Key WestLower Keys, FL

Visibility is an estimate — wind, rain, tide & water alerts.

Getting in

Shore or boat access, rocky entry

Who it suits

Suits beginners

Snorkeling

Snorkelable from the beach

Best conditions

The nearshore water is shallow and just deep enough to snorkel over the breakwater rocks. The park says the current from the adjacent shipping channel keeps the water clean and clear.

Getting through the gate

State park entry is $6 per vehicle for up to eight people, plus a 50 cent Monroe County surcharge per person. A single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle pays $4.50, and walkers or cyclists pay $2.50, surcharge included. Open 8 a.m. to sundown, 365 days a year.

Parking

On-site lots inside the park at 601 Howard England Way; the vehicle fee covers the car and up to eight people.

Protection

The beach and fort sit in a Florida state park that is also a National Historic Landmark. The reef tract offshore lies inside Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, where Sanctuary Preservation Areas such as Sand Key and Rock Key prohibit fishing and any removal or possession of marine life, with only catch and release trolling allowed at Sand Key.

On site

restrooms, rinse showers, parking lot, gear rentals nearby

Watch for

Rocky sea bottom at the beach entry; the park recommends water shoes, Current along the beach, which borders the main shipping channel into Key West, No lifeguard is stationed at the beach, and swimmers enter at their own risk

Checked 2026-07-21. Sources: Florida State Parks: Fort Zachary Taylor, Florida State Parks: Fort Zachary Taylor hours and fees, Florida State Parks: Fort Zachary Taylor experiences and amenities, NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: preservation areas.