Started out on this trail at the northern trailhead at Peterson Park. This trail is a little difficult to follow southbound as you approach Ehrlich Rd; I wound up on a sidewalk riding against traffic on the N-S section of Gunn Highway. Nice stretch once you cross Gunn Highway, but be sure you bear right near the Wilsky road trailhead, or else you'll have to bicycle along Linebaugh Avenue for 3/4 of a mile or so to catch back up to the trail. Again, could be marked a little better.

The trailhead at Waters Avenue was a real treat, and the nicest one I have seen on any trail to date. Modern restroom facilities, kept very clean, nice ranger station, newer soda machines. If you're looking for a nice stop midway or so, this won't disappoint.

The ride the rest of the way to the Memorial (south) Trailhead was a nice ride along a canal with a good mixture of birds if you're into that sort of thing.

Going back to the north, the signage was more clear.

All in all, a solid destination if you're more into a stop-and-smell-the-roses kind of ride. Good for cardio, but not a great place if speed is your thing, as it's a suburban area and entire families with kids tend to populate the trail.

"Does anyone know what Hours the Upper Trail has starting March 12, 2007?"

"From:
http://www.bn9.com/content/36/2006/4/16/154112.html


On the right trail to completion
Sunday, April 16, 2006

The trail is a popular place for runners, skaters and bike riders.
Hillsborough County is getting close to connecting the Upper Tampa Bay Trail to the Suncoast Trail.

However, the only thing standing in the way is buying the necessary property to finish the job.

Kristen Lamura enjoys skating on the Upper Tampa Bay Trail to the dead end near Gunn Highway, but said she can't wait until the trail is finished.

""I think they should go for it,"" Lamura said. ""It's a great idea because I want to get a bike and I really want to just go and not have to stop and turn around.""

The county will finish the trail in three sections with the northernmost section to be built first. Ultimately, the Upper Tampa Bay Trail will connect to the Suncoast Trail at the north end of the county. However, the county is having some trouble acquiring all of the land it needs along Lutz-Lake Fern Road.

So, the county commission has approved the use of eminent domain to acquire the land if negotiations with property owners are not successful. Project manager Richard Sanders has been working on the trail since it was just an idea. He said eminent domain would be used only with property owners who fail to correspond with the county.

""It's not that we really want to go that route, but at least it gives us a time frame to get the negotiations going,"" Sanders said.

Sanders said the county needs to acquire the land before it can apply for federal funds for construction. He hopes to have the needed land bought by sometime next year with design and construction phases to follow.

Sanders said the county has about $2.5 million dedicated to acquiring the property needed to finish the construction of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail.



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