My favorite bike trails in Florida - what is your favorite trail?

[RABikes2]

On a lighter note ...

I live in Florida and thought this might be a great way to get out the word that there are many safe and nice trails to ride in our State for those who live here or might be visiting. What is your favorite bike trail? Feel free to add another trail in Florida or from your own state.

If you visit Florida, please try one of our great bike trails. The videos I've included below are two examples of outstanding trails in mid-state. Florida is loaded with many trails just like these.

The first video is about the Suncoast Trail and you get to meet me as one of the narrators. This is where I like to train when visiting my folks in the Pasco County area. The second video is coverage of the Withlacoochee Trail and a good buddy of mine, Jim Mann, is one of the narrators. A local friend and cyclist, Lee Berger, is responsible for interviewing, videoing, producing, and putting the entire package together, so locals and visitors can actually see what a particular trail is like prior to visiting the area.

Enjoy!

RA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-CjbHrMHOg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAUBtqRY5K0&NR=1

[Fixed]

Suncoast Parkway Pinellas Trail,Flatwoods Park
/http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/lh-flatwoods.html


http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/westcentral/trails/suncoast.htm

http://www.pinellascounty.org/trailgd/
these are
near tampa
you know about the friendship trail it's closed
it was the most beautiful trail around here
cheers

[Ralph]

It depends on what part of the state you're interested in. Florida is a big state....N to S. I ride these two a lot since they are fairly close to me. They connect.

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/eastcentral/trails/west_orange.htm

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/eastcentral/trails/lake_minneola.htm

The Withlachochee (sp) trail (above post) is flat, but goes thru some interesting areas. It also goes thru the middle of Inverness, a very pretty small town (sleepy), so a visitor from outside the area can get a motel room on the trail and do one direction one day, other direction the next day, and walk around the town at night. Restaurants, etc. We go over there a few times each year. The original post above also shows the Nature Coast Trail....a nice trail.

I ride this trail about every day. Do a loop at the end on coutry roads at the end, then return on trail. It's near my house and easy to ride to for me. No need to crank up my Element. It has one tunnel under a major intersection, another tunnel under construction, and others planned. Central Florida trail planners have decided it's cheaper to tunnel under some of these busy roads than to build bike/ped bridges over them. Tunnels are fun....cool in summer, etc. http://www.traillink.com/trail/seminole-wekiva-trail.aspx

So sure.....when you visit Florida, bring your bike. Ride the trails to get accustomed to area, then if you want more, go to Mapmyride.com (or something similar), and map out a road ride from a trail head. I think the rural roads are as safe as the busy parts of the trails, especially on a Saturday or Sunday morning when I usually avoid parts of the trails. You can plan a vacation coming to Florida and riding our trails from the N to the middle of the state. I even run into many folks from foreign countries here riding our trails. Most of the trails have some towns near the trail heads with reasonable priced motels also.

Note.....While parts of the 14' wide trails may allow bike speeds as fast as you wish to go, other parts may not, and these are shared trails with walkers, joggers, mom's running behind strollers, etc. Sometimes busy, especially on weekend mornings. So it's best to use these trails for 15-18 MPH cruising, not for training cyclists. I do see a lot of serious looking cyclists using these trails to safely get out to their rural training roads.

[LouDeeter]

West Orange is a nice trail. It does have a lot of cross streets where you have to be very careful with traffic. The western end also provides a nice transition to the "mountains" of Florida in Lake County where you can get climbing training.

Van Fleet Trail in Polk County is about as straight, flat, and traffic-free a trail as you will fine anywhere. It is on the base of an old railroad and runs across the Great Green Swamp. Great for beginners or for the ride where you want to ride three abreast and talk. Lots of wildlife on this one.

[Lifelover]

That looks like cycling nirvana! I love ridding the MUTS in Virginia Beach. The only formal trail being constructed is the capital to capital trial that will connect Jamestown to Richmond. http://www.virginiacapitaltrail.org/ Might be complete as soon as 2014.

There is a push to make a 40 mil trail that would connect Virginia Beach to Suffolk. It would require a Ferry ride over the Elizabeth and is only in the concept phase.

[Ralph]

Lou....One of my favorite rides during the week, is driving over to Chapin Station on the West Orange Trail, and taking the trail to the County Line where it becomes the Clermont Trail, and then taking that over to the beach in Clermont to that Trail head (I know Lou knows all these places). It's about 35 miles round trip. My wife will sometimes go and sit under a shady tree with a book while I'm gone. Chapin Station is a full servoce safe station, so I don't mind leaving her there for a few hours. On my way back, I'll call her, and then she meets me at the French Cafe on the sidewalk in down town Winter Garden as the trail comes thru the middle of town.

http://www.cwgdn.com/ For anyone interesting in visiting, the trail can be seen coming thru middle of town. As most of you can tell, I think Florida is a cycling paradise from about middle of state north. You just have to get it figured out. Bring your bikes, and stay in simple Ma and Pop motels near the trail heads. Map out rides on rural roads. Forget Disney!! Visitors from all over come to Florida just to ride our trails. I ran into a group from Germany a few weeks ago on the Seminole Wekiva trail.

That Va Capital Trail looks promising. I've ridden around Jamestown before along the river.

Lou....Maybe meet me some time at Chapin Station.

[FL_MarkD]

To the OP, very nice job on the short videos. A great idea for informing those from outside the area.

I have the fortune of living between the Suncoast Trail and the Pinellas Trail. Each has there own benefits; one very urban, one very rural.

If you ride the Suncoast Trail, don't miss a chance to visit the Starkey Park Trail that intersects at approximately mile 6.75. It is a 6.5 mile linkages from the Suncoast to the day park and on into New Port Richey. A beautiful trail with rest rooms at the west end and plenty of wildlife.

Mark

[Fixed]

i used to ride suncoast often when did the starkey trail open ?
cheers

[Fixed]

lets all get together this sat for the ride 4 the animals ride it is for a good cause
we can all meet
a few of us will be there the more the merrier
cheers