An overlay on the Florida Trail around Lake Okeechobee, the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail provides a mostly paved cycling and walking route around the second-largest lake entirely within the borders of the United States.
First hiked in the 1960s and developed as a loop in the Florida National Scenic Trail in the 1980s, the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail offers spectacular views.
Mainly atop the 35-foot-tall Herbert Hoover Dike, built for flood control between the 1930s and 1960s, it offers unmatched perspectives on the lake for photographers and birders.
While there are numerous access points with parking, there are few convenience stores along the trail, and you can go long distances before finding a restroom, so be prepared. Bring water and sunscreen, there is no shade – better as a cool weather ride – and it can get windy on the dike. Watch the weather and get off the dike to avoid lightning strikes. Views from the dike can include broad vistas and excellent sunrises and sunsets, but again it is wide open, so much depends on the weather. The best biking lake views are on the north and east sides, while the west is mostly marshland. Many waterfowl are seen, plus sugar fields, wetlands, and surrounding agricultural communities. In sum, long distances with often unchanging views.
The Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail is contiguous with the Camp Milton Historic Preserve, which serves as a mid-point trailhead.
Built to connect Jacksonville to Tallahassee, the Florida, Atlantic & Gulf Central Railroad drew a great deal of attention during the Civil War because of its value as a transportation corridor.
Early during the war, an encampment named for Governor John Milton, Camp Milton, occupied a strategic spot along the rail line near Baldwin, where railroads met and still do today.
In August 1990, the City of Jacksonville applied to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for the acquisition of an abandoned railroad corridor. In December 1992, the abandoned railroad corridor was purchased from CSX Transportation Inc. through the Florida Greenways and Trails Program. This trail is part of a nationwide, federally initiated “Rails to Trails” program designed to turn abandoned railroad lines into “linear parks.” The Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail is a 100-foot wide Right-of-Way (ROW) currently extending approximately 14.5 miles from Imeson Road in Jacksonville to the Town of Baldwin. A 12’ wide paved trail currently exists for hikers, bikers, and rollerbladers to enjoy. An equestrian trail parallels the paved trail. The ROW is flat and passes through rural areas with abundant plant life, wildlife, and trees.
Restrooms are available at most trailheads and at Camp Milton
The trail is open from sunrise to sunset. Leashed pets are welcome. Do not ride more than two abreast.
The surface is asphalt. Sheltered benches are provided as rest stops at regular intervals.
Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail is a linear state park that stretches 15 miles from the City of Gainesville’s Boulware Springs Park through Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and Lochloosa Wildlife Management Area, and ends in the small town of Hawthorne. Wooded and quiet, with several hiking trails and paved spurs to scenic overlooks, there are even are some winding hills to challenge you! A link connects to Downtown Gainesville, the Waldo Road Greenway and Depot Avenue Rail-Trail for an additional 6.5 miles of biking.
Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail is a scenic, mostly rural trail that is great for biking or hiking. Check out the connecting La Chua hiking trail, a short walk into the heart of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.
The Florida Coast to Coast Trail (C2C) was conceived as an ambitious effort to create a continuous paved multi-use path across the state from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, the first state trail of its kind in the United States. It will span approximately 250 miles and is currently more than 80 percent complete. The trail will link communities between St. Petersburg and Titusville along its entire length, allowing residents and visitors to explore Central Florida by bicycle or foot. This corridor includes most of the 51-mile East Central Regional Rail Trail, the longest single rail-trail corridor ever acquired by the Office of Greenways and Trails. The trail links all or part of several existing multi-use trails and will be managed by a broad range of communities and agencies.
This westernmost state rail-trail winds through the historic town of Milton.
The more than nine miles of paved trail offer an enjoyable trip through a quaint North Florida town and out into the countryside where wooden bridges cross several creeks, and native wildflowers dot the landscape.
Designated as a National Recreation Trail and part of Florida’s State Greenways and Trails System, this paved trail is the perfect venue for biking, running, walking, and skating, along with picnicking and bird-watching activities. Equestrians may use the paved trail or unpaved shoulder at their discretion; all trail users share bridges. Equestrian use is prohibited on the Military Heritage Trail.
The trail extends eight miles north to join the U.S. Navy’s 1.5-mile Military Heritage Trail, which ends at the Naval Air Station Whiting Field.
The Elva Street Trailhead is located near State Road 87 and U.S. Highway 90 in Milton. A visitor center, approximately one mile from the trailhead, offers parking, restrooms, picnic tables, grills, and a playground.
The Cross Seminole Trail begins from the south at the intersection of Aloma and Howell Branch. It meets the Cady Way Trail in Winter Park and heads north for a 23-mile journey to meet the Seminole Wekiva Trail at the pedestrian bridge over Interstate 4 in Lake Mary. Along the way, the trail meanders through the beautiful cities of Oviedo and Winter Springs. A portion of the trail is designated as the Florida National Scenic Trail.
Enjoy park amenities along the way at Big Tree Park and Greenwood Lakes Park, or for an off-road wilderness experience, check out Spring Hammock Preserve and take a stroll through cypress forests on the boardwalk to Lake Jesup. 2020 Seminole County Government.
