Fort Zachary Taylor Beach

A Protected Slice of Coastline

The webcam faces the sandy beach of Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, tucked along the southernmost shore of Key West. A man-made rock jetty shelters the cove from open-ocean swells, creating calm, clear water that locals consider the island's best natural swimming spot.

A Civil War Landmark

Just behind the shoreline stands Fort Zachary Taylor itself, a 19th-century masonry fortification built to guard the deep-water channel approaching Key West. The fort's weathered brick walls and the surrounding native hammock give the park a layered sense of history rarely found on a Florida beach.

A Haven for Snorkelers

The jetty's rock formations host a vibrant patch of nearshore reef, drawing snorkelers and swimmers to explore the shallow, sheltered waters just offshore. Clear visibility and gentle currents make it one of the more approachable reef habitats in the Florida Keys.

Southernmost Key West

Framed by native buttonwood and mangrove vegetation, the park occupies a quiet corner of the island away from the bustle of Duval Street, offering an unhurried coastal counterpoint to Key West's busier attractions.