Home › Florida › Cocoa Beach › Shepard Park
Shepard Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,296 Google reviews · Running trail in Cocoa Beach, Florida · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Boardwalk
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Shepard Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
A 5-acre oceanfront park offering picnic areas, shower facilities & a view of space launches.
What runners say about Shepard Park
“The parking was 5$ and hour or 20$ all day, restrooms available and very comfortable area, also clean.”
“Beautiful but be cautious of the flags flying.”
ALAN SHEPHARD PARK: Of the two Atlantic Ocean parks, Wilson & Shephard, I recommend Shephard hands-down over the perfectly nice Wilson. NOTE CAREFULLY: Virtually ALL condo bldgs / hotels on ocean side of Cocoa Bch restrict ocean access to their guests and threaten towing. Forget trying to park at any of them.
Shepard Park in Cocoa Beach is a great spot for public beach access for a day trip from Orlando. It’s an easy drive and perfect spot to get your beach fix. - Only an hour from Orlando - The Beach offers 300+ paid public parking spots, picnic tables, restrooms, showers, and a lifeguard stand.
Never did I ever think about going to the beach in December but here we are, the day after Christmas, and loving every single bit of it! We are visiting from out of state. The beach was absolutely beautiful and clean. There were more people out than I would have imagined being out in Winter but hey, it's Florida!
One of my favorite places on earth. Not too crowded. Parking is easy. Plenty of beach showers nearby. Public toilets nearby. I can walk easily to the Sandbar for lunch. Ron Jon's is a pleasant walk away as well. Cheers!
Trail conditions & character
“As an added bonus, there are a couple of local dive restaurants literally right in the parking lot: Sandbar (the better of the 2) and Capt J's (with better views).”
“Full facilities (restrooms, showers, etc), dozens of covered picnic tables, lifeguards most days, and a front row seat to world-famous Cocoa Beach!”
“As an added bonus, there are a couple of local dive restaurants literally right in the parking lot: Sandbar (the better of the 2) and Capt J's (with better views).”
“We did have to pay to park but there were plenty of spaces and we were right by the boardwalk to the beach.”
Plan your run at Shepard Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceBoardwalk — flat and scenic, and slick when wet, so watch your footing
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Websitecityofcocoabeach.com
- Phone(321) 868-3258
Hours
| Monday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Tuesday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Friday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Saturday | 8 AM–7 PM |
| Sunday | 8 AM–7 PM |
Running trails near Cocoa Beach
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Sidney Fischer Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 809 reviews
Green oceanfront park with shaded picnic pavilions, showers, a playground & restrooms.
Maritime Hammock Preserve
4.2 ★★★★☆ 105 reviews
Park featuring a stormwater pond, dog walking, picnicking, bird watching & walking trails.
Cherie Down Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 3,754 reviews
This 7-acre beach park features a 200-ft. boardwalk along sand dunes, plus picnic shelters.
Manatee Sanctuary Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 2,542 reviews
This waterfront resource offers exercise stations, a boardwalk, picnic facilities & horseshoe pits.
Banana River Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 330 reviews
A fishing platform & a kayak launch are available at this large, public waterfront park.
Cape Canaveral Community Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 9 reviews