Canaveral National Seashore Backcountry Island Camping

• Make a reservation and print your permit using www.Recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777. You may reserve your campsite up to 6 months prior to the camping date or up to the first day you wish to camp, if site is available. Only one permit will be issues per site, per night. All information collected on the camping permit is for use by Canaveral National Seashore to ensure that you have a safe and fun backcountry experience. You must be 18 years of age to make a reservation. Camping is permitted only at designated sites. Please note that violations of these regulations may result in fines. You must print your permit. If you are renting a canoe, bring it with you to the Apollo Visitor Center before 4:00 PM the day of check in.
• Natural and spoil island campsites provide a variety of access and capacity options to those visitors who have their own boat, canoe or kayak. Reservations and a permit are required for island campsites. Canoe rentals are available for sites 1-5. Canoes are reserved by calling (386) 428-3384, after you have made your camping reservation. Sites 6-14 may only be reached with a personal boat, canoe or kayak.

Apollo Entrance Station

Apollo Parking Lot 2

This is the Apollo Beach parking lot 2 for beach access.

• Parking area two has restrooms and an accessible boardwalk over the dunes to the beach. Make sure to bring everything you need for you beach visit such as sunscreen and water. Observe the dune strand for birds, pollinators, gopher tortoises and more. Please be kind to the dunes and stay on the boardwalk when crossing them. Out on the ocean, observe dolphin, rays, sea turtles and in the winter the North Atlantic Right Whale. Enjoy the seashore.

Apollo Visitor Center Dock

• The Apollo Visitor Center dock is a perfect place to observe wildlife and enjoy the scenery. Fishing is not allowed at this dock.

Castle Windy Trail

Castle Windy is a half mile walk trail located at Canaveral National Seashore.

Eldora

Explore the historic Eldora State House built in approximately 1915 common era (CE). Stroll through centuries old oaks in the coastal hammock forest. Close your eyes as you rock on the porch and imagine the excitement of the arrival of a steamboat.

• The Eldora House is one of the only homes remaining from this once thriving community of Eldora. The home is a two story wooden structure with a third floor attic that has a widows peek look out at the top. The western facing front door opens up to the Mosquito Lagoon which as that time was the primary method of travel in the late 1800's to early 1900's. The home is surrounded by scrub oak trees and palms trees. Mangrove islands are locate close by in the lagoon. Birds chirping, wind blowing through the trees, waves crashing on the beach and boats motoring by may be heard here.

Playalinda Beach

• Playalinda Beach  Located on the space coast in Brevard County, Playalinda Beach is a popular destination for beach going, wildlife viewing and rocket launch viewing. On the way to the seashore stop off at our sister park Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge or Kennedy Space Center at their visitor complex. Canaveral National Seashore manages the Playalinda District up through Klondike Beach to Apollo parking area number four to provide enjoyment, education and wildlife protection on behalf of Kennedy Space Center. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge co-manages 140,000 acres on behalf of Kennedy Space Center. Once you enter Playalinda Beach vistas one through eight offer wildlife viewing for a variety of migratory birds, alligators and other pond dwelling species. Look a few miles into the distance and catch a glimpse of the historic launch pads that launched man to the moon.  Playalinda offers fourteen beach access areas leaving plenty of space for visitors to find relaxation. Some tips to know before you go is to bring everything you may need while enjoying the beach (water, food, sunscreen, chairs, etc). There are parking areas, restrooms and accessible ramps at each beach parking area. 

Playalinda Entrance Station

Seminole Rest Entrance

Seminole Rest, a historic site, is part of Canaveral National Seashore and is located in Oak Hill, FL.

• Seminole Rest is a part of Canaveral National Seashore and is situated in a perfect place for the off-the-beaten-path kind of adventurer. This site is approximately a 40 - 45 minute drive from Apollo Beach and a 30 minute drive from Playalinda Beach. Taking the time to visit this site will provide rich historical context about Central Florida. The serene landscape and informative waysides will help paint a picture about what people found so special about this area. The address for Seminole Rest is, 211 River Rd. Oak Hill Florida, 32759.

