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Waccasassa
Bay State Preserve,
east of Cedar Key
Paddling
a canoe or kayak, or taking a boat into the
many marshes and channels near Cedar Key, is
a great way to experience the natural
environment of the barrier islands and river
estuaries. East of Cedar Key, in Waccasassa
Bay, as far east as Yankeetown (on the gulf),
the Waccasassa Bay State Preserve protects
the delicate marshes, wooded islands, and
mainland forests made up of hardwoods and
cypress. The preserve occupies 30,785 acres,
mostly salt marsh, with the wooded islands
close to the shoreline. These provide
breeding areas for hundreds of species of
saltwater fish and shellfish, plus bald
eagles, black bears, and other threatened and
endangered species, including manatees. More
than 100 creeks flow into the estuary,
providing wonderful opportunities for
canoeing close to the forests and wildlife.
Among the fish found in the preserve are
snook, sea trout, snapper, grouper, and
redfish. The preserve is accessed via State
Route 24, six miles east of the town of Cedar
Key.
Cedar
Key Scrub Reserve
Located
on the mainland, next to the Waccasassa
Preserve, this is a landscape dominated by
pine flatwoods, sand pine scrub, and the
omnipresent scrub jay. The 4,000 acres has
salt marsh at its margin. Because it is a
state reserve, and not a preserve, hunting is
permitted from September through
December.
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