Sierra Club Suwannee St Johns Group

Please REGISTER AT https://campfire.sierraclub.org/campfire/ClubEventEntry?id=a4SPo000006HQDxMAO

In 2024, Florida’s gulf coastal communities were hit hard by hurricanes Idalia, Debbie and Helene. The fishing community of Cedar Key suffered flooding and fires that impacted town. Via walking tour, our group will see recovery efforts, speak with tourists and locals.

During the Cedar Key Museum’s self-guided tour, we will learn of historical railway connecting Florida’s east and west coasts with centers of commerce, cedar pencil factories and get in depth descriptions from museum docent. Outside, we will see the historical marker commemorating Sierra Club founder John Muir’s lengthy stay here recovering from his bout with malaria, then hike the nature trail where at the time of this writing one eagle nests and 2 osprey nests were active with fledglings. We will then visit the historic cemetery where hummingbirds can sometimes be seen.

We will travel to the downtown business area for coastal beach birding, walk around marina and length of fishing piers, visit the Chamber of Commerce’s charming gift shop where restrooms are available, speak with community activist and discuss having a late lunch.
Afterwards we will travel to Shell Mound in the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, learn history and ecology of Indigenous peoples’ trash piles, hike the easy Dennis Trail across the marsh for more birding and botanizing, learn impacts of sea level rise.