What makes Old Seven Mile Bridge so special?  

Old Seven, as it is nicknamed, stands out in the Keys for two reasons — its history (it was once called the Eighth Wonder of the World) and the natural beauty you experience from it.

When we walked and biked the bridge in Marathon on a sunny winter day, on one lucky bike ride we paused to gaze into the water and saw three huge spotted rays at one point and a sea turtle and a large nurse shark at another.

The bridge is located at Mile Marker 47 in Marathon and only 2.2 miles of it are accessible. The new Seven Mile Bridge is immediately adjacent on the ocean side.

Even without these wildlife sightings, the view from the bridge is spectacular – so many shades of blue, those dramatic Florida clouds, boats zipping underneath, fishermen moored nearby, the elegant new bridge in the distance, the pelicans, gulls, magnificent frigate birds, osprey and other birds.

As for the history, it is dramatic, featuring larger-than-life Florida figures like Henry Flagler and tragic events like a catastrophic hurricane.

The history of the Old Seven Mile Bridge and Flagler’s Overseas Railroad

The Old Seven Mile Bridge is closely tied with Florida’s history — Henry Flagler’s railroad down the east coast of Florida is what opened the state to the world. For better or worse, Florida is what it is because of Henry Flagler.

A very rich old man by the time he fell in love with Florida, Flagler kept extending his railroad farther and farther down the Atlantic Coast. When he decided to extend the railroad over the water to Key West, Flagler’s men told him while it could be done, they didn’t recommend it — its tremendous cost could never be recovered.

They were right.

Flagler’s Overseas Railroad, the first land route from Miami to Key West when it opened in 1912, was a financial failure and then it became a downright disaster.

A devastating 1935 hurricane brought 200 mph winds and a 17-foot storm surge, washing away miles of railroad at Islamorada and leaving 408 people dead.

Flagler’s bankrupt Florida East Coast railway sold the whole railroad right-of-way to the state for one-seventh what it cost Flagler to build the railroad. (Flagler had died a year after the railroad opened.)

The Old Seven Mile Bridge was easily converted by the state of Florida to an automotive bridge — that’s the surface that was just restored on Old Seven — and the Overseas Highway opened in 1938.

For 44 years, until the adjoining new Seven Mile Bridge opened in 1982, the Old Seven Mile Bridge was the only road cars could take to Key West. It was 22 feet wide, a single lane in each direction with no shoulder at all.

Visiting the Keys between 1978 and 1982, I vividly remember it as a spectacularly beautiful but white-knuckle ride. You have to take a walk on the bridge and experience how narrow it feels first-hand to know what I mean.

Rambler tip: When you visit the old bridge, be sure to notice the guardrails. Shiny new ones safely line the bridge, but on the outer side are the rusting rails of the original Flagler railroad. When the bridge was converted for cars, the old rails were simply repurposed as guardrails for the new roadway – and they’re still there. Until the refurbishment project, they were the only rails on the sides of the bridge!

Visiting the Old Seven Mile Bridge

The Old Seven Mile Bridge attracts a steady stream of people coming and going and taking pictures. After being closed for more than five years for restoration, it opened in 2022 and is now busier than before the closure.  

Old Seven is a great stop on a road trip through the Florida Keys, but the 35 parking spaces are nearly always full, even on weekdays, with cars often waiting for someone to leave. Visitors don’t necessarily stay long, however, so the spaces turn over fairly quickly.

Bicyclists can park north of the bridge in various places in Marathon and take the excellent bike trail on the bay side of the road right to the bridge.

There is a tiny bit of street parking on the other side of US 1, just beyond the Sunset Grille and Raw Bar. What makes this parking viable is that there is now a scenic walkway under the highway between that restaurant and the park at the base of the Old Seven Mile Bridge. (Or have a meal at the Sunset Grille and then take a walk on the bridge afterwards.)

Common questions about the Old Seven Mile Bridge

Are there restrooms at the Old Seven Mile Bridge? Nope, and they are very much needed. Some plans are underway to add them.

Can you fish on the Old Seven Mile Bridge? No, and with the walkers and bicyclists, it’s clear there wouldn’t be room for fishing. You can fish from the park at the base of the bridge on the bay side.

Can I use an electric bike on the Old Seven Mile Bridge? There is a 15 mph speed limit. I did see electric bikes using the bridge.

