Keewaydin Island facts for kids
Keeywadin Island's Public Beach
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 Keewaydin Island
Location in Florida
Keewaydin Island
Location in Caribbean
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Gulf of Mexico |
| Coordinates | 26°02′46″N 81°46′42″W / 26.04611°N 81.77833°W |
| Administration | |
| State | Florida |
| County | Collier |
Keewaydin Island is a special place off the coast of Naples, Florida. It's a long, narrow island called a barrier island. You can only get there by boat! This island is part of Collier County in the United States.
The State of Florida helps manage Keewaydin Island. They work with NOAA to protect it. The island is also part of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. This is a protected area for nature.
Scientists from The Conservancy of Southwest Florida watch the island every night. They look for Loggerhead sea turtles nesting. These turtles lay their eggs on the beach. They also study how the island's shoreline changes over time.
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Island History
The island was first called Kee Island. Later, it became part of a company called Keewaydin Camps Ltd. That's how it got its current name, Keewaydin Island.
Today, about 85% of the island is public land. This means most of it is open for everyone to enjoy. The other 15% is private property. There are about 50 private lots and 15 private homes on the west side of the island, near the beach. From the southern tip of Keewaydin, you can see Marco Island.
Protecting Keewaydin Island
Keewaydin Island is unique because it has no cars, roads, or bridges. For a long time, people thought it would be developed like other islands. For example, Marco Island to the south was built up in the 1950s and 1960s.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the government planned to build a road and bridge to Keewaydin. But 1,000 local people signed a petition to stop it. They did not want more commercial buildings. They wanted to keep the island natural.
Many barrier islands in Florida have tall buildings along their shores. But places like Keewaydin are different. People who care about the environment worked hard to stop the bridge. Because of them, Keewaydin remains wild and natural. The only paths are dirt trails connecting private docks to beach houses. This way, locals and visitors can enjoy a beautiful, untouched island.
Popular Southern Tip
The southern tip of Keewaydin Island is very popular. Many local boaters gather there. They can park their boats right on the shore. It's a great spot to watch people, enjoy the beach, and see the beautiful scenery.
Island Wildlife
Keewaydin Island is home to many animals. It includes one of the most important protected areas, Rookery Bay. This reserve helps keep the wildlife safe.
Mammals and Reptiles
You might find mammals like wild boar, bobcats, and white-tailed deer living on the island. The gopher tortoise also lives here. This tortoise is a special animal that needs protection because its home is being destroyed in other places.
However, there is an invasive animal called the Iguana. These iguanas eat the eggs of the gopher tortoise. This can be a problem for the tortoise population.
