Little-Known Cycling Trails

By Nate Huff
Published: October 5, 2007
Last Updated On: July 7, 2011

Text Size A A A

Related Cities & Topics:

Biking

Wildlife

Trails

Birding

Grayton Beach

Seaside

Key West

Florida Keys

Kissimmee

South Walton

Tallahassee

Boca Grande

Okeechobee

Key Largo

Clewiston

Winter Garden

Lake Okeechobee

A good bike ride is an escape in itself. But these little-known cycling trails offer you a different Florida cycling experience.

Think you've cycled all of Florida's trails? Think again. Remote trails, out-of-the-way paths and newly constructed routes mean there's always a fresh and exciting ride waiting. Check out some of Florida's hidden gems, from the Keys to the Emerald Coast and everywhere in between.

A ride along the 19-mile Timpoochee Trail (formerly the Scenic 30-A Bike Path) in Walton County will make it clear why the area is referred to as the Emerald Coast. The paved pathway meanders through the popular beach towns of Dune Allen, Santa Rosa Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, Grayton Beach, WaterColor, Seaside, Seagrove, Seacrest and Rosemary Beach, staying on the beachside of the highway. Stunning marsh lakes, spectacular dunes and views of the - you guessed it - emerald Gulf waters make the ride a popular one for families and couples. Visitors can pick up the path anywhere along Scenic Hwy. 30-A. For more information call Visit South Walton at 800-822-6877.

Largely shaded by the mixed hardwood and pine forests, the trail is of particular interest to birding enthusiasts, who will enjoy spotting more than 40 species that call the forested hills home.

Located just outside of Tallahassee, the Miccosukee Canopy Road Greenway offers riders an entirely different cycling experience. The 16.9-mile trail snakes its way across densely wooded rolling hills and agricultural pastures. Largely shaded by the mixed hardwood and pine forests, the trail is of particular interest to birding enthusiasts, who will enjoy spotting more than 40 species that call the forested hills home. It's suggested that cyclists leave the road bikes at home due to the mulch and hard-packed clay trails. Call 850-606-1470 to learn more.

To the east, the West Orange Trail offers 19 miles of relaxing, rural riding just a few miles from the frenzied excitement of Disney World. The paved rail-trail runs from Apopka to the Lake County line, passing through the communities of Clarcona and Winter Garden. The well-equipped trail not only features frequent restrooms and picnic areas, it also boasts a Florida-friendly/butterfly garden located a mile or so from the Oakland trailhead. For more information, call 407-654-1108.

Lake views are the main attraction of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST. Remote and sparsely populated, with the exception of several detours to adjacent roads to get past water control structures and a four mile segment near Fisheating Creek where Hwy 78 must be used, the only traffic cyclists encounter on the 110-mile, partly paved loop is caused by birds, armadillos and 'gators. There are two paved segments: 26 miles from the Kissimmee River east then south to Port Mayaca and 36 miles from Moore Haven to Pahokee. The remainder is crushed gravel. The trail is located atop the Herbert Hoover Dike, affording fantastic views of area agriculture, canal-front homes and the second largest freshwater lake inside the United States. While services are available in Old Florida lakeside towns like Clewiston and Okeechobee, riders are recommended to bring extra water and a spare tire or two - not to mention a fishing pole. Call the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at 863-983-8101 or call the Florida Trail Association at 877-HIKEFLA for more information.

Less remote, but equally under-appreciated, the Gasparilla Island-Boca Grande Trail offers an excellent mix of seclusion and services packaged in a comfortable 6.5-mile trail. Gulf breezes cut the temperature on the well-paved pathway, while lush vegetation makes for relaxing scenery. Starting at the Lighthouse Museum at the southern tip of Boca Grande, cyclists can head north, passing under a canopy of Banyan trees. Lush vegetation blankets the island, providing excellent cover for the multitudes of wild iguanas who have taken up permanent residence on the key during the warmest summer months (keep an eye out for them on the path -- they're not the brightest creatures). If one elects to do the entire 13-mile round trip, be sure to stop and congratulate yourself with a cold drink or ice cream cone in downtown Boca Grande, a mix of charming restaurants, shops and upscale boutiques. Call 941-964-2667 to learn more.

For more advanced island adventure, dedicated cyclists should head south to the Florida Keys, where the ultimate biking trail is currently under construction. The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail currently runs 70 miles from Key Largo to Key West, utilizing remaining sections of the historical Flagler Railroad Bridges, as well as newly constructed pathways. The trail will include cultural, ecological and historical information sites, though unparalleled vistas of mangrove dotted backwaters and shimmering seas will no doubt make focusing on anything other than the scenery quite difficult. Call The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail office at 305-853-3571 for the most current trail information.