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50-state metal detecting intelligence

Metal Detecting in Monroe County, Florida

Official-source rules, permission pathways, map context and practical next steps—kept separate from the rockhounding atlas.

Metal detecting in Monroe County, Florida

Quick answer: there is no county-wide permission assumption. These verified records show the controlling managing agency, legal status, permit/recovery pathway and verification evidence for specific places in Monroe County, Florida.

16 verified records in this scope.

Universal map & navigation coverage4 independently verified coordinate pins · 16 records with safe map navigation
Bahia Honda State ParkBig Pine Key · Monroe County · FloridaVerified access/reference pin
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National Key Deer Refuge — Nature CenterBig Pine Key · Monroe County · FloridaVerified access/reference pin
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Guy Bradley Visitor Center (Flamingo) — Everglades National ParkFlamingo · Monroe County · FloridaVerified access/reference pin
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Indian Key Historic State ParkIslamorada · Monroe County · FloridaSensitive-site safe public reference map search
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Lignumvitae Key Botanical State ParkIslamorada · Monroe County · FloridaNamed public place map search
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San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve State ParkIslamorada · Monroe County · FloridaSensitive-site safe public reference map search
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Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State ParkIslamorada · Monroe County · FloridaNamed public place map search
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Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge — Public Office/Kiosk ReferenceKey Largo · Monroe County · FloridaSensitive-site safe public reference map search
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Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State ParkKey Largo · Monroe County · FloridaVerified public address map search
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John Pennekamp Coral Reef State ParkKey Largo · Monroe County · FloridaVerified public address map search
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Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State ParkKey West · Monroe County · FloridaSensitive-site safe public reference map search
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Garden Key / Fort Jefferson — Dry Tortugas National ParkKey West · Monroe County · FloridaVerified access/reference pin
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Showing 12 quick navigation targets above. All 16 records in this scope include their own map-provider links below.

Allowed/restrictedPermit requiredProhibitedRestricted / partialReview

Map meaning: verified coordinate pins identify independently grounded public visitor/access reference points. Query-only records can be resolved on demand as temporary provider search matches; sensitive records use a deliberately broader agency/locality query. Temporary search matches are not stored as verified coordinates. No map mode is a property boundary, detecting zone, archaeological target, or permission boundary.

Zone confirmation required – manager-designated coastal beach area only Grade A · 100/100

Bahia Honda State Park

Big Pine Key · Monroe County · Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks prohibits metal detecting on state park lands except at coastal parks, where detecting may occur only in certain beach areas between the toe of the dune and the high-water line as…

DecisionZone Confirmation RequiredTrip readyNoPlanConfirm Exact Designated Zone Before TravelEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionConditional legal exception with unresolved exact spatial designation
Permit: No general permit identified; exact manager-designated beach zone must be confirmed Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsVerified access/reference pin
Search restricted — metal-detector searches for antiquities, artifacts or treasure prohibited; modern lost-item use requires refuge confirmation Grade A · 100/100

National Key Deer Refuge — Nature Center

Big Pine Key · Monroe County · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Current FWS Florida Keys refuge guidance expressly prohibits metal-detector searches for antiquities, artifacts or treasure. The status is publication-cleared as purpose-specific search restricted; ordinary modern lost-item detector use still requires refuge confirmation.

DecisionSearch RestrictedTrip readyNoPlanResolve Search Purpose And Site Rule Before TravelEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionPurpose-specific search/resource restriction — not a blanket detector-use ban
Permit: Refuge-specific confirmation required for any modern lost-item detector question Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsVerified access/reference pin
Prohibited Grade A · 100/100

Guy Bradley Visitor Center (Flamingo) — Everglades National Park

Flamingo · Monroe County · National Park Service

Metal detecting is prohibited under 36 CFR §2.1 in this National Park Service area. The mapped coordinate is a public visitor/access reference point only and does not expose a search target, artifact location, archaeological…

DecisionProhibitedTrip readyNoPlanChoose Legal AlternativeEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionExpress detector-use prohibition or equivalent no-detecting rule
Permit: No Verified: 2026-08-14
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsVerified access/reference pin
Zone confirmation required – manager-designated coastal beach area only Grade A · 100/100

Indian Key Historic State Park

Islamorada · Monroe County · Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks prohibits metal detecting on state park lands except at coastal parks, where detecting may occur only in certain beach areas between the toe of the dune and the high-water line as…

DecisionZone Confirmation RequiredTrip readyNoPlanConfirm Exact Designated Zone Before TravelEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionConditional legal exception with unresolved exact spatial designation
Permit: No general permit identified; exact manager-designated beach zone must be confirmed Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsSensitive-site safe public reference map search
Zone confirmation required – manager-designated coastal beach area only Grade A · 100/100

Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park

Islamorada · Monroe County · Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks prohibits metal detecting on state park lands except at coastal parks, where detecting may occur only in certain beach areas between the toe of the dune and the high-water line as…

DecisionZone Confirmation RequiredTrip readyNoPlanConfirm Exact Designated Zone Before TravelEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionConditional legal exception with unresolved exact spatial designation
Permit: No general permit identified; exact manager-designated beach zone must be confirmed Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsNamed public place map search
Prohibited Grade A · 100/100

San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve State Park

Islamorada · Monroe County · Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks prohibits metal detecting on state park lands except at qualifying coastal parks in park-manager-designated beach areas. This record is resolved to the statewide prohibition because no qualifying designated coastal beach exception…

DecisionProhibitedTrip readyNoPlanChoose Legal AlternativeEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionExpress detector-use prohibition or equivalent no-detecting rule
Permit: No recreational detecting permit pathway identified under the statewide prohibition Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsSensitive-site safe public reference map search
Prohibited Grade A · 99/100

Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park

Islamorada · Monroe County · Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks prohibits metal detecting on state park lands except certain coastal beach areas designated by a park manager. This record has no current verified qualifying manager-designated coastal detecting beach, so ordinary recreational…

DecisionProhibitedTrip readyNoPlanChoose Legal AlternativeEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionExpress detector-use prohibition or equivalent no-detecting rule
Permit: No Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsNamed public place map search
Prohibited Grade A · 100/100

Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge — Public Office/Kiosk Reference

Key Largo · Monroe County · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

FWS states Crocodile Lake NWR is closed to general public use. The map point is the public office/kiosk reference only, not refuge access for detecting.

