The beginning portion of the trail is distinguished by a series of small hills - a rarity among rail- trails. This trailhead, one of four, features picnic facilities as well as parking and a place to unload horses. The path begins at gorgeous Boulware Springs Park and Historic Waterworks, the site of Gainesville's first settlement, set among the forest on rolling hills. You can discover the generous ten-foot wide, 16-mile Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail on foot, via bicycle or even on inline skates-or explore the grassy trail that parallels it atop a horse. Marks River, is the perfect way to refuel. Marks the Riverside Café, with its gumbo, stone crab claws and a view of the St. Work up a good appetite before arriving in St. When the scenery changes from towering pinelands to cabbage palms, you'll know you're approaching the coast. Near the main trailhead in Tallahassee, off-road bikers can access the 15.8-mile Munson Hills/Twilight Mountain Bike Trails in the Apalachicola National Forest, a spur loop that curves through a lush, rare longleaf pine forest.Īt Wakulla Station Trailhead you’ll have an opportunity for another worthwhile five-mile side trip, to Wakulla Springs State Park, a wildlife sanctuary that’s home to one of the deepest freshwater springs in the world. You can hike, bike or skate on the multi-use trail, or even ride your horse on the adjacent unpaved trail. Marks, where a rustic air of yesteryear still prevails. The southern terminus is located in the sleepy waterfront fishing village of St. Marks Historic Railroad Trail is akin to time-travel: Starting amidst the urban amenities of Tallahassee, Florida’s state capital, you gradually slide into the past as the trail rolls along ancient forests and through picturesque rural towns. In fact, traversing the entire 16 miles of the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad Trailįlorida's first official state trail offers a rich diversity of sights and destinations. To help navigate the trail with confidence, pick up a free guidebook issued by The Pinellas County Planning Department, available at libraries and trailside shops. With few minutes of bike-loading instruction, you're good to go - literally. The area’s bike friendly in multiple ways, with a bounty of bike rental shops as well as buses equipped with bike racks. Eight overpasses have been constructed to get trail-goers safely across busy highways. Numerous cross-streets in downtown areas mean dealing with more traffic than on most rail-trails, but there's an agreeable trade-off: An abundance of shops, restaurants and coffeehouses are always close. You're likely to share the trail with dozens of people biking, walking, jogging and rollerblading, but painted markers separate cycling and pedestrian lanes, and rangers and volunteers patrol the track answering questions and offering travel pointers. Colorful railway-inspired artwork decorates the entrance to the towns along the way. Petersburg in the south and Tarpon Springs in the north, linking cities that include Palm Harbor, Clearwater and Gulfport with an eye-pleasing recreational corridor. The trail has even acquired a reputation for its prolific butterfly populations, which peak in autumn.Īfter your jaunt down the trail, reward yourself with a hearty meal at one of the eateries close to the trail along Route 33, like the Red Wing Restaurant in Groveland, offering surprisingly fine fare that includes an assortment of hand cut steaks, fresh fish and game meat like quail and venison.Ī green jewel that sparkles in a busy urban setting, the popular Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail reaches for 34 miles between St. Sunrise and dusk are the best times to spot white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, raccoons, otters and even bobcats. On this most rural of Florida's paved trails, the bird watching and wildlife viewing are stellar, and you’ll find covered benches or viewing stations every mile. But it’s hardly a snooze, with the path cutting through dense forests and the formidable Green Swamp traversing rustic plank bridges spanning wide creeks and passing next to ranches dotted with cows and Brahma bulls. The former railway corridor, once used to transport citrus, is flat and straight the entire way. With the exception of the Bay Lake Road access point, which offers only parking, the trailheads offer restrooms, water and covered picnic tables. Shorter jaunts can begin at two mid-section trailheads. The northern trailhead is sited by the almost invisibly small village of Mabel, while the southern end is located outside the town of Polk City. Van Fleet State Trail, you’re likely to have the path mainly to yourself. During a journey on the 29.2-mile-long General James A. Less than an hour from Orlando's glitzy attractions and crowds, you can escape to a deliciously secluded world of staggering natural beauty.
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