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Cedar Point Englewood

Cedar Point Environmental Park

Where Oyster Creek meets Lemon Bay in Englewood, Cedar Point Environmental Park provides easy interpretive hikes through coastal habitats on a wildlife-rich peninsula

Englewood      ( 26.9254, -82.3350 )      2.1 miles

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Protecting 115 acres along Lemon Bay, Cedar Point is Charlotte County’s flagship environmental park.

Adjoining Lemon Bay High School, the park was established in the mid-1990s for environmental education and conservation.

While foremost a preserve of coastal habitats, this is a gentle place for hikers of all ages and a great place to bring the kids.

Cedar Point Park trail The paths are natural surface and easy to follow


The trails are well marked with signage at intersections and benches at strategic points. Special points of interest are called out with interpretive signs unique to the preserve.

Guided hikes and seagrass wading adventures are offered on a regular basis to help visitors better understand the complexity of coastal habitats. Call ahead to sign up for one.

Cedar Point Environmental Center Cedar Point Environmental Center


Resources

South Florida Explorers Guide book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: Englewood
Length: 2.6 mile trail network
Trailhead: 26.9254, -82.3350
Address: 2300 Placida Road, Englewood
Fees: Free
Restroom: adjoining the nature center
Land manager: Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center
Phone: 941-475-0769

Trails open sunrise to sunset. Visitor center open Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30. No dogs permitted.

Certain trails may be closed seasonally to protect nesting eagles from disturbance.

Cedar Point Environmental Park

Founded in 1987, this nonprofit organization is always looking for members and volunteers. Learn how you can help.


Directions

 
From US 41 in North Port, follow River Rd south to Englewood. Take Pine St south to SR 775, and soon after crossing SR 776, watch for the park entrance on the right. There are two parking areas: one just inside the preserve entrance and another near the environmental center.

Hike

The Conservancy Trail connects the front parking area with the environmental center parking area with a quarter mile loop through pine flatwoods.

We parked closer to the environmental center and started at the main kiosk for the preserve, where you can pick up a trail map.

Kiosk with hiker map The main kiosk, where maps are provided


Follow the “To Trails” sign to walk around the environmental center and turn right at the Tortoise Trail sign. A grassy corridor leads between the saw palmetto under the pines.

Tortoise Trail sign Walking through pine flatwoods to the Tortoise Trail


Reaching the next Tortoise Trail sign, turn right to walk a comfortable pine-needle strewn path through the coastal flatwoods.

trail junction Main trail junction with Cedar Point to the west


Mature slash pine forms the high canopy, while sand live oaks draped in Spanish moss knit a lower canopy providing shade.

Hiking Cedar Point Park Hiking under the oak canopy


Needlerush appears in low spots, signaling that water is near. Passing the Eagle Trail coming in from the left, you meet the loop in the Tortoise Trail after a quarter mile. Keep right.

Needlerush and mangroves Needlerush and mangroves tell you the coast is near


The trail curves behind a line of black and red mangroves. The red ones sport prop roots, while the black ones are surrounded by the tiny finger-like protrusions called pnuemataphores.

Mangroves Lemon Bay Finding a gap in the wall of mangroves


Stepping through a gap in the mangroves, stand on the shores of Lemon Bay. An oyster bed is visible when the tide is out.

oysters Lemon Bay An oyster bed in Lemon Bay. The bridge leads to Manasota Key.


A bench is nearby, along with a kiosk about oyster bars and a disposal for fishing line. Anglers are welcome to walk out here to cast a line.

Marsh Trail sign Start of the Marsh Trail


To go deeper into the needlerush, turn right at the Marsh Trail sign. This short loop off the Tortoise Trail walks you through the marsh behind the mangroves.

Marsh Trail Walking into the salt marsh


Here, the glossy forms of salt-loving plants like glasswort and saltwort stand out against the marl and sand. Fiddler crabs scurry away into their holes.

glasswort Glasswort looks like little jointed pipes up close


Rejoining the Tortoise Trail, follow it as it loops back around to the Eagle Trail. We weren’t surprised at all to find a gopher tortoise ambling down the trail in front of us.

gopher tortoise This gopher tortoise was right along the Tortoise Trail


Turn right on the Eagle Trail. It starts out in a dense pine flatwoods but opens up when it reaches the linear Jeep Trail. Turn right.

