With miles of recreational trails, natural beauty, and year-round biking weather, it is no surprise that Florida has the best bicycle trails in the country. If you’re looking for the best bicycle trails in Florida, there are a few trails to choose from.
In Florida, once you’ve made it to one of the dedicated bicycle paths, you’ll find bicycle trails with scenic views great for picnicking and wildlife and perfect for seniors, families, and children. Whether you’re looking for a challenging climb, beautiful scenery, or a break from the hot afternoon sun, here are some of the best bicycle trails in Florida.
1. Legacy Trail
Start pedaling!
The Legacy Trail in Venice is one of the best bicycle trails in Florida. Its 3.5 miles of paved trail offers an awesome ride with interesting history signs and beautiful views. In 2008, the trail was created from a former railroad line, and since then, it has been modified to include a smoother surface and reflect more local history.
It connects directly to the Venetian Waterways Park Trail, which spans almost 20 miles — so arm your bike with the best tire and tighten its chain. Now that it has been around for a few years and after numerous additions and modifications, the Legacy Trail is even better than ever. You’ll ride over bridges that offer views of Roberts and Dona Bays and the US 41/Tamiami Trail — all with an amazing view of the water.
2. Greenway/Santos Trails
Santos offers one of the best bicycle trails in Florida. No off-road destination in Florida provides a more technical set of bicycle trails than what the Ocala Mountain Bike Association built at Santos. The intricate web of trails built along the Cross Florida Greenway is enjoyed by mountain cyclists from all over the Sunshine State.
Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, you’ll have fun riding here. The trail system is designed for all skill levels and is carefully mapped out with loops and cross-paths that let riders explore the forest from both Santos and Vortex, which used to be called “The Other Side.” This trail stretches all the way to the Pruitt trailhead near Dunnellon. It hooks up with other trails, forming a larger network of singletrack.
To our knowledge, this part of the Cross Florida Greenway between SE 80th Street and SE 95th Street contains approximately 20 miles of tightly twisted singletrack. There is also a small amount of doubletrack.
3. Key Biscayne Trails
With two bicycle trails in its terrific parks, Key Biscayne has a reputation for on-the-go outdoor activities and has some of the best bicycle trails in Florida. Riders can choose to travel from Crandon Park to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, or vice versa. However, village traffic should be ridden in between to complete the trip.
At Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, cyclists can create a one-and-a-half-mile circuit using a paved bicycle path and unpaved service roads. While some bicycle trails offer vistas of Biscayne Bay, others will take you through the trees.
There is a wide, paved bicycle trail running along Virginia Key from Crandon Park to the Bear Cut Bridge. It’s a great spot for a leisurely ride along one end of the island. If you start out at Crandon Park, you can park at the marina for free. When you reach the Bear Cut Bridge, you’re on an on-street bicycle lane.
You can go on a guided bicycle tour of Key Biscayne and see Miami from behind handlebars. A number of outfitters offer bicycle tours of Key Biscayne. Bike and Roll Miami will take you through downtown Miami and then, headed out at Rickenbacker Causeway, the iconic Cape Florida lighthouse, the beaches, and much more.
4. Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail
If you’re traveling to Jacksonville and want to see the beautiful north Florida countryside, take a stroll on one of the oldest paved bicycle trails and one of the best bicycle trails in Florida.
Tranquil and remote, this trail is surrounded by natural landscapes. It is pristine, with beautiful pine Flatwoods, wetlands, and hardwood uplands in addition to a variety of wildlife. The Jacksonville-Baldric trail path is over ten miles of beautiful trails where you’ll see stilts, wood storks, hawks, and belted kingfishers.
Be on the lookout for alligators, turkeys, gopher tortoises, rabbits, coral snakes, and many more. But be especially careful of coral snakes. They have narrow yellow rings dividing the wide black and red bands. These snakes are venomous.
From downtown Jacksonville, you can get to the Imeson Road trailhead by taking I-10 west to Exit 356/I-295 North, then proceeding to I-295 to Exit 9/Commonwealth Avenue. You’re going to spend nearly a mile making your way to Imeson from the west on Commonwealth. Go right. And on the left, there should be the marked trailhead.
If you want to get to the Brandy Branch Road trailhead, you have to go I-10 west to Exit 343/US Highway 301 and proceed north to US Highway 90. Make a left turn and take a 2-mile drive west. Then, make a right turn on Route 121/Brandy Branch Road. On the right, there should be the marked trailhead.
5. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail
Avid cyclists can enjoy the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail in Florida. It’s one of the best bicycle trails in Florida within U.S. borders that go around the second largest lake. You can expect a hard-packed trail that follows alongside the wilderness shoreline of Lake Okeechobee. The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail is for the more daring cyclists. You can ride along several paved miles and bicycle past a variety of wildlife in a natural and beautiful setting.
Enjoy a head-on view of nature at the Herbert Hoover Dike Trail! Located up on the 35-foot-tall dike, this spot gives you a wide view of wetlands, sugar fields, and Lake Okeechobee — which is sure to please birdwatchers in the winter. Residents can often spot egrets, herons, and wintering waterfowl. You can also find vultures, snakes, turtles, and armadillos here.
Be aware that you’ll find no shade here. While you’re riding, you might get hit by strong winds and see monotonous scenery. And if you cycle west of the dike, you might not actually SEE Lake Okeechobee. It’s there, but a marshland will block your view of the largest freshwater lake in South Florida.
What we love about this Florida trail is that it’s long and remote, allowing cyclists to enjoy the ride around Lake Okeechobee without interruption. Our favorite piece is the 15 miles from Clewiston to Moore Haven because it offers the most gorgeous views. Moreover, you get the best views of Lake Okeechobee as you venture east or north.
Conclusion
Bicycles are fun and healthful way to get from point A to B. That is why so many people love them! People also prefer two wheels over four because the ride is peaceful and scenic. It’s an ideal blend of exercise and scenery — especially good for riders who don’t enjoy the stress of being passed by cars in the city.
Yet for those who live for cycling, simply riding around the neighborhood is not enough. Greater and more challenging rides await the adventurous heart. From the wilderness shores of Florida to the state’s rolling countryside and lush landscape, We give you our review of 5 of the best bicycle trails in Florida. These routes range from relaxing rides for beginners to red-blooded all-day epics for cyclists who thrive on pain and suffering.
We hope that we’re able to help you find the next place somewhere in Florida to take your biking experience to the next level. Do you know other best bicycle trails in Florida worth adding here? We know there’s a lot, but we’d love to hear yours. Comment down below.
