Trail users were mostly bikes. I think a lot of it is too rural with spread-out trailheads for casual walkers. Most campsites are designed with extra room for trailers carrying ATVs and Dirt Bikes along with additional overflow parking area. Additional Details, 3100 S. Old Floral City Road There is a fitness work out in Inverness which I also use on a daily basis. Not many changes for water going south from the start. This trail is awesome and there are a half dozen other trails nearby. Inverness is a larger community, but maintains a small town look. 3. a very nice ride but with a small warning.it took us about 3hrs with a few stops at the river and a bike shop in floral city( which had no parking for bikes because they had their own bikes for sale in front of the bike parking).It seemed to be mostly downhill all the way and we were exsausted in the end, so we were unable to backtrack uphill and get to our starting point before dark.had to call the wife to pick us up in Inverness. "Clean Trail with friendly local people. From the mid-point of Floral City, the northern half of the trail is a combination of "urban" and stretches of isolation. On separate rides, we did the lower half (Trilby to Floral City) and the upper half (Floral City to Dunnellon). Rode the south end of the trail today, started early so escaped the intense afternoon June heat and humidity. Officially designated as part of the Florida Greenways and Trail System, this state trail is also designated as a National Recreation Trail. Seeing my bike on the side of the road, many people going by asked if I was all right or needed any help. Then there's the bowl, an open area around some standing water that you can ride on the open. possible cities in my mind maybe connecting to van fleet trail to polk city, maybe to dade city or zephryrhills or maybe to tampa. As of Oct. 6, the portalet at Croom Rital Road will no longer be available. There is a horse trail that parallels the paved trail. (Central Ridge )On Saturdays there's a lot of soccer action, but you could grab typical concession stand fare: burgers, dogs, cokes, fries, etc. Thank you to all who maintain this trail and to local law enforcement who keep it safe. I rode this trail in both directions the 7-9th of February 2013. Stayed in Inverness for a destination weekend a month ago. Finally something Pasco County can be proud of (even if only a small part of). They seemed to be patching the trail regularly, however we did see some rough areas on the trail around Hernando, but with a 12 foot wide trail there was room to pass. I would recommend this trail to anyone who likes a mild challenge but take your time and enjoy all that it has to offer. The new Dunellon Trail on the north end of the trip - though the connection to the Withlacoochee Trail was not well signed - made the trip into the small city a little easier, getting us off Hwy. Met the ranger at Ridge Manor and he was a friendly fellow who advised us about possible wild turkey sightings. I ride it on a mountain bike. I did 13 miles going up and then went back to start. With a generally flat terrain and many access points, the trail is an ideal venue for all skill and fitness levels of cycling, running, walking and skating. Human powered with electric assist bikes may not be operated using the electric assist motors on state trails. Camping at Silver Lakes is an easy connect east at the 75 underpass, remember to have cash ($15/night). The Van Fleet Trail, a 29.3 mile rail-to-trail linear park, is toward the eastern part. The trail is beautifully maintained and runs through clean woods and small towns. This one's done right. Situated between Orlando and Tampa, it hosts a steady stream of visitors and locals on its paved path and adjacent equestrian trail. This unique geological feature in the midst of the sandy North Florida terrain contains a miniature rainforest with gentle streams trickling down the sinkhole's 120-foot limestone walls. Every day after I work I throw on my quad skates and skate the trails for about an hour in the evenings. I only went halfway through before turning around due to time constraints. Follow Magenta to the marked trailhead on the left.To reach the South Citrus Springs trailhead, continue south on US 41 to South Citrus Springs Boulevard and head west one block. From here the trail crosses the Withlacoochee State Forest and Croom Wildlife Management Area, where it intersects with the Good Neighbor Trail  which heads west to Brooksville. Very clean rooms with secure storage for your bike(s) when not riding the trail. In the summer, it can get hot out there! Very cool, maybe someday there will be a trail to Richmond. All of it is very pleasant. Situated between Orlando and Tampa, it hosts a steady stream of visitors and locals on its paved path and adjacent equestrian trail. There are restrooms and places to eat along the trail near most trailheads. Visitors should note that pets are not permitted anywhere within the park or campground and riding hours are from 8am to 5pm. So bring water! In strong contrast to yesterday, on normal days most Withlacoochee Trail users are