Seminole Rest Wayside, Lost Mounds

This is the first stop while taking the tour around the Seminole Rest site's half mile trail.

• For thousands of years the Timucuan Indians harvested millions of clams and oysters form Mosquito Lagoon. They left the shells behind and formed mounds like the one here at Seminole Rest. Over time most of the mounds were destroyed and their stories lost with them. Oak Hill Mound, also called Sam’s Mound, once occupied the spit of land to your right. In 1918 it was reported that 2000 railroad cars of shells were removed from the mound for road fill. Quote from former resident, Jacqueline Snyder Stevens, “We always called it Sam’s Mound. They built the road out here for the railroad – just a little railroad- and they just cleared that mound. All the roads used to be shell. When they were taking down Sam’s Mound, I went down there often after I got out of school and I had quite a collection of pottery and stuff like that.” Please do not collect any artifacts from Seminole Rest property which are protected under the Archeological Resource Protection Act of 1985.

Seminole Rest Wayside, Mounds of Evidence

This fifth stop along the Seminole Rest trail presents a wayside interpretive panel that highlights the efforts taken by archeologists during their archeological investigations.

• Several mounds exist here at Seminole Rest. Snyder's mound, the largest mound, is not one mass of shells but in some areas seventeen different layers deposited over time. In an effort to find clues to the Timucuans, archeologists are interpreting the layers.  Clam shells make up most of the mound layers even though other materials, including oysters, conchs, and whelk shells and the remains of sea trout, shark, and bass were discovered. The abundance of clam shells indicates the site was mostly used for harvesting clams.  There are layers that suggest there were periods when the mound was not used but instead was overgrown with vegetation. Remains of poke berry, hackberry, and skullcap in the layers show vegetation has changed very little over the centuries. Many of these plants may have been used by the Timucua for food, fuel, and medicine. 

Seminole Rest Wayside, Preserving the Mound

Seminole Rest kiosk three is the third informational stop along the Seminole Rest self guided tour path.

• In 1911, Mr. and Mrs. Wesley H. Snyder purchased this house and the surrounding land. They named their homesite “Seminole Rest” after the Seminole Indians. Their purchase saved the story of an even earlier culture – the Timucuan Indians. “Daddy bought the place from an Englishman, “Lord” Turnor – the buildings, this house, and the other house. There was a long dock that went out and the boathouse was on the dock. My father saw this place as he was going duck hunting with some people over across the lagoon. Then to come over and see it. It was vacant when my father saw it. He bought it and the 10-acre grove. Bet you can’t guess what he paid for it all, $2,000 for the hill, and 10 acres. Mother added to it – there was some land south of the grove between here and Sam’s Mound – just to protect it.” – Jacqueline Snyder Stevens

Seminole Rest Wayside, The Caretakers

• Locals often stayed in this cottage when caring for the Snyder property. The name "caretakers" is just as appropriate for the Snyders. For 77 years the family guarded the Timucuan story. Their sense of preservation saved the information found in the mound. Otherwise, the mound would have been used to build railroad beds and highways. "When they were building the roads - or railroads - they wanted to buy the shell. Granddaddy said he wouldn't sell. He said it would spoil the beauty of the property, that's why we have the elevation here." - Marion Snyder Porta, granddaughter

Seminole Rest Wayside, The Timucuan Way of Life

• Archeologists agree that the Timucua lived in the wooded area in the distance. The trees provided wood for fuel and shelter, while fresh water springs supplied water.  In 1564 illustrator Jacque LeMoyne came to Florida as part of a French expedition. His vivid drawings depicting Timucuan life are our only visual record of this now-extinct cvilization that occupied much of Florida for thousands of years.

Seminole Rest Wayside, What Do You Think?

The Seminole Rest wayside two explores the life ways of the Timucua and how they shellfish harvested in Mosquito Lagoon.