Eagle Trail sign Turn at the Eagle Trail sign


The Jeep Trail starts down towards Cedar Point at the end of the peninsula. A bench is strategically placed at the Bald Eagle interpretive sign.

Eagle Trail Along the Eagle Trail


The tree with the eagles’ nest is straight ahead from the sign. However, we found a better perspective on it on our return from the point.

Birding Cedar Point Watching for activity at the eagles’ nest


Walking out to Cedar Point, you are surrounded by needlerush and mangroves for a stretch. The landscape opens up to reveal cedars dotting the grassy peninsula.

Cedar Point Cedars grow on the coastal flats


A side trail leads right through the sea grapes to another perspective on Lemon Bay from a small bluff. Osprey hover overhead, waiting for the right moment to dive.

Lemon Bay bluff A bluff with a view of Lemon Bay


Look carefully at the bluff as you climb up it and you’ll see it is made up of compacted shells. This is a man-made bluff, a midden created by ancient people who once fished these waters for sustenance.

Cedar Point midden Fossilized shells spill out of this bluff, a clue it is a midden


The Mangrove Trail continues to the very end of the peninsula, where a short boardwalk leads to the point at 1.3 miles. Enjoy the view.

Cedar Point Englewood Looking out across Lemon Bay from Cedar Point


A picnic pavilion provides a place for a break, and another disposal for fishing line.

On the return, the transition from cedar flats to mangrove forest to pine flatwoods is more obvious as you walk up a gentle grade.

Mangrove Trail Along the Mangrove Trail


Stop again at the bald eagle interpretive sign. It takes a long lens or binoculars to see activity in the nest. From this perspective, however, you can tell how enormous the nest is.

Eagle nest Cedar Point The eagle nest at Cedar Point


It was here when the park first opened. Local naturalists date it to 1992. The eagles return every season.

Eagle nest Eagle tail feathers upper left in nest


After 1.6 miles, take the Big Pine Trail to make the return loop. It leads through cedar flats and saw palmetto before getting into the forest of tall slash pines.

Palm flatwoods Dense cabbage palms in the pine-palm flatwoods


Many of the mature pines of this region ended up in sawmills, so it’s a delight to see so many on this coastal preserve.

Big pines at Cedar Point Big pines on the Big Pine Trail


Follow the Big Pine Trail to get back to the environmental center. If you parked at the front gate, use the Connector Trail to the Conservancy Trail to get there, adding another 0.4 mile to this 2.1 mile hike.

Birding Cedar Point Englewood Watching for a woodpecker we heard


Stop and take a look at the Cookie House on your way out. This historic structure was moved from Englewood to the preserve in 2006.

A 1931 log cabin made from “cookies” sliced out of lighter pine and stacked on edge, it is the only known remaining cabin of its type in Florida.

Cookie House Englewood The “Cookie House” was Florida’s first marine biology station on the mainland



Trail Map

Cedar Point Park Trail Map


Explore More!

Slideshow

See our photos of Cedar Point Preserve


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Oyster Creek Environmental Park

Oyster Creek Environmental Park

Along the northern shore of a mangrove-lined creek, Oyster Creek Environmental Park offers gentle hiking trails with interpretive stops beneath old-growth slash pines

Stump Pass Beach

Stump Pass Beach State Park

At the south tip of Manasota Key, Stump Pass Beach State Park sits at just the right angle to collect seashells like a scoop, so early risers have great shelling

Lemon Bay Park and Environmental Center

Lemon Bay Park

Explore the edges of Lemon Bay Aquatic Preserve in this Sarasota County Park with more than 4 miles of trails – including accessible trails – winding through coastal habitats

Amberjack Slough

Amberjack Environmental Park

At Amberjack Environmental Park in Rotonda, a surprising meld of scrub and mangrove habitats means great birding along the high ground of the Cape Haze Peninsula


Park Brochure (PDF) Official Website

Category: County Parks, Day Hikes, Hikes, Nature Centers, Parks, Southwest Florida, TrailsTag: Big Trees, Birding, Englewood, Family-Friendly, Fishing, Mangroves, Venice, Wildlife Viewing

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