quite courteous and friendly. ", "their is talk of extending the withlacoochee state trail possibly south off of US 301. i am not sure where it may go. I rode this again in mid-Dec '09 starting from the northern end trailhead (which was quite a ways off the main road) to Inverness. We slid by him (on his tail end of course) and he never once moved. This trail, being one of the best in my home-state, gets little attention from outsiders, but we Floridians love it... - We stayed, in early June 2013, in Inverness and rode north one day and south the next day. Their food is incredible! Overall and enjoyable bicycling trip to this area of Florida. The birds sang constantly. Started at Dunnellon and headed south for 25 miles. Then did most of the northern half the next day, parking at Inverness. Well maintained, shady, flat and there are amble places for rest stops but was disappointment in the paucity of river views. We rode the entire trail from Dunnellon to Dade City. Kudos to the local trail clubs and the State Park service on maintaining the trail so well. Croom Motorcycle Area at Withlacoochee State Forest. There’s almost a complete lack of water, restrooms and any places to stop off to get something to eat or drink. We didn't cover the entire trail, even in two days of riding. There is a nice park with restroom facilities and ample safe parking. My wife and I rode the southern 11.5 miles of the Withlacoochee Trail. Floral City a few miles south of Inverness is a picturesque representation of old Florida with a few bike shops and eating establishments that cater to trail users. I rode the trail for the first time the first week of the New Year (2014)it was 32 degrees one morning brrrr! We did most of the southern half one day, parking at Lake Townsend Park. ", "This trail offers it all: rolling hills, rivers, fields, forests and nature at its best. People along the way very nice. Also several bike shops right along the trail. Winding through old farms, through tiny towns, it is truly an opportunity to relieve stress. Well marked. This is the nicest really ever been on. Hank you so much!!!! Don’t miss eating at Southern Harmony Cafe. I like to ride on trails, not roads so it was well worth it. Richloam offers ATV or dirt bike riding opportunities. Loved that area. I carried a 2 liter hydration pack, plus an 0.7 liter bottle, which is quite a lot, but worth it, particularly on the southern half. anywhere is possible. The ride was very relaxing and fun. Next year I'm planning to come back to the area but will tie my vacation to the Annual Trail Ride the first weekend in October. They came in very handy. The Central Motel was an excellent choice with friendly staff, clean rooms (small frig, microwave, and 4-cup coffee pot), economical, and a covered & locked bike shed. Well marked and a good feel of “Old Florida”. Shade trees line the trail for the most part, and the heat of the day doesn’t catch up with you until almost noontime.Peacefulness surrounds you leaving the irritation of “city sounds” far behind. What do I need to get a permit? Feb 4, 2015 we rode with another couple 13 miles south from Floral City (park behind the library). The owners Regis and Cindy were friendly and helpful. Can bicycle without much stopping although plenty of benches along trail.Popular parking places are in Inverness, FL at Wallace Brooks Park (Dampier St.) or at N. Apopka Ave. near bicycle shop. Only wish there were more trash cans on the Citrus County side. Ended 46 miles later and peddled an additional 2-3 miles to Dunnellon where we stayed for the night. If you are looking for a peaceful ride amidst the wonders of nature, try this trail! View maps, videos, photos, and reviews of Withlacoochee State Forest: Croom Section bike trail … Gentle slopes interrupt the trails' general even keel. There is a bike shop and restaurant in Floral City. Tracking a leisurely road bicycle pace, it was about 4.5 hours a day with stops along the way. We have 20oz water bottles and that for me on these hot days is not nearly enough. Although we live less than a mile from the Gen Van Fleet trail, we gladly drive the 60 miles to ride the Withlacoochee trail. It was also nice to see vehicles patrolling the trail. I wish there was a rail-trail closer to Miami. The other day we drove to Floral City Park and accessed the trail about a quarter mile down the road to the east. The Withlacoochee State Forest (WSF) was formerly a land-use project acquired by the federal government through the Resettlement Administration during 1936-1939. thank you. After about 1 mile, turn left on Croom Rital Road and look for the trailhead on the right.To reach the Owensboro Junction trailhead from Trilby, head south on US 301/98. Rails to Trails of the Withlacoochee, Inc. https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/withlacoochee-state-trail. Vanfleet, Santos, Croom, Razorback, ect. Just before 491you can turn left (unmarked) and end up .5 mile later at a nice county park. Even recommended it to ourselves and road another 20 miles on our way north. And the forest was very nice, too. Apalachicola National Forest. Enjoy! We