The park is bisected by the Levy County Road 347 and divided into eastern and western portions, with about\u00a013 miles of sand and dirt trails winding through the reserve. While the park does not have any beaches, you can still get out on the water in the marshes and creeks by kayak or canoe. Anglers are also drawn to the reserve’s watery expanses, which shelter several saltwater species, from redfish to flounder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve is open year-round from 8 a.m. to sunset and is free to visit. While the park is rustic with few amenities, the nearby town of Cedar Key brims with accommodations, dining, shopping, and activities.\u00a0The best way to get to the park is to fly into the nearest major airport in Gainesville, Florida’s best college city<\/a>, which is a nearly 1.5-hour drive east.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Hiking and biking in the Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve<\/p>\n Cedar Key\u00a0Scrub State Reserve has a medley of unique\u00a0natural communities, ranging from scrub and scrubby flatwoods to mangrove swamps and salt marshes. To discover this unspoiled park, you can start out from one of the two trailheads\u00a0\u2014\u00a0to the east on State Road 24 or to the west on County Road 347. While both trailheads have parking lots, the State Road 24 trailhead is considered the flagship and also has picnic tables and a composting toilet. If you’re heading into the park from the State Road 24 trailhead, you’ll find miles of soft, white-sand trails lacing through the primarily sandhill, mesic flatwoods, scrub, and basin marsh landscape. Follow the\u00a0East Loop<\/a>\u00a0trail, which measures just over 3 miles\u00a0and bypasses the reserve’s scenic ecosystems. The scrub portions, especially in the far eastern stretches, are where\u00a0you may spot the endemic Florida scrub jay.<\/p>\n If you’re a biker, head out to the County Road 347 trailhead to access the White Trail Loop<\/a>, which measures nearly 4.5 miles in the western part of the reserve. This path initially crosses similar terrain as the eastern part, but further west you’ll encounter views of the\u00a0basin swamp and salt marsh. While all of the park’s 13 miles of trails are open to hikers, bikers, and even equestrians, bikers should stick to this western portion or cruise along the paved\u00a0347 highway. The eastern park’s powdery sand trails\u00a0make it difficult to navigate by mountain bike. While on trails, you may spot wildlife, such as\u00a0tortoises and deer, as well as birds like bald eagles, ospreys, and the rare, native Scott’s seaside sparrows.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Fishing and paddling in Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve<\/p>\n
Michael Warren\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Aquatic adventures, such as fishing and kayaking, are accessible year-round in the\u00a0western part of the park,\u00a0which has more marshland and swampland. Since there is no boat launch directly in the park, you’ll have to rent a kayak or canoe in Cedar Key and launch from the No. 4\u00a0boat ramp next to the Cedar Key Bridge and paddle in. If you have a Florida fishing license, bring along your fishing rod to catch some of the saltwater species that dwell amongst the reserve’s marshy waters. Here, you can hook redfish, black drum, flounder, and more amidst a truly tranquil setting. “If you’re considering driving here, just do it,” raved a Google<\/a> reviewer. “It is an amazing place that has endless views of the true Florida scrub marshes and wetlands.” For more unique natural landscape nearby, venture about a 20-minute drive north\u00a0on County Road 347 to Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, which offers endless recreation, wildlife, and boardwalks<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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