Last updated on November 21st, 2024 at 08:49 am
I’ve been tracking down bike trails in Florida for the last 30 years, and over that time excellent trails have been steadily added. It makes sense: Florida’s flat terrain and year-round weather is ideal for bicycles.
Some of my favorite trails are scenic and historic. They’re as downright fun as you can find anywhere. They’re good for visitors, too, who can rent bikes at many locations. Most are safe enough for families.
Here’s my list of best Florida bike trails. They’re not listed in order of quality. In most cases, more detail is available if you click through to the full story on the individual bike trail.
South Florida bike trails
Shark Valley loop in Everglades National Park
South Florida has the most meagre choices for trails, but this one is the best of the bunch: Bicycling in Everglades National Park with no traffic and lots of wildlife to see. The trail is at the Shark Valley entrance to Everglades National Park off the Tamiami Trail, directly west of Miami. It’s one of my favorite places to take visitors.
It has a smooth 15-mile paved loop trail through Everglades National Park with no traffic. It’s 20 feet wide and after the first mile, you’ll have it largely to yourself. (A tram travels the same road, but it will pass you three or four times in an afternoon’s ride.)
You’ll find details fo the Shark Valley trail here.
If you’re a visitor to South Florida, this is an ideal introduction to the Everglades and you can rent bikes right there. It also lends itself to families because of the lack of traffic. Even long-distance bicyclists will like it because of its length and quality of the trail. (The faster you go, though, the fewer animals you’ll see.)
E-bikes are permitted at Shark Valley; there’s a 15 mph speed limit.The Lake Trail in Palm Beach
The Lake Trail in Palm Beach is a 5-mile paved bike path away from traffic through the backyards of millionaires.
The trail runs between magnificent mansions and their private docks on the Intracoastal with postcard-like scenery. You pass a few historic buildings and get glimpses into exclusive backyards.
Here are details about the Lake Trail in Palm Beach.
This trail appeals to visitors who want to gawk at Palm Beach mansions and enjoy waterfront views. It’s to pair it with a visit to the Henry Flagler Museum (Whitehall) or lunch in Palm Beach. There is a bike shop nearby where you can rent bikes. It’s also good for families because of the lack of traffic.
Electric bikes are permitted on the Lake Trail.
Old Cutler Trail in Miami
The Old Cutler Trail in Coral Gables takes you through some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the Miami area. The trail that doubles as the sidewalk along Old Cutler is not very wide and sometimes is rippled with tree roots or studded with obstacles. But it travels under a magnificent ficus tree canopy and passes parks and gardens for its 11-mile length.
One stop along the way is Matheson Hammock Park, a local treasure, which has a fabulous view of Miami’s skyline, a man-made atoll pool for swimming, plenty of shade and a marina.
You can extend your ride by biking the roads within the park. You’ll pass Fairchild Tropical Garden, which includes a rainforest and exotic plants from around the world but does not allow you to bicycle within its grounds.
A good place to start is the traffic circle where Old Cutler Road, Sunset Road, and LeJeune Road meet.
Here’s a Florida Rambler story on the Old Cutler Trail and here’s a good PDF map of the trail.
If you go for speed or distance, this trail isn’t for you. There are too many obstacles. This path would be good for families, particularly paired with exploring Matheson Hammock Park, and for leisurely explorers.
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail
It’s hard to beat the scenery on the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. Someday, the trail along the Overseas Highway will be completed and allow you to bicycle safely 106 miles through the Florida Keys. Several segments totaling 80 miles are completed now.
There are still issues with the Keys bike trails, however. When you get to some bridges, for example, the trail disappears and you’re suddenly driving on the shoulder beside traffic.
We have identified four sections of the Florida Keys Overseas Trail that make good safe day-trips: a 20-mile round trip in Islamorada, an 18-mile round trip in Long Key including over a 2-mile bike-and-pedestrians-only bridge, 30-miles roundtrip on the last stretch of the trail before Key West and a 14-mile round trip from the Old Seven Mile Bridge to Sombrero Beach. Here’s our complete guide to the trail and those segments.
Visitors to Florida will enjoy the scenery and history. You can rent bikes in Marathon. The southern-most section of the trail, MM15 to 5, is perhaps the best and safest section.
Electric bikes are permitted on the Florida Keys Overseas Trail.
Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST)
Lake Okeechobee is ringed with a 110-mile long hiking/biking trail worthy of an expedition — the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST for short. More than half of it is an eight-foot-wide paved pathway, ideal for bicycling. The rest is two-track gravel roadway, better for hiking and mountain bikes.
