Find the top rated trails in South Venice, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Punta Gorda's Multi-Use Recreational Trail (MURT) begins on the south side of the city and heads northwest along US 41 (also known as Tamiami Trail). When complete, the trail will stretch 4 miles...
The treasures of Sanibel Island, off Florida’s southwest coast, are easily accessible by a connected network of paved shared-use pathways. Although many of the trails parallel the island’s main...
Visitors come to Gasparilla Island for its soothing beaches, upscale eateries, shopping and the history in and around Boca Grande. You, too, can sample these amenities up and down this paved 6-mile...
The Fort Desoto Island Park Trail is a paved path running the entirety of the offshore key. Lying southwest to St. Petersburg, visitors will notice military remnants and have access to two piers,...
You’ll find the John Yarbrough Linear Park Trail to be an unexpected surprise in Fort Myers. Although bound by busy streets in all directions, the corridor itself is green and serene. The paved trail...
When you walk, run, skate or bike the nearly 8-mile Cape Haze Pioneer Trail, you're tracing the line that once serviced Florida's early phosphate industry and also moved people, livestock and locally...
Linear Park follows the route of the former Florida Southern Railroad (dating back to 1886) through a historical neighborhood of Punta Gorda on Florida’s west coast. Although only a mile long, the...
Pine Island Bike Path, also known as the Stringfellow Trail for the road it parallels, spans the length of the island on Florida's southwest coast. It begins in St. James City, a residential...
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The Legacy Trail has a splendid opening: the Historic Venice Train Depot, a pale sunset orange structure that fits right into the beachy Florida color palette. Situated adjacent to a palm-tree-dotted...
The Venetian Waterway Park Trail follows along both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway, from the ocean north and somewhat east, past the Venice Airport to north of Venice Avenue. It is flat and often...
For just over 2 miles, the Punta Gorda Harborwalk follows the beautiful Charlotte Harbor on Florida's west coast. The route is part of the city’s extensive trail network and connects directly to...
The Fort Desoto Island Park Trail is a paved path running the entirety of the offshore key. Lying southwest to St. Petersburg, visitors will notice military remnants and have access to two piers,...
Visitors come to Gasparilla Island for its soothing beaches, upscale eateries, shopping and the history in and around Boca Grande. You, too, can sample these amenities up and down this paved 6-mile...
Linear Park follows the route of the former Florida Southern Railroad (dating back to 1886) through a historical neighborhood of Punta Gorda on Florida’s west coast. Although only a mile long, the...
When you walk, run, skate or bike the nearly 8-mile Cape Haze Pioneer Trail, you're tracing the line that once serviced Florida's early phosphate industry and also moved people, livestock and locally...
The Legacy Trail has a splendid opening: the Historic Venice Train Depot, a pale sunset orange structure that fits right into the beachy Florida color palette. Situated adjacent to a palm-tree-dotted...
You’ll find the John Yarbrough Linear Park Trail to be an unexpected surprise in Fort Myers. Although bound by busy streets in all directions, the corridor itself is green and serene. The paved trail...
Punta Gorda's Multi-Use Recreational Trail (MURT) begins on the south side of the city and heads northwest along US 41 (also known as Tamiami Trail). When complete, the trail will stretch 4 miles...
The Venetian Waterway Park Trail follows along both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway, from the ocean north and somewhat east, past the Venice Airport to north of Venice Avenue. It is flat and often...
For just over 2 miles, the Punta Gorda Harborwalk follows the beautiful Charlotte Harbor on Florida's west coast. The route is part of the city’s extensive trail network and connects directly to...
Pine Island Bike Path, also known as the Stringfellow Trail for the road it parallels, spans the length of the island on Florida's southwest coast. It begins in St. James City, a residential...
The treasures of Sanibel Island, off Florida’s southwest coast, are easily accessible by a connected network of paved shared-use pathways. Although many of the trails parallel the island’s main...
For just over 2 miles, the Punta Gorda Harborwalk follows the beautiful Charlotte Harbor on Florida's west coast. The route is part of the city’s extensive trail network and connects directly to...
The Legacy Trail has a splendid opening: the Historic Venice Train Depot, a pale sunset orange structure that fits right into the beachy Florida color palette. Situated adjacent to a palm-tree-dotted...
The treasures of Sanibel Island, off Florida’s southwest coast, are easily accessible by a connected network of paved shared-use pathways. Although many of the trails parallel the island’s main...
You’ll find the John Yarbrough Linear Park Trail to be an unexpected surprise in Fort Myers. Although bound by busy streets in all directions, the corridor itself is green and serene. The paved trail...
Visitors come to Gasparilla Island for its soothing beaches, upscale eateries, shopping and the history in and around Boca Grande. You, too, can sample these amenities up and down this paved 6-mile...
Pine Island Bike Path, also known as the Stringfellow Trail for the road it parallels, spans the length of the island on Florida's southwest coast. It begins in St. James City, a residential...
The Venetian Waterway Park Trail follows along both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway, from the ocean north and somewhat east, past the Venice Airport to north of Venice Avenue. It is flat and often...
Linear Park follows the route of the former Florida Southern Railroad (dating back to 1886) through a historical neighborhood of Punta Gorda on Florida’s west coast. Although only a mile long, the...