enjoyed this trail so much that we decided to stay another night in the area to explore another part of the trail. I came here from across the state specifically to walk this trail. Inverness FL 34450. Do yourself a favor, get off I-75, enjoy the weather and ride. Highly recommend. Simply present your pass card, like normal, at the time of admission. The signature Withlacoochee River, or “crooked” river, ebbs and flows for 13 miles through the forest, past dense woodlands comprised of pine, cypress and oak trees. This trail for me is perfect, I am a brand new biker in my late 40’s and my wife is as well. This is one of the most satisfying Trails I have ridden! "This message is for the bikers up in the snow belt who can't handle the Florida rat race: This area of Fla. has more bike riding than you can shake a stick at, on and off road. Gainesville FL 32653, 6065 Twin Lakes Rd What a wonderful trip... started around 930 am still foggy and slightly chilly but fantastic!!!! I was impressed. The path is paved and well maintained. Con- ... you leave. There seemed to be pretty many drinking fountains. We love it! 4K Croom Motorcycle Park at the Withlacoochee Forest in JULY! Recumbent bikers liked to ride side by side but were good at moving over. It would be so much nicer if bikers would be courteous and announce themselves when passing. Please use the restrooms located at Floral City, Lake Townsen Preserve or Ridge Manor. However, yesterday was the annual "Clean Air Ride" which brought hordes of road bike riders intent on riding fast, often as a two-abreast phalanx moving down the trail like a flying wedge even in the face of oncoming bike traffic. 41. Exceptional beauty and wildlife are found along this trail at any time of the year. It was very lightly used when I rode it which allowed me to maintain a brisk pace without interruption. I recently did the Pinellas Trail and all the bike trails on Sanibel Island and this one is the best all around. There are bathrooms/porta potties and water along the waý, but sometimes the water stops are spread out a bit so in hot weather two water bottles is a good idea. You can also enjoy other fun outdoor activities, including hiking, canoeing, and horseback riding. Most crossings have no car traffic and we only had to stop a few times. From the poor oppressed people, I say Thank-You. I was expecting some amazing views riding along the Withlacoochee none. I'm also an escapee from the frozen tundra (MN) where our paved trail systems are excellent & very extensive but unusable for biking for 4-5 months. The trail is what brought me to the area, and I stayed near Brooksville and most of the time, in Inverness. I diceded to visit with my friends differents trail and I picked this on. I have ridden north from this point 20 miles to a point one mile past Interstate 75.Birding along this trail is excellent and you will also see deer, bob cat, otter, muskrat, tortices, indigo snake and prety much all the wildlife Florida has to offer. It may seem a little monotonous as the trails end up looking the same but the challenge is there and a lot of fun. ", TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails conservancy, We're a non-profit all about helping you enjoy the outdoors, Magenta Dr. and W. Shellbark Dr. (Dunnellon, Citrus County) and US 301 just south of Mickler Road (Lacoochee, Pasco County). I love hearing the gators croak by the lakes in the evening and the birds singing. No problem with overnight parking at north terminus. It has the Florida ambiance which is missing from many other trails such as the Suncoast Trail that runs along the highway and makes you feel fenced in under the barbed wire overhang. You can't pedal down to the light without jumping on the highway (no bike lane there, either.) What a delight. Stayed in Room 48; nice balcony with a great view of the trail. Lunch at Robins one day, Stumpknockers the next, both near or in Inverness. We used Inverness as our start/finish since the parking is perfect and we love the town of Inverness. We went to a Quality Inn at Rte 50 and I75 and they let us park there. This trail is the highlight of our annual winter trip to Florida. We may want to add that 2.5m link to the RTC maps. (850) 245-2157, Or send an email to: ", "I have ridden the Withlacoochee trail many times. Stayed in Inverness at the Central Motel and it was very convenient for riding the trail and the room was large enough for bicycles. Our riding gave me my first experience of Inverness, Fla., a place I'll be sure to revisit. Horses aren't allowed on the paved trail. Scenes for Civil War movies, including the 1989 movie "Glory," have been filmed during the reenactments. And the north end of the trail at Dunnellon ends abruptly. If you’re looking for a place to ride for exercise this will work. Rode from Inverness trailhead south to Floral City and back. The area features about 40 miles of sandy trails winding through longleaf pine and cypress forest. Children under the age of 16 are required to wear a … I used Inverness as a base to launch a north leg and then return the next day to finish off the southern portion. It