Located high on the 35-foot-tall Herbert Hoover Dike, the trail gives you a big view of the lake, sugar fields and wetlands. In winter, you’re sure to see herons and egrets and wintering waterfowl. Armadillos, turtles, snakes and vultures are common sights.
The negatives: There is no shade, you can be exposed to strong winds and the scenery changes slowly.
The positives: A smooth trail where you can ride for 30 miles and never cross a street. Solitude. Access points to the dike are far apart and you can go miles without seeing anyone. The best views of Lake Okeechobee are in the northeast quadrant. Some riders have written that the 15-mile Clewiston to Moore Haven segment is the prettiest.
There are a variety of entrance points marked on the LOST trail map.
Here’s more information in a Florida Rambler story, including a map.
Hollywood Broadwalk
If you’re patient, the Hollywood Broadwalk can be a delightful ride. The Broadwalk is only 2.5 miles long — but the funky Florida feel is a throwback to another era. Mom and pop cafes and shops line one side and the spectacular beach lines the other.
To extend your ride, you can continue several miles north along a seagrape-lined route through North Beach Park and then onto a narrow Surf Road.
The big negative on the Broadwalk is that children and pedestrians are constantly wandering into the bike lane. So this is a trail made for sight-seeing and patience.
There is metered parking at Hollywood North Beach Park at the intersection of Sheridan Road and A1A. We like to start a few blocks west of there at Ann Kolb Nature Center,751 Sheridan St., Hollywood, where parking is free. Here’s more info.
Electric bikes are not allowed on the Broadwalk.This is a good family bike trail. It pairs well with a day at the beach or a slice of pizza and a beer at a beachfront cafe. If this trail were elsewhere, it might not be included in this list, but South Florida’s lack of trails makes this one worth noting.
Riverbend Park in Jupiter
The 680 acre park is criss-crossed with hard-packed shell trails designed to be shared by hikers and bicyclists. The longest stretch for a cyclist who just wants to pedal through the woods is a 1.5 mile section, but with 10 miles of trails, we managed to spend a nice afternoon riding and exploring. The trails are all scenic, with many passing through shady woods and all of them providing vistas across marshes, ponds and rivers.
We include it here primarily because there is a dearth of safe family biking locations in the South Florida region.
Here’s a detailed Florida Rambler article about biking at Riverbend Park.
Who will most enjoy this bike trail? We saw many families bicycling, and the short loops and wildlife seemed ideal for kids. Anyone looking for speed or distance will be frustrated.
Beach Road on Jupiter Island
Jupiter Island offers a scenic two-lane beachfront road with well-kept landscaping, very little traffic and excellent biking. It goes on for 10 miles past the estates of the rich and famous — folks that include Tiger Woods, Celine Dion and Alan Jackson.
Bicyclists are not on a separate trail or lane, but the barrier island has little commercial or multifamily development, so few vehicles are on the road. Here’s a detailed report on bicycling Jupiter Island.
This is a route where hard-core riders can get up to 30 miles per hour and many avid cyclists include this in 40-mile loops. There are cars on this road, but you’ll find very little traffic if you park at a Hobe Beach Martin County Park and ride north. This is a 6-mile round trip on a dead-end two-lane road that culminates at a spectacular wild beach, Hobe Sound Wildlife Refuge, which is well worth exploring. More on Beach Road on Jupiter Island
Gulf Coast bike trails
Legacy Trail and Venetian Waterway Park
Legacy Trail and Venetian Waterway Park . The Legacy Trail in Venice is one of Florida’s best paved bike trails — and it keeps getting better.
From its start in 2008, the Legacy Trail has offered a smooth, paved trail through great scenery with interesting signage highlighting local history. It directly connects to the Venetian Waterways Park Trail, offering a continuous 30-mile ride.
Over the years, bridges have been added so that you take an overpass over busy US 41/Tamiami Trail and you are treated to scenic bridges over Roberts and Dona bays.
Thanks to these bridges, we crossed just two roads (neither busy) while bicycling two days on the trail system. Here’s more about this terrific trail, which is among the most-used trails in the state.
The Legacy Trail allows the use of electric bikes; there is a 15 mph speed limit.
Pinellas Trail
Pinellas Trail is a paved, well-marked trail that extends for 34 miles through one of the most densely populated areas in the state, the Tampa/St. Petersburg region.
The most scenic part of the trail is its northern portion, between Dunedin and Tarpon Springs, which offers pretty views, parks to discover, historic buildings and cute downtowns. (You also see suburban backyards, the back-sides of businesses, boring views of commercial roadways and shadelessness.)
