The tunnel at the intersection of Lake Mary Blvd and International Pkwy is now open. The two sections of the trail are now connected. You can now bike or hike the entire trail from Altamonte Springs to Heathrow and only have to deal with three intersections with street lights.

Very nice ride well kept trail and love seeing people out on the weekends using one of the nicer trails.
Very nice 28 mile round trip ride. Nice place for breakfast midway.

I rode my bike on the Lower half of the SWT last weekend. It was really nice. Half shade and half sun. I parked my car at the parking area off of EE Williamson (this is the road that goes over I-4. Probably a good thing I parked there because my pedal broke off my bike and there is a bike shop 150 feet off the trail on EE Williamson. The mechnanic was able to fix it in a few minutes. I grabbed a Gatorade from the shop and I was on my way. EE Williamson is at mile marker number 4. I rode the trail South through the tunnel under 434 and took the trail to the end (mile marker 0) and then returned.

The next day I parked at the same parking lot and rode north. The trail ended at mile marker 13. Really nice ride. They have bathrooms at the North end of the trail and at that bike shop. I also saw a ton of turtles and 1 deer! Great ride.

I rode the trail on Sunday, Feb. 27 along with Cross Seminole Trail on the east side of I-4. It was a very nice trail to be in a highly urban area. For the most part is was well marked. There was some confusion at Lake Mary Rd. where there was road construction and again at the Constitution Parkway crossing. You also have to be alert to find the connector across I-4 to connect with the Cross Seminole Trail. The pedestrian/bike bridge over the interstate was very impressive.

Looking for a trail to ride in the center of the State, while the Daytona Beach area was blowing a gail, we took off for the Seminole Wekiva Trail. It started out great, but got very metro scape in the middle and then back to a more rural or suburban setting toward the end. You've got to watch the signs, that are not very clear, or you'll be off the route. We literally almost gave up. The history of the area was fun to research and the connection to the pier in St. Petersburg, gave it a special flavor. Not a demanding ride, services were close, except at the ends, and there were a few detours, and a couple of confusing signs, but worth marking as one we've done.

My husband and I rode this entire trail on Valentine's Day. As the previous writer noted, there is one area of construction, but it was well maked with big orange "bike trail detour" signs with arrows. Not a problem. First of all the condition of the trail itself was great. The long stretches in the wooded areas were wide and smooth. What I liked about this trail was the variety. I would estimate about two-thirds of the trail is through wooded areas with filtered sun, one section that goes along a parkway with large corporate business buildings, some open prarie-type of landscape, and water, water, everywhere. On a small pond right in the business area we counted at least 6 or 7 types of water birds. There are ample places on this trail for casual outdoor dining, fast food places, convenience stores for drinks and restrooms. The trail also has several nice overlooks and plenty of park benches to sit and rest and enjoy the scenery. The only caution I would suggest is in the business area. You cross numerous driveways to the parking areas of many of the corporate buildings and I wouldn't want to be doing that stretch around 5 pm when the employees all get off from work. The few folks we saw coming out DID NOT notice us. This is not a major portion of the trail but does require some street awareness and would probably not be a good place to take little kids. This trail also has a direct connection to the south leg of the Cross Seminole Trail if you wanted to add a few more miles.

Wonderful trail, but there is construction going on and we got lost twice. Other than that I loved the trail.

The Lake Mary - Heathrow art festival was going on today. I was riding to see where the trail went and I came across this!! Great event!!!

The ride was very enjoyable. I parked just East of San Sebastian! I left at 11:00am and got back at 5:30pm!! I had lunch, looked around at the arts festvial, got lost on Markum Woods Road, (sort of), rode thru 46A (know what I mean) and rested at Wekiva trail head!!

I really like this ride!! Be anxious to have that connect to West Orange Trail!!

11/8/09

SUMMARY:

Trail Quality: 4 out of 5
Paved: Yes
Length: 14 miles or 28 round-trip
Attractions: Scenery, light commercial facilities including food and cycling store facilities
Parking: Excellent and mostly paved
Bathrooms: At one of the trail heads (northern end) and along the trail
Trail capacity: Heavy on weekend mornings until about 11 am



DETAILS:
The complete paved trail starts at the southern end, just off route 436 and 2 - 3 miles west of Interstate 4. The entrance to the trail-head is marked, but the sign is small. If you reach Rt. 434 intersecting with Rt. 436, turn around and look sharply on the northern side of Rt. 436 (about a mile east from Rt. 434 where Rt. 434 now goes North / South) for the entrance (about 100 yds. in to the trail-head from Rt. 436).

