Hiking Windley Trail

A short interpretive trail at Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park, the Windley Trail circles through a tropical hammock along the mangrove-lined north shore of Windley Key.

It then descends into open ground within a large quarry behind the state park visitors center, where quarrying equipment and the fossil-rich rock walls are showcased.

Big boulders of cut rock in the open quarry

Resources

Resources for exploring the area

South Florida Explorers Guide book cover

Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

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Overview

Location: Windley Key
Length: 0.3 mile loop
Trailhead: 24.949313,-80.596091
Address: 84900 Overseas Highway, Islamorada
Fees: $2.50 per person
Restroom: At the visitor center
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 305-664-2540

Open 8-4, Thu-Mon. No bicycles. Collecting of fossils or plants is prohibited.

Avoid leaving the marked trails as the tropical forest has a lot of poisonwood, one of the more common toxic trees in Florida.

Expect mosquitoes: make sure you use insect repellent. You may encounter great golden digger wasps along the park trails at certain times of year, as we did. According to a bulletin posted, “Great golden digger wasps are not aggressive and will not sting unless provoked.” We suggest wearing closed-toe shoes while hiking here and not walking through any wasp swarms.

Directions

Located 0.5 miles south of MM 85 on US 1 on Windley Key, the park entrance is on the bay side.

Hike

All trails begin on the rock ledge behind the Alison Fahrer Education Center. Stop in there before you start your hike to pick up a trail guide.

The trail system starts next to the antique channeling machine that cut the fossil slabs, and provides you a nice overlook across the Windley Quarry.

Look into the quarry before circling it on this trail

The Flagler Trail branches off the Hammock Trail to the right at a signpost. Keep left to follow the Windley Trail. It branches left off the Hammock Trail soon after.

The trail leads you along the ecotone between the mangrove forest and the tropical hammock. It is very rooty and sometimes rocky underfoot, so watch your step.

Start of the Windley Trail

After 0.2 mile, the trail makes a sharp left and descends a ramp into the quarry. The roots of red mangroves burrow into the fossil coral walls along the ramp.

At the bottom of the ramp, turn left to walk along the near wall of the quarry.

Boulder of coral rock on the quarry floor

If you picked up a trail guide at the visitor center, the numbered fossils are explained in the guide.

Some of the easier ones to identify include the including finger corals, with their tiny cups; star coral, with large cups; and brain coral, shaped like a brain.

A close-up look at fossilized coral

A slab of cut coral rock sits on a cart on the other side of the quarry. As you curve around within the quarry, you face the back of the visitor center.

A ramp leads to it. You have the option of continuing to follow the quarry walls through a narrow passage.

If you do so, keep following the walls and you’ll reach the parking lot after walking a half mile.

Cut slab from quarry wall on a cart

Trail Map

Explore More!

Learn more about Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park

Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park

See coral fossils up close in a tropical forest at Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park to learn the natural history of how the Florida Keys were formed.