Punta Gorda's Multi-Use Recreational Trail (MURT) begins on the south side of the city and heads northwest along US 41 (also known as Tamiami Trail). When complete, the trail will stretch 4 miles...
When you walk, run, skate or bike the nearly 8-mile Cape Haze Pioneer Trail, you're tracing the line that once serviced Florida's early phosphate industry and also moved people, livestock and locally...
The Fort Desoto Island Park Trail is a paved path running the entirety of the offshore key. Lying southwest to St. Petersburg, visitors will notice military remnants and have access to two piers,...
First time on this trail and enjoyed everything around me.
This long concrete path links Bokeelia in the north, to St James City in the south of Pine Island.
Yes, it can be somewhat boring, due to lack of buffer landscaping and rest areas along the busy main road, Stringfellow. However, just off the path are some truly unique sights: such as the historically-significant Calusa homeland, Pineland (extinct indigenous peoples of southwest Florida), and beautiful conservation areas, like Galt Preserve.
Off-path side roads are flat, quiet and welcoming for bicyclists, especially beginning north of Harbor Drive-Pineland, keeping west and north. Don't be afraid to venture off the concrete, but bring plenty of drinking water and snacks.
Great photo opps: Bokeelia fishing pier, Pineland Marina pier, Calusa shell mounds, Randall Research Center.
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Note: locally, bicyclists and residents have been asking Lee County, FL to reduce speed on Stringfellow to 45 mph. In the meantime, use caution when crossing Stringfellow Road.
Of interest to mountain bike and dirt riders: numerous dirt-sand roads crisscross Pine Island's many palm plantations. Some, but not all of these roads, are public property. Consult local maps for the best guides, available at Pine Island Library, Russell Road.
Excellent trail well maintained interesting nature and good rest stop facilities
This is a poor excuse for not providing a decent bike lane on the two lane road that was just re-paved and could easily have included a bike lane on each side. The "bike path" is overgrown and hazardous if you are on a road bike. I used the road and had vehicles blaring horns to move but nowhere to go.
This is A SLOG! Sidewalk along a two lane highway, 50 mph traffic. Few houses. No businesses. No shade no interest. Avoid it if you can.
You can get to this trail from downtown Ft. Myers city via Veronica Shoemaker Blvd. and Metro Parkway. Just about every type of wetland and aquatic bird in FL can be see along the way; Herons, Ibises, Aningas, Red-Tail Hawks, Ospreys, Spoonbills, Swallow-tail Kites, Turkey and Black Vultures, and an occasional Bald Eagle pair. Lots of snakes, beware of Moccasains (!). I even saw a young Lynx there! Pretty decent fishing when the water level is up, too! Gar, Tilapia, even some Trout below the dam. Oh, yeah, Alligators, a few big ones.
Our first time on the trail. We parked at the historic train depot. Hint you can park in the shade under the bridge.
The depot is also an active bus station for SCAT their local bus service. Bathrooms were clean and parking plentiful. There is a boat launch on the water side of the trail. STOP at the information board and check on the construction projects. There are 2 as of April 2018. A new overpass for a busy road, and another trailhead on the trail is closed due to some road construction.
There is one steep overpass over a busy road at the beginning and after that the trail is pretty flat. However the construction project for the second overpass is a slight pain. there are two ways to go around it, we went to the right and saw a sign that said "go to xxx road to cross" well we are not from the area and have no idea which direction or what road they are talking about. We ended up trying to cross right there which is very dangerous. 5 lanes of traffic. On the return trip the trail allowed access to the pedestrian signal which we were able to push - which stopped traffic for an easy crossing. Just had to ride 50 feet in the road with the traffic stopped and cut over the grass. Can do this with hybrid bikes but not for road bikes with skinny tires due to the sand.
The second construction area looked like brand new roads for brand new housing construction, no problem on the bike path but there is no access to the car parking area for the trail head.
We continued all the way to the end of the trail where you can actually see the railroad ties still in the ground, kind of cool. We checked out Culverhouse park, which is actually only a small hardpacked dirt driveway with only a few parking spaces and a portapotty. There is a picnic table under a nice tree and a trash can, but no real bathrooms or water that I could see. There is a community garden that is locked.
Its a good trail, I was expecting more shade, in areas there are huge housing developments going in, so its obviously not as scenic as it was before. Nice signage explaining the history of the area along the way. Good covered rest areas. Lots of signs reminding people of trail courtesy.
A fun day on the trail.
We are novice bikers and thoroughly enjoy the fact that we don’t have to interact with traffic. Plenty of benches to take a break. Rest rooms also available. You will be surrounded by nature. Great place to meet interesting people.
Started from the train depot. Avaiable restrooms always a plus. Nice level concrete trail on the east side, but like previous reviews, completely open so maybe not so good on hot days. However, after crossing the bridge to the west side, there are no signs as to how to get on and follow the trail to Casperen beach. Also, be nice if the map showed the location of the bridge.
We loved this trail. Started in Sarasota, enjoyed the flatter than a flitter ride to Venice, rode into town and enjoyed lunch at one of the little sidewalk cafes and then rode back, 24 miles total. A very enjoyable day.
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