Spanning 50 linear miles across southern Volusia County, the East Central Regional Rail Trail also makes up a portion of several major Florida bike trails.
This trail includes two pedestrian bridges and three segments of the East Central Regional Rail Trail, which stretches 52 miles from Deltona to Edgewater, including a 10-mile leg to Titusville. The showcase trail is 12 feet wide and paved, making it accessible to walkers, joggers, in-line skaters, bicyclists, and people with disabilities.
Trailheads:
Pedestrian bridge over State Road 415 in Osteen
Pedestrian bridge over State Road 442 in Edgewater
5.7 miles from Green Springs Park in Deltona to State Road 415 in Osteen
3.7 miles from Rotary Park to the pedestrian overpass on State Road 442 in Edgewater
3 miles from the pedestrian bridge over State Road 415 to Guise Road in Osteen
Residents and visitors can access the Deltona trailhead at Green Springs Park.
The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (FKOHT) features more than 90 linear miles of existing trail paved in segments along a planned 106-mile corridor from Key Largo to Key West.
From a locally inspired vision and master plan, the FKOHT is a multi-use bicycle and pedestrian resource that serves as a recreational and alternative transportation corridor for the Florida Keys. Paralleling U.S. Highway 1, which is designated as a National Scenic Highway and All-American Road, this recreational pathway incorporates 23 of the historic Flagler Railroad bridges, offering a scenic venue hiking, running, bicycling, skating, sightseeing, fishing, and paddling. Please be advised that a few fishing bridges in this area have been closed for safety purposes. They are the Ohio-Missouri, Ohio-Bahia Honda, Missouri-Little Duck, Lower Sugarloaf, and Niles. These bridges are part of Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway built around the turn of the century. At more than 100 years old, the bridges are no longer used for transportation.
The existing FKOHT is paved in segments along the corridor from Key Largo to Key West. The longest, continuous section of paved trail is currently located in the Upper Keys between MM 106 at Key Largo and through MM 72 at Islamorada, Village of Islands. The trail and historic bridges also provide a beneficial, alternative transportation route that links island communities in the Keys. The trail offers access to many points of interest and ecological resources throughout the Keys, including Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge, and Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge, as well as 10 Florida State Parks. There are camping opportunities available at some state parks and private campsites.
The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail: 90 Miles of Multi-Use Trails Link the Keys, Offering Visitors a Spectacular Way to Experience the Islands.
This former railroad extends 29.2 miles from Polk City to Mabel and traverses three counties: Polk, Lake, and Sumter. Officially designated as part of Florida’s Statewide System of Greenways and Trails and is one of Florida’s most rural, paved rail-trails. Also designated as a National Recreation Trail®, the Van Fleet State Trail runs through the Green Swamp, the headwaters for some of Florida’s most popular paddling destinations, including the Withlacoochee, Hillsborough, and Peace rivers.
Landscapes include the river swamp, bottomland forest, pine flatwoods, former citrus lands, and cattle ranches. With only one curve in its 29.2 miles, you can choose to go slow and view the wildlife or enjoy it at a brisk pace. An equestrian trail parallels the length of the paved path. The trail has excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, especially between Green Pond Road and Bay Lake Road. Hunting is allowed in the Green Swamp and Richloam wildlife management areas, found on the western side of the northern half of the trail. The trail remains open during hunting seasons.
There are four trailheads throughout the 29.2-mile trail:
Polk City Station: Parking lot with picnic pavilion and barbecue grill. There is a convenience store and restaurants nearby.
Green Pond: Parking lot with picnic pavilion and barbecue grill. Restroom facilities north of this trailhead.
Bay Lake: Parking lot with picnic pavilion and restroom facilities.
Mabel: Parking lot with picnic pavilion, barbecue grill and restroom facilities.
This 62-mile route travels the grade-separated paved bicycling trail connecting Chiefland, FL, Trenton, FL, Fanning Springs, FL, and Cross City, FL. It also crosses the Suwannee River.
The route begins in Chiefland, where riders can find parking and restrooms. The trail travels north to Fanning Springs along the Nature Coast Trail. There are several parking lots and restrooms in Fanning Springs, as well as at the trailhead.
This town is also home to various local restaurants where riders can stop for a bite to eat. From Fanning Springs, the trail travels north again,again, then heads west towards Cross City. Along this route, riders cross the Suwannee River on the Nature Coast Trail Trestle Bridge, where they can enjoy a beautiful, panoramic view of the river.
Riders then reach Cross City, which is home to more local restaurants, stores, rest stops, and another trailhead. The trail extends just past the town and then continues back to Trenton. In Trenton, the trail passes more parking, rest stops, and a trailhead. Riders can continue from Trenton back to where they started in Chiefland.
The Original Florida Tourism Task Force (dba Visit Natural North Florida) and the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council do not warrant the safety of the routes on this map for use by bicyclists. Bicyclists should use these routes only if they have the adequate skill level as bicyclists, and bicyclists must make that determination. All the roads shown are used by automobiles and trucks, and bicyclists assume the risks for their own safety when using the roads and/or routes indicated on this map. The Original Florida Tourism Task Force, the local governments in which these bicycle routes are located, and the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council are not responsible for any damages whatsoever from its use.