• Archeologists believe that women and children gathered shellfish along the shore, using their feet and hands or digging with sticks or rakes. Meanwhile, the men fished in the deeper waters of the Mosquito Lagoon or Atlantic Ocean, using fish traps, nets, barbed arrows, or spears.  What did the Timucua look for when choosing a location a location to obtaine food? What might cause them to return to the same spot repeatedly? Was this a clam-processing site as archeologists suggest or could it have had other purposes?

Turtle Mound

• Walk to the top of Turtle Mound and experience breathtaking views of the ocean and the lagoon from multiple over looks. A 35-foot-high pathway to the top, it is the tallest shell mound on the east coast of Florida. The primarily oyster shell mound historically reached 70 feet high. Early explorers once thought it looked like a turtle shell from the ocean which is it's name sake. Currently it faces constant erosion from sea level rise and annual storm surge. Observe shoreline stabilization efforts underway by volunteers from the University of Central Florida. Plant life on the mound represents the cross section of both the temperate and the subtropical. While making your way to the top observe the various plants present. Look for the oyster shells peeking out on the surface of the forest floor. Also explore the small fisherman’s path around the side of the mound which gives a view of the transect layers of the mound. Enjoy salt water fishing along the shore of Mosquito Lagoon. Salt water fishing permits acquired through Florida Fish and Wildlife.

Turtle Mound's Middle Observation Deck

Visit Turtle Mound. Sit back and listen to the sounds of the seashore.

Turtle Mound's North Observation Deck

Turtle Mound's South Observation Deck

• Panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean through the coastal hammock to Mosquito Lagoon provide a breathtaking backdrop to the sound of crashing waves. 

Apollo Beach Visitor Center

• Apollo Beach Visitor Center
• Canaveral National Seashore's visitor center is located at 7611 S. Atlantic Ave, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169. Pick up a brochure or a Junior Ranger book. Get information about where to visit in the park. For more information call (386) 428 - 3384.

• Hike Castle Windy Trail
• Castle Windy Trail is located in Canaveral National Seashore's Apollo Beach. Park at beach parking area number three to access the trail. The trail is on the west side of the road and leads a half mile to Mosquito Lagoon. Be aware there are mosquitoes on the trail most of the year. Bring water and mosquito repellent.

• Seminole Rest
• Seminole Rest tells a story of Timucua indians, a pioneer settlement, and preservation of cultures. Preserving this site is essential in order to keep these stories alive. With accounts from Spanish writings, as well as the science of archeology, we are able to connect the past to the present. 

Apollo Beach Audio Tour

Using your cell phone, explore the Apollo Beach District. It is recommended to visit the visitor center first. Explore two historic places, Turtle Mound and Eldora House, then visit the beach. This tour can last from one hour or more depending on how much time you would like to spend here.

Natural Sounds Audio Tour

All recorded sounds were recorded by Dr. Nathan Wolek the 2020 artist-in-resident. The National Park Service Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division and Atlantic Center for the Arts are partnering for this environmental arts program. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds of Canaveral National Seashore. Multiple locations are recorded throughout the park including Apollo Beach, Playalinda Beach and Seminole Rest.

Seminole Rest Audio Tour

Seminole Rest is open daily from sunrise to sunset. There is a half mile path that is handicap accessible. Read about various snapshots of history about Timucuan and then Reconstruction Era settlers at this location on the various wayside stops along the way. This site is located in Oak Hill, Florida along the west side of Mosquito Lagoon. Enjoy the views of the lagoon, wildlife viewing and serenity during your visit. These are the very same qualities it's early inhabitants so enjoyed!

Young Sound Seekers Audio Postcard Tour

An environmental arts program for blind and partially sighted youth. The program encourages the appreciation of natural sounds and will help overcome barriers to access by creating a safe, undistracted outdoor space for blind and partially sighted students. A partnership between Atlantic Center for the Arts, the Center for Visually Impaired, and Stetson University, supported by the National Park Service Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division.