was very clean and well maintained throughout. Busy trail: walkers, road bikers and many recumbent bikes. As someone relatively new to cycling, I was invited by friends to go for a ride. As a long time user of the Withlacoochee State Trail I noticed the pavement over the past 10 years has been neglected. We locked our bikes together. I walked alone and felt very safe with security people monitoring much of the trail in pickup trucks. Where nature meets the road. The trail condition was very good the entire length of the trail; perhaps a few very small heaves here and there, but overall, really quite good. Hampton's Edge Trailside Bicycles is a leading recumbent dealer in Floral City, right on the trail. Visit the official website for this location. Day 2 peddled back. Bathroom was locked but they had a very nice brochure and sign. The rules state this but it seems no-one observes this. The 46-mile Withlacoochee State Trail is a must-do pure Florida experience for any trail enthusiast. This is our second 4 week winter vacation on this trail.We are greatful to the people of Florida to provide such a trail and we are going to return.I use this trail to train for USA coast to coast fast crossing by bike. ". It offers rich opportunities for viewing plants and wildlife and provides access to many outstanding recreational opportunities. This trail provides exercise for everyone. For the most part you can check the traffic from several feet from the crossing and may only have to slow down before continuing. Well maintained, water and restrooms. 2) If you break something on your bike, there's an Ace hardware store at the corner of 486 and 41. Loved it and will definitely go back and ride it again. What could be better? They do have outside seating, so you could sit with your bike. It's great! We headed North towards Dunnellon for 16 miles where the trail ends, and then headed back. The trailhead is on the left.To reach the Inverness trailhead, continue south on US 41 to Inverness and turn left on North Apopka Avenue. This is a fun and long trail. Lots of benches and shelters along the whole trail. One issue we had which we worked out was parking. © Copyright 2021 © Copyright 2018 Florida Department of Environmental Protection. You can select between riding graded trails or riding over the miles of all-natural rough in the park if you desire something a lot more challenging. The trail is in good condition. How thoughtless some people can be. Thanks also to Inverness for being so " Bike Friendly", next time I come I will take the trail from one end the other... Can't wait. We began riding south on mostly uninterrupted and canopied trail. Here's what we did: Broke it into three sections. View photos of the Withlacoochee State Trail on TrailLink. Recreation opportunities include hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, camping, hiking, biking, picnicking and horseback riding. Start checking them out and you'll be out on the trail in no time! to the nearest waste can. ". We started at Brooksville and rode north until Inverness. Bathroom at Inverness was open. We got on the trail at the Floral City trail head and rode 6 miles north and back. In Floral City the crossroads is busy, we walked our bikes across the road crossing. (See TripAdvisor for review). We would return and highly recommend this trail. In the mornings and early evenings expect to see deer along this roughly 6-mile stretch. Lazy Springs Recreation Park—Lazy Springs is made for “down and dirty family fun.” In addition to … I liked the mileage markers painted on the trail. The trail features good pavement and rural woodlands as it passes through the uncrowded country setting. Also trail parking at US 50 near Ridge Manor, FL. It is a couple of miles from the Lake Townsen Park trailhead (which we drove to, as there is no shoulder on the roads there). It was early in June and already fairly warm so it was great that the trail was about 80% shaded. In addition, it seems riders on this trail like to spread out making passing with available pavement dangerous. Get a FREE Rail Trails Guidebook when you become a Member with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. kid friendly Hiking Horseback riding Mountain biking ohv / off road driving Forest Views wild-flowers Wildlife No dogs. ", I am proud to tell you we are trying to get this wonderfull trail extended from Trilby To Dade City-then Zephyrhills wants to have it run to there area.. www.trilbyfl.com The Greater Trilby Community association is very active in pasco, "When I was a kid I always daydreamed about there being a network of bicycle highways. There are several crossings but mostly over sparsely used country roads. Although we rode in February, this could be a good summer trail ride, as there is a lot of shade and mature trees canopied over much of the trail. There are plenty of places to rest, plenty of places to top off your water bottles and plenty of points of interest. It was mentioned in one of the items that there was a trail guide available outlining the Withlacoochee State Trail.

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