The Pinellas Trail permits electric bikes that require a combination of human power and electric motor power.
Withlacoochee State Trail
Withlacoochee State Trail is 46 paved miles through beautiful rural landscape and it is about as good as bike trails get. This might be my personal favorite among all the bike trails listed here. Its southern end is an hour west of Orlando; its northern end is about an hour west of Ocala.
Like all rail trails, the inclines and curves are gradual and the route goes through what was considered the backyards of homes or businesses along the way. The pavement is smooth and road crossings are few. Lined with trees, it offers a good amount of shade.
Bicycling on Sanibel Island
Destruction from 2022 and 2024 hurricanesis still visible, but the excellent 25-mile network of Sanibel trails is in fine condition.
One route we like: Wildlife Drive through J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, which is a wonderful way to see birds and alligators. It’s a four-mile loop within the refuge that ends three miles from where you started. The drive, formerly gravel, has been paved for good bicycling. Cyclists pay $1 per person.
Sanibel Island bike trails are built next to nearly all its roads, trails that provide access to beaches where cars can’t park, past beautiful Gulf-front mansions and through the woods to Sanibel’s pioneer cemetery, which is not accessible by car.
Sanibel Island allows only Class I electric bikes on its trails, which is defined as “electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the electric bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour.”
Here’s more on bicycling on Sanibel Island
Boca Grande bike trail
Boca Grande bike trail is a paved bike and golf-cart path that extends 6.5 miles, the length of this Gulf island west of Punta Gorda. (This is the sort place Boca Grande is: When the railroad stopped operating, members of the DuPont family bought the right-of-way for this path.)
The bike path is the sort I like – scenic, paved, separate from cars and trucks, with destinations along the way to make touring fun. Golf carts are the most common form of transportation on the island and bicyclists should be prepared to give them right of way because, basically, they’ll insist on it.
Nearby, the nine-mile Cape Haze Pioneer Bike Trail is a rails-to-trails path that basically ends at the Boca Grande Causeway. (The causeway is too narrow for either pedestrians or bicyclists to safely use.)
The Boca Grande bike trail allows electric golf carts.
Central Florida bike trails
West Orange Trail
The West Orange Trail was completed in 1999, making it one of Florida’s earliest trails converted from disused train tracks.
The scenic 22-mile-long paved rail-trail is about 15 miles west of Orlando. Its northern end is Apopka and it wanders through rural and suburban landscape near Lake Apopka, though Winter Garden and then continues five miles west. It’s smooth, wide (14 feet) and well-marked. The prettiest sections go through historic towns or under a beautiful canopy of trees.
The trail continues into Lake County for 10 more miles as the South Lake Trail and the Minneola Scenic Trail, bringing the total paved trail to a total of 32 miles. You can see a map at the West Orange Trail story.
The West Orange Trail allows Class I and II ebikes.
Van Fleet State Trail
Van Fleet State Trail is a 29-mile bike trail into the Green Swamp west of Orlando — the most rural bicycle trail in the state.
Because it’s a former railroad line, the path is straight and flat. You won’t see many people. You will see cattle ranches, lush forests and wetlands, wild flowers, birds and butterflies. The middle stretch goes through the heart of the Green Swamp Conservation Area and offers the best wildlife viewing and some beautiful scenery.
The Van Fleet State Trail allows electric bikes.
East Central Regional Rail Trail
With 52 miles of smooth, 12-foot wide paved trail, the East Central Regional Rail Trail has something for every kind of rider.
It has sections for performance riders who want to keep a fast pace and encounter few intersections. It has sections for folks who want to see the scenery and make a few stops. There are three legs (shaped like a Y.) One goes from Titusville to Maytown. It meets another leg that goes from Edgewater to Maytown. From there, the third goes from Maytown west to Enterprise on Lake Monroe.
The ultimate goal is the Coast to Coast Trail, which will connect this trail with others and conclude along the Gulf on the Pinellas Trail. Amazingly, this dream trail is already three-quarters built.
The East Coast Regional Rail Trail allows electric bikes that require pedal assist.
Northern Florida bike trails
Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway
While most of the longer paved trails in Florida are new uses for old rail-beds, this bike trail has a different back story. It grew out of the ill-fated Cross Florida Barge Canal, a shortcut envisioned for ships between the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, begun in 1964.
Land was purchased for the canal, but eventually environmentalists prevailed and the project was killed in 1971. The land became the one-mile wide Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. This corridor allows black bears, deer, bobcats, otters and other wildlife, which is plentiful, to move freely. It’s named in honor of the woman who led the fight to save the river.
