bathrooms and picnic shelters there is also a nice playground for little kids. Swings and slides are great if you’re visiting on a not-too-hot day, but if you’re in the Florida Keys in summer, you might burn your butt when you’re on the playground.

Is there Hiking at Curry Hammock State Park?

Yes! Well, there’s a wonderful long nature trail that you can do. It’s get for birdwatching and if you’re into learning about plants. To get to the 1.5 mile nature trail, you actually need to exit the state park onto the SOUTHBOUND Overseas Highway, then drive about a mile. You’ll see a parking area for access to the Overseas Heritage Trail (biking and walking path) and if you head to the right, walking northbound on the trail, you’ll come to the entrance to the Curry Hammock State Park Nature Trail. There are lots of plant and bird exhibits along the path, but it can be a bit buggy. Be sure that you’ve applied bug spray before heading out on the trail, and bring lots of water.

Camping at Curry Hammock State Park

Yes! There is camping here at Curry Hammock State Park and it’s a wonderful campground. All sites can accommodate tent camping, but about half of them have designated tent pads for an easy and environment-conscious camping experience. Most sites can also accommodate different sorts of campers and RVs. Every site has electrical and water at the site, there is a picnic table and a charcoal grill at each, and there are even hammock posts if you’re that kind of mellow camper.

You CANNOT have a campfire at your own campsite, so there is a designated communal campfire area, which can be fun. I like to be away from the noise and action when I’m camping, so if that’s you, try to get a campsite with a higher number, as they’re further from the campfire area. Beach access from the campground is between sites 13 and 15, but there’s enough space that you shouldn’t be disturbed if you’ve got one of these sites. And yes, there are nice bathroom and shower facilities in the middle of the campground.

NOTE: campground reservations are available 10 months in advance, and yes, they do book up that far. You may be able to get a last minute site, but if you know you want to go camping at Curry Hammock State Park, book it ASAP.

Wildlife to See at Curry Hammock State Park

Being right in the middle of the Florida Keys, Curry Hammock State Park isn’t full of Florida panthers or Key Deer, but it’s got loads and loads of beautiful birds and marine life. The very first time we saw a spotted eagle ray while kayaking was here in the bay at Deer Key! So, what should you watch for while you’re at Curry Hammock? From the land you can see lots of different birds ranging from egrets to heron, spoonbills (occasionally) to the mangrove cuckoo. You also need to keep an eye out for iguanas, both on the ground and in trees. In the water, look for spotted eagle rays, stingrays, tarpon, all kinds of tropical fish, nurse sharks and manatees. If you’re kayaking to Deer Key, you’ll get to see hundreds of Cassiopeia jellyfish, known as the upside down jelly, which are really cool to paddle over. It’s such a pretty place and I know you’ll love Curry Hammock State park.

NOTE: the Florida Keys DO have crocodiles, but they are extremely rare. I’ve never seen one south of Key Largo, but that doesn’t mean they’re not around. Always be mindful of eyes and snouts popping out of the water or crocs sunning themselves on the beach or kayak launch. HIGHLY UNLIKELY, but still.

Being Prepared for Curry Hammock State Park

You’ll want to be sure to use reef safe sunblock whatever your plans are. Yes, the mangrove paddling trail and the nature trail are well shaded, but the sun in the Keys is serious and if you’re on the water or walking without cover you’ll burn quickly. You’ll also want to use insect repellant if you’re kayaking or doing the nature trail. The mosquitoes don’t mess around here, and while they are a nuisance, they’re worth braving for the cool experiences you’ll have in the park. If you’re visiting with the plan for a beach day you’ll want to bring your snorkel gear. No, there’s not a coral reef to explore here, but swimming out over the seagrass and along the shore can be really cool and you’ll be amazed what you might see.

And don’t worry about bringing kayaking gear if you don’t want to. The rental system is really great, affordable and there is a lot of gear available. They provide single and tandem kayaks, as well as SUPs. There are paddles and PFDs, so you’re all set.