In 1846, the Army Corps of Engineers started building two large masonry forts where the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico met.
Fort Thomas Jefferson, on the Dry Tortugas would guard the entrance to the gulf. Fort Zachary Taylor would protect the city of Key West.
Fort Taylor has a commanding view of the shipping channel at Key WestUsed for coastal surveillance, it remained under command of the Army until 1947, when they turned it over to the Navy. It fell into disrepair until locals pushed for its preservation.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, Fort Taylor became the anchor of this Florida State Park in 1976.
The sheer size of the fort and its architecture makes it compelling to explore, and it is the reason the southernmost state park in the United States is in Key West.
The park’s adjoining beach is the bigger draw, thanks to a sweep of white sand beach that’s a rarity in the Florida Keys, and shallow offshore waters for snorkeling.
Sandy beach at Fort TaylorResources
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Overview
Trailhead: 24.548475,-81.808582
Address: 601 Howard England Way, Key West
Fees: $6 per vehicle
Restroom: Near the picnic area and at the fort
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone:305-292-6713
Open 8 AM to sunset. Fort tours are offered daily at 11 AM.
Directions
Follow US 1 (the Overseas Highway) all the way south to Mile Marker 0 in Key West. Continue a little farther down the street. You’ll see a sign for the park. Turn left, driving through a small residential community and around the Truman Annex of Naval Air Station Key West before entering the park. Drive down the entrance road and pass the fort, parking in the beach parking area at the very end.
About the Park
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park has two distinct sides: the historic fortress and the waterfront that fronts it.
Construction of this massive masonry structure began in 1850. At that time, the Atlantic Ocean lapped at the base of its walls, not the moat you see today.
Moat at Fort TaylorExtension of the island with fill resulted in what is now the oceanfront of the park and the forest that occupies the land between moat and beach.
In this green space, the southernmost footpaths in Florida connect the two areas. This small network of interpretive nature trails totals less than a mile.
Tunnel of treesA botanical garden showcasing the native Caribbean species common to the Keys sits, ironically, adjoining the shade of tall Australian pines.
Although the species is invasive, they’ve been accorded special dispensation from removal at this park because of the critical shade they provide.
Native plant gardenA seawall parallels the shipping channel from the moat of the fort to the beach, affording views of both passing ships and the nearby Marquesas Keys.
Under the shade of the tall pines, the picnic tables all afford an outstanding view.
Picnic groveAbout Fort Taylor
A visit to this state park isn’t complete without at least an introductory tour of Fort Zachary Taylor, one of the largest fortresses built in the United States.
Construction commenced in 1850, following the design for Third System forts developed by Army Corps of Engineers Chief Engineer Joseph Gilbert Totten.
The fort you see today evolved through several eras of coastal defenseConstruction was still underway at the time Florida seceded from the Union. Fort Taylor had a good stock of cannon and ammunition on hand, but its open side faced the town.
Its commander, Captain John M. Brannan, became nervous watching the new local militia, the Key West Island Guard, practicing outside.
Concealed cannons aimed at the shipping channelActing on his own initiative January 13, 1861, he and his Federal soldiers slipped through the town in the middle of the night and occupied the fort.
In addition to firepower, they had four months of food and plenty of water. Backup troops joined them within a month.
Guns and ammoBecause of this early occupation by the Federal troops, Florida’s second largest city became the only city in Florida under Union rule the entire duration of the Civil War.
By the time construction finished in 1866, the fort included a desalination plant and a row of latrines flushed out by the tides.
The latrinesDuring the Spanish-American War, the top levels of Fort Taylor were cut down to install more modern weaponry.
Concrete batteries were added, visually disruptive today amid the otherwise Gothic archways and staircases.
Concrete batteries on leftIn the 1960s, close examination of the concrete unveiled a treasure trove atop the fort walls.
Climb to the top level and walk along the batteries to see what’s acknowledged as the largest known cache of Civil War era cannons, partially excavated from the concrete.
Civil War cannonsTrails
In addition to a quarter mile walk through the fort itself, the park has several short interpretive trails. Where signposted, they are open to bicycles.
The Fort View Trail scrambles up the man-made berm and immerses you in a young tropical hammock overlooking the moat.
Start of the Tropical Hammock TrailThe Tropical Hammock Trail dives into the deep shade of a much more lush tropical forest, with gumbo-limbo forming a thick, low canopy.
A connector trail between them loops the open fill below the fort and follows the channel to the parking area at the beach.
Fort Zachary Taylor Hiking Trails Sweeping views of oceanfront under the imposing shadow of a coastal fortress define the southernmost hike in the United States.
Shady spot along the channelTrail Map
Slideshow
See our photos of Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
Nearby Adventures
More worth exploring while you’re in this area.
Dry Tortugas National Park Our friend Bob "TruckrBob" Finley shares his experience with planning, and reaching, the toughest park to visit in Florida: Dry Tortugas National Park, 70 miles offshore from Key West. 
Little Hamaca Park A preserve along the historic Key West Salt Ponds, Little Hamaca Park has a boardwalk and footpath leading through a cross-section of the island's habitats.
Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park Within sight of the Atlantic Ocean, Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park is a rare patch of green space in the city of Key West, with native trees and a natural freshwater pond.
Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden With boardwalks and natural footpaths winding amid curated collections against a backdrop of natural Florida Keys habitats, the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden is a delightful natural destination.