Can I walk my dog on the Old Seven Mile Bridge. There is no signage forbidding it and I saw plenty of dogs.

Can I picnic near the bridge? Yes! There are four picnic tables that remain from the earlier park at the base of the bridge and four new picnic tables under a roof. These tables have a beautiful view overlooking the bay. Without restrooms nearby, however, they aren’t perfect spots for a meal.

Can I bike or walk to Pigeon Key? Absolutely. I have more about visiting Pigeon Key below.

Can I take my own boat to Pigeon Key? Yes. You can tie up to the dock if you bring your own boat. Admission cost remains the same. Call the Visitors Center to pay prior to arrival. You can also pay via cash or credit card with one of the tour guides upon arrival.

When was the Old Seven Mile Bridge built? Old Seven was built between 1908 and 1912 and as many as 400 workmen lived on Pigeon Key during its construction.

Did they blow up that section of the Old Seven Mile Bridge for a movie? No, it only looked that way. Old Seven has appeared in several films, most famously the 1994 True Lies with Arnold Schwarzenegger, where the old bridge is shown being destroyed by missile strikes. The explosion was done on an 80-foot model.

Where can I rent a bike to bicycle on the Old Seven Mile Bridge? Marathon Bike Rentals delivers bikes to hotels or homes in the area and Bike Marathon rents a variety of bikes at 2994 Overseas Highway. Some hotels and resorts loan or rent bikes too.

Visiting Pigeon Key: Where the Old Seven Mile Bridge started

Few history lessons are as beautiful as this one: A visit to Pigeon Key, a picturesque little island surrounded by dazzling blue water in the middle of the Old Seven Mile Bridge.

You arrive at Pigeon Key on a cute blue and yellow train/tram and get a guided tour that includes a few of its 11 historic buildings. Pigeon Key housed the workers who built the Seven Mile Bridge from 1908 to 1912.

The Seven Mile Bridge and Pigeon Key’s fascinating history are told through displays and artifacts in its museum.

There’s more than history on Pigeon Key. Visitors can bring their lunch and picnic. You are encouraged to stay after the tour and snorkel in the clear waters off Pigeon Key’s dock.

• Tours of Pigeon Key are at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. The tours lasts about an hour. To visit Pigeon Key, go to the visitor center located at 1090 Overseas Hwy Marathon, FL 33050, Mile Marker 47.5 bayside.
• Entrance price is adults $25; kids 4-12 are $20; 3 and under free.

• If you walk or bike to Pigeon Key: You can book your tour online or by calling 305-743-5999. Tours start at the yellow picnic tables on the south side of the Bridge Tender’s building. (Look for the umbrellas.) Arrive 10 minutes prior to tour time, which is 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Admission is the same.
• Tickets can be purchased on the same day in-person or you can reserve your spot over the phone if you have a time and date preference.
• Here’s a Florida Rambler guide to visiting Pigeon Key.

More about the Old Seven Mile Bridge

• Jerry Wilkinson’s detailed history of the Overseas Railroad.

Resources for planning a Florida Keys vacation

• Mile marker guide with dozens of stops to help make the most of your drive south.
• Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail: The best sections to bike
• Florida Keys wildlife: Places to see animals
• Tiki bars: Soak up the Keys atmosphere
• 12 great kayak outings in the Keys
• Top 10 pit stops on Overseas Highway
• Best beaches in the Florida Keys

Other nearby things to do in the Upper and Middle Keys

• Indian Key: Kayak into history
• Islamorada emerging as hub with new museum, breweries
• Feed the tarpon at Robbie’s Marina
• Sea Turtle Hospital in Marathon

Note:

Many readers have written to ask: Can you bicycle across the new Seven Mile Bridge?

You could only do this on the new bridge — I wouldn’t do it but, then, I’m a recreational bicyclist who is looking for stress-free, safe trails. It is not recommended for that kind of ride!

Many bicyclists do it. There’s about a five-foot lane for bikes and the bridge is mostly flat, with about one-mile at the center elevated, according to a bicyclist who has written about it. Here’s a section of her account on pedaling the length of the Keys.

The new bridge, by the way, is actually 6.765-miles long, not quite seven miles.

Here’s more about the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. If you are bicycling in the Keys and want to skip crossing the Seven Mile Bridge, Marathon taxis now have bike racks and can shuttle you and your bike across the bridge.