Tunneling through the shade of coastal cedars between an impoundment and the boat channel from the saltwater boat ramp to the Gulf of Mexico, the Cedar Point Trail is a short walk to the Gulf not far from the St. Marks Lighthouse.
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Overview
Location: St. Marks
Length: 0.6 mile (1.2 mile round-trip)
Trailhead: 30.079395, -84.178459
Address: 1255 Lighthouse Rd, St. Marks
Fees: $5 vehicle, $1 bicycle or pedestrian
Restrooms: at the visitor center and Tower Pond
Land manager: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Phone: 850-925-6121
Open sunrise to sunset. The gate on Lighthouse Rd opens at 6 AM and closes after dark. Be alert to alligators along the refuge trails as they are a common sight.
A salt water boat ramp adjoins the trail, providing a place for boaters to quickly slip into the shallow Gulf of Mexico.
Directions
From US 98 in Newport, follow Lighthouse Drive south into St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and stop to pay the refuge fee at the iron ranger near the Visitor Center. Continue south slowly on the scenic drive to the end of the road. The trail shares the parking area with the boat ramp access on the left before you reach the lighthouse. It can be paired with the Lighthouse Levee Trail for a longer walk.
Hike
Look for the small wooden sign at the edge of the turnaround for the boat ramp area to find the trailhead. The path wanders directly into the shade of a hammock of cabbage palms and cedar trees.
It spends the next quarter mile weaving in and out of shade, coming to broad spots with panoramas of the natural marsh to the north and across the canal dredged for boat traffic.
Trail’s end is at a natural beach on the Gulf of Mexico, where you may see masses of horseshoe crabs mating and nesting during the spring and summer.
This is an excellent spot for birding and wildlife photography. It’s possible to follow the beach north for a stretch, but you may run into marshy spots, depending on the tide.
Return the same way you came for a 0.6 mile round trip. Follow the Lighthouse Levee Trail in the opposite direction for a round-trip walk to the St. Marks lighthouse for a 1.8 mile hike.
St. Marks Lighthouse Levee Trail A windswept walk along the Gulf of Mexico, the Lighthouse Levee Trail provides scenic panoramas of both the Gulf and marsh impoundments near the St. Marks Lighthouse.Explore More!
Learn more about St. Marks NWR
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Stretching across 86,000 acres in Florida's Big Bend, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge protects one of Florida's longest wild shorelines, more than 43 miles in three counties.Nearby Adventures
St. Marks Lighthouse Built in 1842, the St. Marks Lighthouse played a pivotal role during the Civil War. Despite its light being quenched during the war, it remains a working lighthouse marking the location of the St. Marks River.
Tower Pond Trail At St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, the Tower Pond Trail loops a mile through vast impoundments and marshes along the Gulf of Mexico, providing scenic panoramas and great birding. 
Florida Trail, Apalachee Bay 14.3 miles. Hugging the Big Bend coastline, this hike through Aucilla WMA and St. Marks NWR offers some of the most breathtaking panoramas you'll find along the Florida Trail, and a profusion of wildlife.
Plum Orchard Pond Trail Starting adjacent to the Visitor Center at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, the Plum Orchard Pond Trail is an easy half mile loop that takes you out along Plum Orchard Pond, a great birding stop.
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