Explore the best rated trails in Bartow, FL, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Withlacoochee State Trail and South Lake (Lake Minneola Scenic Trail) . With more than 33 trails covering 437 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
It's getting so dangerous with all of the electric mopeds I'm afraid to ride or walk on it.
I ran this today. It is a great trail. It's impossible to get lost. There is mile markers every half mile. This is important because you loose the internet. The park ranger was very helpful, and friendly. I have to say this is a favorite now.¿
This is a great trail, beautiful shade. We saw deer, otter, a rat snake, and a pigmy rattlesnake. We love nature and if you don’t bother it, it won’t bother you. Lots of places to sit, as well as overview spots. Flat for most of the trail that we did. I recommend it highly
Probably the best trail for in-line or quad skating in the state. Easy to get speed and fun to loop around. Also I have seen lots of wildlife on the trail from deer to hogs. Always a pleasure coming out here.
First time visiting this trail. There are bike trails for road and MTBs, hiking trails, etc., This 6.5 mile trail is newly paved (asphalt) and still being worked on some parts. Clean trail and facilities located in parking lot 8 and end of the trailhead at junction of Starkey and Suncoast. Mile markers and small sheds along the way. Not much shade as pine needles surround the trail. Although mostly flat it’s quiet and serene. Ample parking with rangers present.
This was our first time and we came on Fathers Day Sunday and arrived around 12pm and parked at Ben T Walton beach I think it was called and it was perfect spot to unload our e-bikes and ride. Parking was $7 for 4 hrs but we were done in 2 but it was really nice and the breeze off the water kept us cool! We were gonna hit the beach after but we needed to get home but u def could have done both! Also we loved it because there was hardly anyone on it :)
Scenery: 4/5
Shade: 4/5
Condition: 3/5
Crowdedness: 3/5
Amenities: 4/5
Road Crossings: 2/5
Signage: 3/5
This is a great trail, but it's not perfect. It meanders through several cute neighborhoods, towns, and wooded areas with a diverse array of pleasant scenery (woods, charming homes, open vistas, etc.). Stations and outposts all along the trail provide better amenities than most other trails. With just a few exceptions, shade is ample. The trail is very popular and can get quite crowded, especially between the end point at Killarney Station and the Apopka-Vineland outpost. Once you get past the Apopka-Vineland Outpost (heading east from Killarney Station) and turn north, the crowd really thins out and it's much easier to travel. Naturally, crowds are heaviest on weekends and when the weather is mild. The trail is in good shape for the most part, although there are places where it is noticeably bumpy due to root incursion. My biggest complaint is the number of road crossings - there are a LOT. Some of them are very busy with automobile traffic, and some of them are quite rough. All in all, though, it's a very pleasant trail, and I would certainly ride it again. It's important to note that this trail is relatively long. I have ridden the entire trail, and my observations apply to the trail as a whole. Some observations may not apply to certain sections of the trail.
Scenery: 5/5
Shade: 4/5
Condition: 5/5
Crowdedness: 4/5
Water Availability: 3/5
Road Crossings: 3/5
Signage: 2/5
This is one of my favorite trails in Central Florida. In this area, the West Orange Trail is the most popular, but I think the South Lake/Lake Minneola Trail beats out in terms of scenery and crowdedness. Except for the portion of the trail that follows the shoreline of Lake Minneola, shade is ample. It is less crowded than the West Orange Trail, except for the portion that runs through the lakefront park on Lake Minneola. This is understandable given the nature of the park. The crowded stretch is manageable as long as you take it slow and are patient, and it's relatively short compared to the rest of the trail as a whole. The scenery both through wooded areas and along the lake is great. On the western end, the section through Lake Hiawatha Preserve is beautiful albeit very short. Beyond the Preserve (heading west), there's not much to see. The trail is in very good shape, but there are a good number of road crossings. Overall, a really great trail that, in my opinion, is more enjoyable than the West Orange Trail.
Scenery: 2/5
Shade: 1/5
Condition: 5/5
Crowdedness: 5/5
Water Availability: 1/5
Road Crossings: 1/5
Signage: 3/5
Skip this one if you have better options. The description pretty much says it all: not much scenery (almost entirely suburban), hilly (for Florida standards), no water, no shade. On a clear day, there is some scenery at the northern end where you can see Lake Apopka and the Orlando skyline on the eastern horizon, but rampant development is quickly wiping that out. There are a lot of road crossings, some busy. Virtually all of the trail parallels a rather busy, noisy road. The trail is in good shape (except for a few spots where roots have created bumps - mostly on the southern end), but I'm not sure why the description says that it is 14 feet wide. There may be short sections where that is the case, but mostly not. The trail is not crowded at all, but, given its shortcomings, that's not surprising.
It might be short and might need more benches but one thing for sure is beautiful and if you walk along the Sweetwater Creek between you can see stingrays and manatees swimming. I recommend it.
This section of trial was alive with people and activities on a Saturday evening. Walking was perfect, too crowded for anything else.
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