Aerojet Road Trail... Paved Everglades Biking

Easy Bike Ride in the Southern Glades WEA, Homestead, FL

Still in surprisingly good condition, Aerojet Road Trail is an extra-wide paved 5 mile roadway leading to a former rocket engine test facility. The trail begins at the Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area (WEA) Trailhead, located along SR 9336 about one mile east of Coe Visitor Center, Everglades National Park (South Entrance). The abandoned roadway once served the Aerojet Dade Rocket Facility (more below). Running along the Aerojet Canal, it is now popular for biking, hiking, and birdwatching. (Map link and photos below.)

Overview Map... Aerojet Road Trail

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Location: west of Homestead, Dade County, FL (See map)
Mileage: 5 miles paved. More optional on connecting roads and trails
Surface: Paved asphalt; connecting roads and trails paved or gravel
Nearby Points of Interest: Everglades National Park, Everglades Alligator Farm

Bike Shops/Rentals: N/A

Page Summary:

Biking on Aerojet Road
Aerojet Road Trail
Aerojet Dade Rocket Facility
Other Side Trails
More Information and Resources

Biking on Aerojet Road... Comments and Ride Photos

The paved trail is straight and in generally good condition, easy to ride even for road bikes. Much of the view is obstructed by tree-line and vegetation. Decks overlooking the Aerojet Canal offer some welcome views of water and glades. About halfway, the rocket facility ruins are an interesting sight. Paved side roads lead to the graffiti-covered ruins, with more biking options on unpaved side trails. This is a remote area, no facilities and little shade, bring water and bug spray.

Aerojet Road Trail

The trailhead is parking only. In about 1/4 mile the trail passes an access to Lucky Hammock, a hardwood stand popular with birdwatchers. Several hikers were seen here.
After passing through a gate, the trail meets a side canal. An unpaved trail to the left follows this canal (see below), while the paved trail continues straight. Along the way are several more gates.
The large structures seen are remains of the rocket facility. A gated road mid-way along the trail branches off to the rocket compound (see below).
A few decks located along the trail offer views of the Aerojet Canal, one has a picnic table. A cross next to another marks the spot where a body was recovered from the canal.
At trail's end, an unpaved trail continues straight, while the old roadway turns left to one of the ruins (see below).

Trailhead at SR 9336

Around the gate

Approaching Lucky Hammock

Gate at the canal

Unpaved canal trail

Unexpected rapids

Viewing platform

Rocket facility

Side road to facility

Trail end

Aerojet Dade Rocket Facility

The Aerojet Dade Rocket Facility is an abandoned rocket testing and manufacturing facility built in 1963 in response to the Space Race. Aerojet General was awarded a contract from the U.S. Air Force to build and test rockets to send astronauts to the moon. A 150-foot silo was built for the solid-fueled rocket but in 1969 the facility closed down after the government decided to use liquid-fueled rockets instead. Though abandoned, the rocket was left behind! The site can be accessed but many buildings were demolished and the rocket silo is now covered.

Midway along Aerojet Road (about 2-2.5 miles) are two gated roads that lead to a section of the facility - these link, looping back to the main trail. Several other connecting roads also run through the complex.
From the second entry and looping back to the first, we visited a few of the buildings - in ruins, stripped by metal hunters, and covered in graffiti. That, along with a lot of bullet holes (in spite of the "Discharge of Firearms Prohibited" signs), make this a fascinating but also somewhat creepy experience - not a solo trip.

More history of the Aerojet Dade Rocket Facility