Photo via Google Places
Pier Closed — Under Repair
As of late 2025, the fishing pier at Shell Mound is closed for repairs. The Shell Mound area, trails, and boat/kayak launch remain open. Check with the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge before planning to fish from the pier.
Shell Mound Fishing Pier:
Shell Mound is a quiet, wild corner of Florida’s Nature Coast, about eight miles from Cedar Key in the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. A boardwalk leads out to a handicap-accessible fishing and observation pier built over the shallow bay where Suwannee Sound meets the Gulf of Mexico — a peaceful spot known for redfish, sea trout, crabbing and some of the best sunset views around.
The pier sits beside a 6,000-year-old Native American shell mound — a 28-foot ridge built from an estimated billion-plus shells over centuries of gatherings. A short loop trail and interpretive signs tell that story, and the surrounding refuge is rich with wading birds, dolphins and salt marsh.
As of late 2025 the pier itself is closed for repairs, though the trails, the tide-dependent kayak and small-boat launch, and the rest of the area remain open. It is a remote spot — bring everything you need, including your Florida license and bug protection.
Area Facts
Pier
Fishing/observation pier (ADA)
Pier Status
Closed for repairs (late 2025)
Water
Suwannee Sound / Gulf
Cost
Free
Manager
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Nearby
Cedar Key (~8 mi)
Tide Forecast
Tides shown for the nearest NOAA station — a planning guide. Always confirm conditions before you head out.
Before You Fish
- The fishing pier is currently closed for repairs — confirm it has reopened before planning to fish from it.
- When open, the pier is known for redfish, sea trout and crabbing over the shallow bay; oyster bars sit below.
- The trails, shell-mound loop, and tide-dependent kayak/boat launch remain open.
- Bring your own Florida saltwater license, water and bug protection — it is a remote area.
- A county campground is nearby; the drive in winds through salt marsh full of birds and wildlife.
Plan Your Visit
Shell Mound Rd (CR 326), Cedar Key, FL 32625
A remote handicap-accessible fishing/observation pier over Suwannee Sound at a 6,000-year-old shell-mound site near Cedar Key. Free; currently closed for repairs — trails and launch remain open.