Florida's Secret Island State Park Has Large Coral Formations, Scenic Trails, A Tropical Forest, And History

A state park that's literally carved out of the fossil-laden limestone of the Florida Keys offers visitors a chance to take in some unique history and see firsthand how the tropical islands that drip off the end of the Florida Peninsula came to be in the first place. Windley Key State Fossil Reef Geological State Park, situated about an hour and 45 minutes south of Miami on U.S. Highway 1, is a uniquely Florida experience, where visitors can learn about the geology of the Florida Keys and get a human history lesson that offers a glimpse into the how the Keys were settled in the first place.

The park features a quarry initially dug in the early 1900s during the construction of the Florida Keys Overseas Railroad. The limestone mined from Windley Island was used to build the railroad bridges. When the railroad was completed in 1912, it was dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World, connecting Key West with the Florida mainland and points north. 

Today, while much of the railroad's original infrastructure is still standing and used for pedestrian and recreational access, the mode of transportation has been replaced by the Overseas Highway, one of America's most scenic roads. On Windley Island, a reminder of that early construction remains, and visitors can see some of the quarry machinery used to cut the rocks out of the island. The quarry wall has fossilized corals that reveal how the Keys came to be in the first place.

The drive from Miami to Key West is a good three and a half hours long. Thankfully, the Overseas Highway offers a number of interesting stops along the route, one of which is Windley Key State Fossil Reef Geological State Park. Not only can visitors stop to get a special glimpse at the Keys' history and how the drivable route from the mainland all the way to Key West came about, but they can also stretch their legs and wander the park's short trails. A hardwood tropical hammock thrives on the island, which lies just north of the world-famous fishing village of Islamorada, home to the Florida Keys' Amara Cay Resort, the wellness getaway you need.

Once at the park, visitors can walk along the edges of the eight-foot-high quarry wall where the rock was removed to build the original railroad bridges. Inside the rock, fossilized brain and star corals can be seen, showing the geologic history of the Florida Keys and how, over eons, the Keys were formed on the shallow flats surrounding them. 

Guests at the park can stand inside some of the fossil-laden limestone cuts made when the rock was quarried for construction. This means that, at one time, the Keys' geological history, water levels in the Florida Keys were quite a bit higher than they are today. And, of course, it's pretty cool to see where the rock was mined to make overseas travel to Key West a reality more than a century ago.

While the geological history and ties to Florida's famed Overseas Highway are definitely front and center at the park, there is more to do than seek out fossilized corals cemented in the limestone. The park offers 1.5 miles of maintained walking trails through the hammock. On these trails, visitors to the park can see more than 40 species of plants and trees that are found throughout the Keys. Using a guidebook to the trails, hikers can take their time on these shaded trails and stop at various interpretive signs along the way to learn about the natural and cultural features found within this small but special state park.

From December to April — easily the most pleasant time of the year in the Keys — the park offers guided daily tours through the hammock, where a park ranger discusses the geological, natural, and human history of Windley Key. Visitors can take self-guided tours at any time. Admission to the park is just $2.50 per person, and guided tours are just $2. Kids under six are admitted free. 

After a stop at the park, visitors can continue their drive south toward Key West. Pro tip: For drivers who want to break up the drive south, an excellent stop is Long Key, home to one of the best secret beaches in the Florida Keys. It's a great place to do a little swimming in the turquoise Caribbean-like water before getting back in the car and motoring on down the Overseas Highway.