Explore the best rated trails in Cross City, FL, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Withlacoochee Bay Trail and Cedar Key Railroad Trestle Nature Trail . With more than 10 trails covering 105 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.
We live here and love this trail. We walk it and ride our e-bikes on it and it’s been great since they repaved it. They even added a bridge across the river by Ichetucknee Springs State Park that connects this trail to the O’Leno Trail. Hopefully they will repave the O’Leno Trail one day. Be aware that sadly the locals also use the trail with their golf carts and worse, their ATV’s. Even kids younger than 16 drive them on the trail. Most people are respectful of the walkers and bikers but not all so be careful. Hopefully it won’t take someone getting hurt to get the rules enforced.
This is a terrific ride on paved trail through shaded natural landscapes. Pine and live oak uplands and cypress swamps. The trail bed is in very good condition except for some minor root bumps here and there. Enjoyed the challenge of some long but gentle hills near the Gainesville end. We rode hybrid bikes so medium narrow tires and did nearly the entire trail and back again in two and a half hours of actual riding.
Rode every inch on this trail back and forth. Not too much nature but one very small section. Should be called the Highway Trail most of it is right next to the highway. I've been on rail to trails all over the country this is my least favorite. You pass thru a lot of very trashy areas near Cross City, Chiefland and ride next to the highway A LOT. You see more broken down should be condemned trashy single wide trailers than nature. Also this is the only trail I've ever seen where the were to lazy to pull the rails up first. They just slapped the blacktop right on top. Big waste of good steel and it's causing problems all over the trail.
Parked off a dirt lot about the midway point of the trail. Rode west, enjoyed a view of the gulf at the endpoint, then turned around, and road the 6+ miles to the other end. If I had a complaint, it would be that the trail didn't go further.
This trail got a makeover that is now complete! It’s super smooths and perfect for a speed skating session. I love this trail! It brings you all the way to Ichetucknee-Oleno (which needs to be redone tbh). But this trail has such amazing quality and I enjoy the scenery north of Branford.
This is a great trail. If you don’t have all day to get a work out. It goes along a beautiful canal that leads to the Gulf of Mexico. The complete stretch round-trip is a little over 13 miles. There are areas where there’s beautiful views and several places to stop to take in the scenery. We also saw a lot of wildlife. Well maintained. Good for riding bikes, horseback riding, or walking.
Drove to south entrance of Ichetucknee State park and it was not clear where the trail began, so we went to the north entrance, which is NOT the right place. Drove to O’Leno State Park and noticed a paved trail along the high meat again.
Did the entire trail and came in with 64 miles overall on roller skates. Started Trenton. The Trenton asphalt isn’t too great quality but it is doable. The Suwannee River Bridge is beautiful but usually where the traffic of the trail is. Skated to the end in Cross City. It’s very open in this section which can be difficult with wind. I will say the surface is better in this leg. Skated back from Cross City and took the Wilcox Junction to Chiefland. The Chiefland leg is shaded and has a good quality surface for most of it. All three of the depots are cute. I think Chiefland’d depot is the prettiest….but also getting to it sucks since you must cross a busy road. Overall, this trail is quiet and a beautiful tel. Saw a garter snake and lots of rabbits
For several years the paved surface has been in disrepair, but it is being reapaved. The section from the north end to the intersection of U.S. 129 is nearing completion and it appears the project will include a bridge over the Ichetucknee River.
I had to add my 2 cents, don’t be discouraged by a previous review talking about steep hills and bumpy pavement in the 5 miles near Gainesville. I rode it in the pre dawn hours and took it really slow so as not to out run my light. Yes there are bumps - I had no issues and my tires are 23s. As far as hills, this path is what we call in the Midwest flat. Maybe some steep hills for Florida, but again not a real issue. Enjoy it - I look forward to riding it again someday!
The west end towards Gainesville is quite a bit different than the east end at Hawthorne. The Hawthorne end offers good cycling with a road bike. The Gainesville end not so much. It has a lot of severe tree root damage, sharp curves, and suprisingly steep hills. Once you get thru that in the first 5 miles the trail straightens out and runs parallel to a busy and noisy road. Great.
We rode it 3 times and finally agreed it wasn't worth the effort. With the 2 overlooks onto Paynes Prairie and the Al Lucha trail within the first 3 miles, this end of the trail lends itself to walking or riding an ebike. The ebike negates the hills and would have larger tires that would absorb all the bumpiness.
The east end was rural with fewer people and was more suitable for someone wanting to actually bike.
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