The San Sebastian trail head has secure, shady parking for over 50 vehicles and I have never seen the car park at capacity in my seven years of riding the trail. There are benches and tables in the shade of oaks. There is water for your water bottles and pets.

The trail passes through suburban setting with larger trees for shade and shelter. It has regular mile markers and signs. You cross minor and major roads with each major road intersection having a pedestrian crossing button on adjacent light poles. The trail then passes behind some light commercial properties and the Seminole tennis, baseball and basketball facilities. The trail branches up to baseball facility which is open 7 days a week from sunrise (~ 7am) to sunset or when the games end in the night. There are facilities including good toilets and bathrooms here.

As the trail approaches Rt. 434 (E / W portion) and closes in on I-4, you proceed to divert from the old crossing that takes you to the other side of Markham Woods road. Now, there is a much safer tunnel (open only during daylight hours). If the tunnel is closed, cross Markham Woods road and then again (no diagonal crossing allowed) Rt. 434 and get on the eastern side of Markham Woods road proceeding north of Rt. 434.

Note: The tunnel does NOT pass under I-4 as prior reviewers guessed during its construction.

At this point the trail mostly parallels the Markham Woods Rd. but can divert as much as a mile away from this road. It proceeds through tree-covered sections, mostly older oaks past churches and more home back yards. You will cross several minor and one major road on your way north to Lake Mary.

The Trail then meets Lake Mary Blvd. and there is a wonderful rural scene with a small lake and paddocks on one side and Panera Bread and PeachTree Cafe, for refreshments during the morning through evening. David's World Cycle is just 100 yards beyond for any bicycle maintenance or help you may need. Out-Spoke'N Bike Stores is two miles further up (East) Lake Mary Blvd. as well. There is ample parking for cyclists behind the Panera Bread store.

The trail proceeds about 200 yards up (East) of Lake Mary Blvd. and then crosses diagonally with International Parkway on the eastern side as you go further north.

This part of the trail passes by light commercial high-technology campus buildings and is less shady. It passes the World HQ of AAA (Automobile Association of America) and is now immediately adjacent to I-4. About 1 mile north of the AAA HQ is a trail branch east to the Cross Seminole trail and over I-4 on a relatively new (2003 / 2004) trail bridge. If you wish to complete the San Sebastian / Wekiva / Seminole trail, continue north and do not take the branch to the east.

Once you get to Rt. 46A (about 2 - 3 miles north of Lake Mary Blvd.) the trail crosses diagonally back to the western side of International Parkway and in about 1/2 a mile north then goes adjacent to an Apartment complex and back into older trees and away from International Parkway. About a mile north of Rt. 46, you turn a sharp left turn to the West and then go through a very quiet section where the apartment complex has gifted undeveloped land with many older trees and cross a series of secondary roads. After turning, you proceed due west to the Wekiva trail head which is newer, has less trees, but has bathrooms open daylight hours, water and ample parking. There is shared parking for horse trailers and a paddock for horses. The horse can ride adjacent to the paved trail from the Wekiva trail head until the bend in the trail where it turns from running East / West, to North / South.


Things to watch out for:
- Traffic cross the trail from business or residences or roads
- The trail crossing diagonally three times as it proceeds North / South
- The tunnel under Rt. 434 being closed during the night hours


Things to enjoy:
- Older trees and some sections that are undeveloped, or developed into parks or farms
- Wildlife, mostly birds and squirels, although I have seen deer (early mornings and sunset), snakes (they slither away and are rare), tortoises, etc.
- The food at the shops on Lake Mary Blvd.
- Shops, theater and restuarant access to food et al on Rt. 46 A. and near International Parkway
- Access to two very good bike store near or within 2 miles of the trail
- Ample parking at each trail head and then also at (in order, proceeding south from the northern end of the trail):
- Soccer club about 1 mile from the Northern end Trail head (Wekiva)
- Across at the Theater just north of Rt. 46A
- At the Panera Bread shopping plaza
- Off Long-Pond Rd./ Drive from Markham Woods road about 2 miles south of Panera Bread and Lake Mary Blvd. (which intersects with Markham Woods road at its western end)
- At a pullover area at EE Williamson Rd. which intersects with Markham Woods Rd.
- At Rt. 434 at shopping car parks on either side of the tunnel under Rt. 434
- At the Seminole County baseball fields
- Access to water at each trail head and along the way


Please enjoy this trail which I ride 3 - 4 times a week!


