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Florida Lighthouses

Alligator Reef
Florida Keys

Alligator Reef

Off Islamorada, Florida Keys
Rising from the turquoise water south of Islamorada, Alligator Reef Lighthouse has marked one of the Florida Keys’ most dangerous reefs since 1873. The elegant iron tower is best seen by boat and remains a powerful symbol of Keys maritime history.
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At a Glance

Region
Florida Keys
Type
Historic Lighthouse
Latitude
24.85179
Longitude
-80.61885

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Alligator Reef

Key West


Photo: Lynda VeArd
 Active: Yes

Characteristics: Four-group flashing white every 60-seconds with two red sectors.

Height: 150 feet

DayMark: White octagonal, pyramid skeletal tower enclosing stair cylinder and square dwelling; black pile foundation

Lens: Original: Revolving 1st order Fresnel lens. Present: Vega VRB-25 rotating beacon; RACON. Focal Plane: 136 feet.

Construction: Builders: Paulding & Kemble. Iron screwpile, skeletal tower constructed of wrought iron and wood.

Coordinates:
     24 51 06 N
     80 37 06 W

Operated by: United States Coast Guard


Visit Status: Closed to public

Facilities: None, no handicap access

Visitor Info: Can be viewed from Islamorada at the south end of Upper Matecumbe Key. The Florida Keys Reef Lights Foundation has been formed to promote the establishment of a lighthouse museum with future lighthouse tours and access.

Contact:
Florida Keys Reef Lights Foundation, Inc.
1067 Drift Creek Cove
Orlando, FL  32828

Email: Info@ReefLights.org
Website: www.ReefLights.org

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Overview

Alligator Reef Lighthouse stands offshore near Islamorada, where its white central tower and black iron framework create one of the most recognizable silhouettes in the Florida Keys. The 150-foot skeletal lighthouse was engineered to endure open-ocean conditions while warning ships away from the submerged reef below.

History

The reef was named for the USS Alligator, a U.S. Navy schooner deliberately burned after grounding here in 1822. Early daymarks proved inadequate, and Congress finally funded a permanent lighthouse in 1870. Built on nine iron piles driven into the coral, the tower entered service on November 25, 1873 with a first-order Fresnel lens. Its keepers endured isolation, shipwreck rescues, and the devastating Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, which shattered lantern glass and disabled the light. The station was automated in 1963 and the original aid was deactivated in 2015 when a nearby modern light took over.

Visiting & Access

The tower is about three miles offshore and is not open for climbing. Distant views are possible from parts of Islamorada, but the best views come by boat or plane. Local charters and the annual Swim for Alligator Lighthouse offer ways to experience the site from the water.

Current Status

Friends of the Pool received ownership of the lighthouse in 2021 and is working toward a major stabilization and restoration. A solar-powered light was installed in the lantern room and illuminated in 2023. The historic tower remains closed to the public while preservation work continues.

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