Trailhead for the Eldora Hammock Trail at Canaveral National Seashore

See the Hiking Trails web page for an interactive location map.

Length: .6-mile loop
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

The Eldora Hammock Trail is located on River Road, a one-way road that forks off to the left from the main park road just south of the Apollo Beach Visitor Center in the northern section of Canaveral National Seashore. Along the road are four parking areas that are numbered starting at #6, a continuation of the beach parking lot numbering system, the last of which ended at #5. The trail is located at Parking Lot #9, which is just past the parking lot for the Eldora State House.

The Eldora Hammock Trail is a typical nature trail—short, easy, and designed to provide information on the animals and/or vegetation in the area. Other than a few roots, the surface of the trail is smooth, so even those in a wheelchair can make it around with a little help. Some of the information signs along the way are blank, so consider the walk mainly for the sake of exercise.

Typical terrain of the Eldora Hammock Trail (missing info sign in the foreground)

The term “hammock” refers to a plot of ground that is a little higher in elevation than the surrounding wetlands. In Florida, this elevation difference may only be a few feet, but it is enough to create a section of dry land that supports vegetation that cannot grow in the wet areas.

The loop portion of the trail starts only a minute from the trailhead. You can go around in either direction, but the trail is meant to be hiked in a clockwise manner, so stay to the left at the intersection. The trail is in the forest, though a little sun does filter through. There is no need for sunscreen if this is the only outdoor activity you plan on doing. Also, during my early March hike I did not encounter any mosquitoes, but I’m sure there’s plenty of them from late spring through early fall.

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