Plans or proposals for this trail:
I understand the plans are to join (North and South ends) this trail along the railway right of way to the Apopka trail-head that begins the East / West trail called West-Orange Trail. The northern end is meant to traverse the 2 miles remaining on the railway right of way to the Wekiva river and then cross over and eventually link up all the way to Mount Dora.

Recommendations for development:
(1) Better signage
(2) Better motorist controls over sections cyclists cross major highways
(3) A bridge traversing over Lake Mary Blvd. and International Parkway (there are already several other trail bridges over Lake Mary Blvd. further east)
(4) Extending the trail on the northern end first as this is more scenic in undeveloped areas or farmland
(5) Looking for a branch off any western extension to head north to join other northern trails in Lake County or other more norther counties
(6) Take the rail right of way into historic down-town Sanford and have it join up with the springs trail at Gemini Springs

We rode from the San Sebastian Prado trailhead (which is very nice) in mid-Feb., 2009. The first 2+ miles are great: pleasant, shady. But when the trail came to a heavily trafficked area, signs directed us off the main trail (which seemed to end in a block) down a sidewalk to a tunnel under the interstate. The tunnel was gated and locked, so we had no choice but to go back. This tunnel looks like a massive project, and we will try again on our next trip to Florida to ride the whole trail.

Trips on this trail during the day yielded more delightful opportunities to observe wildlife than we would have expected with as much traffic as there is both on trail and adjacent roads. (I won't enumerate what we encountered less this positive assessment scare folks off but never were we afraid despite having children in the single digits [less than 10 children and less than 10 years of age]).

"This trail is a great trail for bikers who want to take it nice and slow. But, due to the high volume of stop signs for trail users, it is not made to maintain a fast speed. Bikers that like fast speeds are not recomended to use this trail due to children that use the trail with their families."

"This is a very pretty trail, if you start from the trailhead at 436 behind the Christmas store, I think thats the nicest section. Very green, there's a park with lots of raquetball courts and a playground. Once you get too the 434 intersection though its rough for a bit, the traffic is always heavy and you have to be careful, especially with kids to cross over the 2 different crosswalks. It gets better though and youre back in the trees, follow it to Lake Mary and theres pretty wide open spaces to view and a little pond, lots of resting benches. Now if you make it to the Paneras, theres no signs at all to show where to go next - We went to the Bike shop to ask for directions, and again a ew miles up, the trail apparetnly turns into sidewalk and terminates by an Albertsons, if you cross the road N and then again W, you'll find it picks back up again and is worth the effort, a very nice section too. More nature on this part, very relaxing. "

"We bike this trail every chance we get. Ususally weekday morning when it is almost deserted. The shops at Lake Mary Blvd provide lunch and a great bike shop among other things. Wide, wonderful and lots of shade. The new park at the NW end is very pleasent."

A review by OutdoorTravels.com can be found at: www.outdoortravels.com/biking_fl_overview_seminolewekiva.html

"The pedestrian bridge over Interstate 4 is now open to the public. It connects the Seminole Wekiva trail to the Rhinehart Road/Crossings Trail north of Lake Mary Blvd and south of SR 46A Poala Road.

To access the bridge from the Rhinehart Road Trail, cross Rhinehart Road just south of the Post Office Distribution center."

The Seminole Wekiva Trail is quickly becoming the local favorite. The I-4 overpass to the Rhinehart Road trail will open up another trail via link. Crossing 434 at Markham is a health hazard though. That overpass is still a year or so off.

"The Seminole Wekiva Trail is a work in progress. The scenery varies from urban to rural. To make the trail even more interesting, it varies in direction and elevation. Since the trail crosses several major roads, there are pedestrain overpass projects in the works. Watch out for the traffic turning right onto Montgomery Road from Central Parkway. "