Cedar Key Railroad Trestle Trail: An Easy Hike In Cedar Key, Florida

Table of Contents

There are affiliate links in here. I get a small commission if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you.

I’ve been to Cedar Key quite a few times at this point since it wasn’t too far from Gainesville and High Springs.

One of the things I was always curious about but didn’t do until my last visit was the Cedar Key Trestle Trail!

This is a short nature trail along the former railroad, but there isn’t really evidence of that until the very end, and even then it’s just the wood support beams in the water.

This is a very straightforward trail (literally a straight, flat line) in a woody mangrovey muddy ocean smelling setting.

The whole trail is kind of like a tunnel in the trees which is cool, and the path is dirt/shells.

You’ll see typical Florida plants along the way, mangroves, a variety of palms, and even some cactus!

At the end you have lovely views of the water, and the water tower off to your right. This is also where you’ll find the evidence of the former railroad.

This is an out-and-back trail so you just head back the way you came. There isn’t a whole lot to it but it’s worth it if you’re here and have a spare 15-20 minutes.

I do think the warning sign on the gate at the trailhead (the first picture) is really funny though. It makes it sound very treacherous and wild but it’s really not.

Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.

Where is the Cedar Key Trestle Trail?

The Cedar Key Trestle Trail is on the left as you’re driving into Cedar Key, but it’s before the main island area.

It’s about five minutes (driving) from downtown Cedar Key, 1 hour 10 minutes from High Springs, 1 hour 15 minutes from Gainesville, and 1 hour 20 minutes from Ocala.

How long is the Cedar Key Trestle Trail?

This is a nice, short trail at just 0.6 miles round-trip, and AllTrails recorded it at 0.67 for me.

Is the Cedar Key Trestle Trail hard?

Nope! It’s short and flat as can be. There are a whole six feet of elevation gain.

Is the Cedar Key Trestle Trail worth it?

If you’re in the area and have some spare time and want to do a hike, yes! I wouldn’t go out of my way for it, but it doesn’t take long, so I’d say it’s worth it.

Have you hiked the Cedar Key Trestle Trail? What is your favorite hike in Cedar Key?