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2019.11.29 Black Friday, yep! Busy Shopping Centers & traffic...nope, NOT for this guy. I took my bicycle with me on an easy 20 minute urban train ride, from downtown Orlando to this BEAUTIFUL PARK in Kissimmee! The SunRail station is a short distance from Kissimmee Lakefront Park. FYI ...SunRail only operates during the weekdays. Ample Parking, Great for Bike rides, walks, jogging. I will return and explore the ride along side Neptune road
My wife and I started at the Lake Monroe park and boat launch. Rode this portion north and east around the lake and then picked up the west end of the East Central Regional trail. I'm guessing about 32 miles round trip. Definitely a 5+ rating. The scenery and wildlife was amazing. We saw 2 bald eagles and a family of deer along the way. Visited Gemini Springs and Green Springs too. Also, at every street crossing we came to, all the motorists were so considerate. Evidence of a community that embraces the trails and the folks who use it. After our ride we drove to Central 28 brewing for a beer. We could have rode our bikes there but it was getting dark. Their beers are really good and they had a great food truck that night. For those that read this review I'll give you a tip. If you ride your bike to the brewery on a Sunday they will give you a beer for free !!
It was a beautiful ride however several sections are in need of repairs
Ive read some of the other reviews and as for me?...Orlando and Orange County are doing great with getting trails in place. Seminole County should learn from them. This trail is pretty awesome if you live nearby you can jump on and off and get just about anything you want if you know the area. If you just visiting stay in Baldwin Park and enjoy all they have to offer.
Last weekend we have a marvelous Sunday experience in this trail. It has everything and more ...toilets, beautiful river view, parking and access to the river. The sand is OK and in the pavement part is almost without traffic. 5 stars for this trail.
WoW, We rode this trail in April on a clear sunny day. My third trail in Florida and this one was my favorite. The scenic value is fantastic. The trail is a sand trail but was well compacted. We started out at the trailhead and instantly we were hit with fantastic sights. A ton of wildlife coupled with tropical vegetation that I could only describe as a tropical dessert. The trail is in between the Indian River and the Atlantic Ocean and sights of each. The trail is well labeled. Bring extra water on this ride. Not much area for shade. Short ride but I am sure you will find yourself like us and just slowed it down and took it in.
We rode from the Lake Monroe Park TH at the southern end near I 4 expressway to Gemini Springs. My wife is not an experienced bicyclist and does not ride longer distances or on the road. She loved this trail! It is very scenic with shaded board walks or smooth asphalt surfaces. It is moderately busy with cyclists, walkers and skaters. The people are courteous + unusually friendly. We had several great conversations when asking the locals for information. Past Gemini Springs it becomes more suburban along roads, but the initial portion is mostly wooded. We turned around and drove to Green Spring which is beautiful but emits sulfur odor.
Another trail I hesitated doing because of the short distance, but I was able to create a 12 mile ride loop out of it.
I had considered riding down the sidewalk from Daytona beach to this trail but I was very glad I did not. The sidewalk there is very narrow and lots of dips for driveways, and lots of road crossings. I did park slightly north of the trail head when I found a section of free angle in parking at an area where the sidewalk/trail was much wider. This was in Wilbur. I soon discovered I was only a few blocks from a big parking lot with restrooms on the corner of Toronita and Atlantic ave "Toronita Avenue Park" mid week in off season there was plenty of parking.
There is one entrance to Ponce Preserve along the trail and I stopped to take a photo of the trail map. It looked like a very sandy trail and hot as it was on the interior. Will have to save that for a hiking day.
You can continue all the way down to Lighthouse point park which was fun to explore, it had some interior shady trails, and great views of the inlet. There are boardwalks to the breakwater that people were riding their bikes on. People can park cars on the beach there so it may be hard enough to ride a bike.
I continued back north on S Peninsula drive which was very shady and not much traffic. No problems riding on the road. Soon a sidewalk appeared and I switched over to riding on the small sidewalk. There are several beautiful parks you can access from Peninsula, including Timucuan Oaks Garden a mix of formal garden and then a boarwalk out to a creek, and the other side of Ponce Preserve, but unfortunately their boardwalk out to the intercoastal was closed that day.
It would not be a good ride on a road bike, though I did see some in the streets. If you are out for a casual ride, and have a hybrid or mountain bike there is lots to see and do. Just get off the sidewalk and explore!
This was the first time I have ridden the trail all the way from New Smyrna Beach to Titusville. Overall the trail is flat, straight, and the pavement excellent. There are very few road crossings in the Volusia County portion of the trail. But in the Brevard County portion, there are many road crossings, some that are very treacherous. Also there are benches along the trail in Volusia County and none in Brevard County. Much of the trail is through the woods and beautiful but as you get to Mims the trail parallels US1 and is not nearly as scenic. Overall, a great place to ride if you use caution on the crossings in Brevard. Being flat and straight, it lacks a signature feature like a tunnel or viaduct. There is really nothing that makes you want to go and ride the trail as a destination. I give it 9 gears on a 10 speed cassette.
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