DecisionProhibitedTrip readyNoPlanChoose Legal AlternativeEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionExpress detector-use prohibition or equivalent no-detecting rule
Permit: No Verified: 2026-08-14
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsSensitive-site safe public reference map search
Prohibited Grade A · 100/100

Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park

Key Largo · Monroe County · Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks prohibits metal detecting on state park lands except at qualifying coastal parks in park-manager-designated beach areas. This record is resolved to the statewide prohibition because no qualifying designated coastal beach exception…

DecisionProhibitedTrip readyNoPlanChoose Legal AlternativeEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionExpress detector-use prohibition or equivalent no-detecting rule
Permit: No recreational detecting permit pathway identified under the statewide prohibition Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsVerified public address map search
Zone confirmation required – manager-designated coastal beach area only Grade A · 100/100

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

Key Largo · Monroe County · Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks prohibits metal detecting on state park lands except at coastal parks, where detecting may occur only in certain beach areas between the toe of the dune and the high-water line as…

DecisionZone Confirmation RequiredTrip readyNoPlanConfirm Exact Designated Zone Before TravelEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionConditional legal exception with unresolved exact spatial designation
Permit: No general permit identified; exact manager-designated beach zone must be confirmed Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsVerified public address map search
Zone confirmation required – manager-designated coastal beach area only Grade A · 100/100

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Key West · Monroe County · Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks prohibits metal detecting on state park lands except at coastal parks, where detecting may occur only in certain beach areas between the toe of the dune and the high-water line as…

DecisionZone Confirmation RequiredTrip readyNoPlanConfirm Exact Designated Zone Before TravelEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionConditional legal exception with unresolved exact spatial designation
Permit: No general permit identified; exact manager-designated beach zone must be confirmed Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsSensitive-site safe public reference map search
Prohibited Grade A · 100/100

Garden Key / Fort Jefferson — Dry Tortugas National Park

Key West · Monroe County · National Park Service

Metal detecting is prohibited under 36 CFR §2.1 in this National Park Service area. The mapped coordinate is a public visitor/access reference point only and does not expose a search target, artifact location, archaeological…

DecisionProhibitedTrip readyNoPlanChoose Legal AlternativeEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionExpress detector-use prohibition or equivalent no-detecting rule
Permit: No Verified: 2026-08-14
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsVerified access/reference pin
Search/recovery restricted – antiquity/treasure searches prohibited; lost-item detector use unresolved Grade A · 100/100

Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge

Key West · Monroe County · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Current federal Refuge System rules prohibit searches for/removal of antiquities and prohibit searches for buried treasure, treasure trove and specified mineral objects unless authorized; they also prohibit unauthorized disturbance/removal of refuge property and natural…

DecisionSearch RestrictedTrip readyNoPlanResolve Search Purpose And Site Rule Before TravelEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionPurpose-specific search/resource restriction — not a blanket detector-use ban
Permit: Required for regulated searches; modern lost-item detector use unresolved Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsNamed public place map search
Search/recovery restricted – antiquity/treasure searches prohibited; lost-item detector use unresolved Grade A · 100/100

Key West National Wildlife Refuge

Key West · Monroe County · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Current federal Refuge System rules prohibit searches for/removal of antiquities and prohibit searches for buried treasure, treasure trove and specified mineral objects unless authorized; they also prohibit unauthorized disturbance/removal of refuge property and natural…

DecisionSearch RestrictedTrip readyNoPlanResolve Search Purpose And Site Rule Before TravelEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionPurpose-specific search/resource restriction — not a blanket detector-use ban
Permit: Required for regulated searches; modern lost-item detector use unresolved Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsNamed public place map search
Zone confirmation required – manager-designated coastal beach area only Grade A · 100/100

Long Key State Park

Long Key · Monroe County · Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks prohibits metal detecting on state park lands except at coastal parks, where detecting may occur only in certain beach areas between the toe of the dune and the high-water line as…

DecisionZone Confirmation RequiredTrip readyNoPlanConfirm Exact Designated Zone Before TravelEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionConditional legal exception with unresolved exact spatial designation
Permit: No general permit identified; exact manager-designated beach zone must be confirmed Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsVerified public address map search
Zone confirmation required – manager-designated coastal beach area only Grade A · 100/100

Curry Hammock State Park

Marathon · Monroe County · Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks prohibits metal detecting on state park lands except at coastal parks, where detecting may occur only in certain beach areas between the toe of the dune and the high-water line as…

DecisionZone Confirmation RequiredTrip readyNoPlanConfirm Exact Designated Zone Before TravelEvidenceCurrentScopeControlling Rule Scope StoredPrecisionConditional legal exception with unresolved exact spatial designation
Permit: No general permit identified; exact manager-designated beach zone must be confirmed Verified: 2026-08-19
Open verified record Google MapOpenStreetMapApple MapsVerified public address map search