A new paddling trail in Cedar Key is giving visitors a safer way to explore the island’s waterways while highlighting the area’s history and natural environment.
The Historic Trestle Paddling Trail officially opened Saturday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and inaugural group paddle. The 1.4-mile route connects Cedar Key City Beach Park to Cemetery Point Park. Markers along the route help paddlers navigate the waterways. It is the first marked paddling trail in Levy County.
“Today is the start of really pushing for use of our waters in a much more caring way. This is a deep appreciation of natural Florida,” said Sue Colson, former mayor of Cedar Key, who helped implement the trail.
The idea followed a March 2025 incident in which two teenage girls went missing while paddleboarding near Cedar Key. The girls, who were visiting the area, were eventually found safe after an extensive search.
The teenagers had been paddling toward Atsena Otie, a nearby island accessible from Cedar Key’s public beach. Changing weather conditions and strong winds pushed them about 18 miles offshore.
“We realized it was a safety issue, and we have a beautiful back bayou to our island,” Colson said. “There’s a bad current out here, and it’s hard if you’re a novice to go out there and be safe.”
Dorsey DeMaster, co-director for the Big Bend and Nature Coast region of the Florida Paddling Trails Association, said the incident raised concerns about paddling safety. DeMaster and another local paddler approached Cedar Key with the idea of creating an alternative route.
“We wanted to set up a trail that provided a safe alternative in case of bad weather,” DeMaster said. “It’s almost better than Atsena Otie. The birds, the dolphins, the mangroves — it’s just stunning back there.”
Unlike the more exposed crossing to Atsena Otie, the new trail follows sheltered waterways through Cedar Key’s back bayou. DeMaster said the route accommodates paddlers of different experience levels, from beginners to advanced kayakers.
Paddlers are encouraged to wear life jackets and check the tides before heading out.
The trail was made possible through a collaboration between the Levy County Tourist Development Council, the Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Paddling Trails Association and area residents.
“The people of Cedar Key genuinely love their community. You can see that by all of the times they have had to rebuild after hurricanes. It always looks so well cared for. It’s a joy to come here,” kayaker Gayle Sheets said.
Sheets is a Gainesville resident who traveled to Cedar Key for the inaugural paddle. She said the new route offers a different perspective on an area she frequently visits.
“We always see different things here, but this new paddle trail makes it even that much more different because we’re going more into the historical part of Cedar Key,” Sheets said.
The trail includes historic landmarks reminiscent of Cedar Key’s industrial past. Paddlers pass the remains of an 1861 railroad trestle and former industrial sites, including the Fenimore Steam Saw and Planing Mill.
“There’s a lot to see,” said Robin Orlandi, a kayaker and volunteer with the Florida Paddling Trails Association. “Unlike all the other trails, you’re not far away from a place to get out, and you don’t have to paddle five or six miles to get there.”
Orlandi said she is from Crystal River but is drawn to Cedar Key for its old Florida charm.
“Cedar Key is a real treat because it’s a lot like old unspoiled Florida was, so we love to come up here,” she said.
Colson said she hopes the trail will allow more people to appreciate that charm.
“This trail is big news because we’re trying to get people to come here and appreciate this area — old Florida left alone,” Colson said.
Colson said this is the first of several marked trails planned for Levy County. She said she hopes the next trail will open in nearby Yankeetown.