Follow the signs out through the residential area to this large compound established in 1962 as the first museum to capture Cedar Key’s long history as presented by St. Clair Whitman, a colorful local man who started his own personal museum of artifacts and seashells. Whitman’s house is under restoration on the property; a short trail leads along the edge of the estuary. In 1867 naturalist John Muir followed the path of the Florida Railroad on his 1,000-mile walk to the Gulf of Mexico. Arriving here, he fell ill with malaria and spent several months living in the village, which had a booming pencil industry at the time.
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Overview
Location: Cedar Key
Length: 0.3 mile
Lat-Long: 29.150685, -83.048521
Type: loop
Fees / Permits: none for the trail, fee for the museum
Difficulty: easy
Bug factor: moderate
Restroom: Yes
There are restrooms in the museum and several exhibits around the property. The museum is closed several days a week, so check ahead.
Cedar Key Museum Historic State Park website
Directions
From SR 24 in Cedar Key, turn right onto Whiddon Ave. Pass the high school. Turn right on Gulf Blvd, left on Hodges Ave, and right on SW 166th Ct Dr. The parking area is on the right. Address: 12231 SW 166th Ct, Cedar Key, FL 32625
Hike Details
There is a short nature trail – slightly more than a quarter mile – that loops out to the edge of the estuary behind the Whitman House, providing a good spot for birding and photography. Look for butterflies amid the sea oxeye.
