Cedar Key opens Levy County's first marked paddling trail through the back bayou

A sheltered route opens

Cedar Key cut the ribbon Saturday on the Historic Trestle Paddling Trail, a 1.4-mile marked route connecting City Beach Park to Cemetery Point Park through the island’s back bayou. It is the first marked paddling trail in Levy County, according to organizers, and includes an inaugural group paddle that drew residents and visitors alike.

The trail is a joint effort of the Levy County Tourist Development Council, the Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Paddling Trails Association and area residents. Markers along the waterway are meant to help paddlers of varying skill levels navigate safely, from first-timers to experienced kayakers.

What prompted it

The project traces back to March 2025, when two teenage girls visiting Cedar Key went missing while paddleboarding toward Atsena Otie, a small island reachable from the public beach. Shifting weather and strong winds pushed them roughly 18 miles offshore before an extensive search located them safe.

That incident is what moved local paddling advocates and Cedar Key’s tourism and business groups to act. Dorsey DeMaster, co-director for the Big Bend and Nature Coast region of the Florida Paddling Trails Association, said the goal was a protected alternative for days when the open-water crossing to Atsena Otie is too risky.

Former Cedar Key Mayor Sue Colson, who helped implement the trail, said the open crossing carries a current that can be dangerous for less experienced paddlers. “There’s a bad current out here, and it’s hard if you’re a novice to go out there and be safe,” she said.

What the trail does, and doesn’t, change

The new route does not close or alter access to Atsena Otie; paddlers can still cross open water there if conditions allow. What the trail adds is a marked, sheltered option through mangrove-lined waterways that avoids the exposed crossing altogether. DeMaster said the route passes dolphins, birds and mangroves and is, in his view, scenically comparable to the Atsena Otie trip.

Organizers are still urging basic precautions on the new route: wearing a life jacket and checking tide times before setting out. The trail’s markers are meant to assist navigation, not substitute for standard paddling safety practices.

Historic landmarks along the way

Part of the trail’s appeal is tied to Cedar Key’s industrial history. Paddlers pass the remains of an 1861 railroad trestle and former industrial sites, including the Fenimore Steam Saw and Planing Mill. Robin Orlandi, a Florida Paddling Trails Association volunteer from Crystal River, said the route’s advantage is that paddlers are never far from a place to get out of the water, unlike some trails that require paddling five or six miles before reaching a landing.

Gainesville resident Gayle Sheets, who joined the inaugural paddle, said the route offers longtime visitors a different way to see the island’s history up close.

What’s next for Levy County

Colson said the Historic Trestle Paddling Trail is meant to be the first in a series of marked trails planned across Levy County, with hopes that the next one will open in Yankeetown. No timeline or funding details for additional trails were released at the ribbon-cutting.

For now, the trail stands as a concrete, low-cost safety measure born directly out of last year’s search-and-rescue incident, a sheltered route through Cedar Key’s back bayou that locals hope will steer more paddlers away from the open-water risks near Atsena Otie while showcasing the town’s working waterfront history.