It also allowed for some terrific trails to be developed, and the best of those for cyclists is the 16-mile paved bike trail between the Santos Trailhead near Ocala and the Ross Prairie Tract Campground, 10 miles east of Dunnellon.
The trail has a few short hills and sharp turns and passes by picturesque horse farms and rural countryside. If you have ever driven on I-75, you might have noticed the “land bridge” that passes over the highway, carrying cyclists and other wildlife safely across. The trail is universally hailed as one of the best bike trails in northern Florida and, indeed, in the state.
Here’s a map of the trail and here is more information from Florida State Parks.
The trail permits e-bikes.
Nature Coast Trail
The Nature Coast Trail is a high-quality rail-trail with a picturesque train trestle over the Suwanee River and some good scenery. It offers 32 miles of paved bike trail centered in Fanning Springs near Fanning Springs State Park with three spokes — one to Cross City, one to Trenton and one to Chiefland. The region is about an hour west of Gainesville.
The Nature Coast Trail allows e-bikes and has a 20 mph speed limit.
Gainesville Hawthorne State Trail
Gainesville Hawthorne State Trail makes everybody’s list of Florida’s best trails. It is a shady, tree-lined, paved trail that passes through the northern edge of the very special Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.
Along the trail, you can stop and hike the 1.5-mile-long La Chua Trail, where you’ll see big gators and, if you’re lucky, wild horses or even bison. The La Chua Trail takes you into the vast prairie with wild flowers and a great variety of birds.
The trail allows e-bikes.
Jacksonville-Baldwin Bike Trail
Jacksonville-Baldwin Bike Trail is a well-shaded rural trail that makes a stop at a Civil War site — quite rare for Florida. The trail is a paved trail following a former railroad line that begins just west of Jacksonville and extends 14.5 miles west to the town of Baldwin.
It has full facilities near the middle at Camp Milton Historic Preserve, a Jacksonville city park, which makes a great stop for a picnic and some exploration.
Camp Milton was the base for 8,000 Confederate troops who were defending against the Union troops who had taken Jacksonville. The Confederates erected three miles of earth and timber fortifications, traces of which have been found. Today you can see those traces (there’s not much left) as well as a re-creation of a late 19th-century homestead, a replica bridge, an arboretum and boardwalks.
Starkey Wilderness Park paved trail, New Port Richey
This 7.5 mile paved trail 20 minutes east of New Port Richey goes through a wooded wilderness without a road or other development in sight. Some think that’s beautiful; some think “the same old trees” get boring.
If you want to talk boring, however, keep riding when you get to the Suncoast Trail, to which the Starkey Wilderness Trail connects after 7.5 miles. Suncoast runs adjacent to the Suncoast Parkway for 42 shadeless noisy miles. It’s good if you want a cardio workout.
The Starkey Trail has the advantage of no cross streets, smooth pavement and no vehicle noise. It is common to see wildlife. (We saw a turkey during a short ride.)
The Starkey Trail starts at the entrance to the park on Wilderness Park Boulevard, just east of Starkey Boulevard. There’s a trailhead with restrooms and water about a mile up the trail. Starkey Wilderness Park information.
Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail
Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail is a 16-mile bike trail and Florida’s first rail-to-trail, developed in 1988. It preserves an especially historic corridor: The railroad itself was built in 1831 when mules pulled wagons on rails on this route. Accounts tell of a rough journey through a wild area, but it was the best way for cotton from Florida and Georgia plantations to reach docks where it could be boarded on ships to England and New England.
Today’s bicyclists will find a 12-foot-wide smooth and shady asphalt trail from Tallahassee to the little village of St. Marks, Florida.
Eventually, the Capital City to the Sea Trail will include this trail and create a loop trail linking Tallahassee and the scenic small towns and preserves in the area. This new trail is currently under construction.
Blackwater Heritage State Trail in Milton
Blackwater Heritage State Trail in Milton offers 8.1 miles of smooth 12-foot-wide asphalt through thick woods. At the end of the 8.1 miles of state-park-maintained trail, it connects with another 1.5 mile paved trail into Whiting Field US Naval Air Station.
This trail has all the amenities – four trailheads, each with bathrooms and picnic areas and several with bicycle pumps and benches periodically positioned along the way. It is smooth, flat and in excellent condition.
The trail passes through beautiful woods the entire way. Where the trail goes through openings in the forest for power-line rights of way, the view widens into marshes and meadows that were full of golden fall color and yellow flowers when we bicycled in late October. There are several bridges over pretty tannic streams.
Read more the trail, a bike-rental operation near the trail, about touring Milton while bicycling the trail and other things to do in the Milton area.