Find the top rated bike trails in Lake City, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Wife and I rode the entire trail. The trail seemed to have had the shoulders recently mowed but there was a lot of small limbs and large grass clumps on the trail from mowing discharge. The last 100 yards of the trail to the river is on a gravel drive. The point where the asphalt ends and this gravel drive needs a sign to tell you that you’re almost at the end. It’s very sketchy at the very end by the river. There were a few tables and shelter there. There were bumps in the asphalt from tree roots growing under the trail. Read the description of the parking for the trail head in MadisonThe trail has potential but just needs some love.
This trail was perfect for a gentle ride with my 11-year-old granddaughter, who has never been on a longer trail. Flat, smooth surface. We parked at Otis Road and went a few miles toward Baldwin.
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.
I ride this trail 3-5 times a week. It’s smooth and has shade and bathrooms and great parking.
So it’s a bit rough in spots, some of the macadam is bad in a few places, but it’s a trail ride so that’s ok by me. You want perfect roads, ride on the highway. The ride down to the river is nice with a great lunch spot.
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.
We rode the trail from the Florahome trailhead to the Keystone Heights trailhead. This section of the trail is paved, smooth, and well maintained. The keystone Heights trailhead is a little off as it’s basically in between a Wendy’s and a CVS store in the dude of a major highway. Before Keystone Heights, the trail goes primarily through trees and wetlands. There is spotty shade in some spots but otherwise full sun. It’s not a trail for summer time.
I am an inline speed skater and a road bike cyclist. I have been skating and biking in over 10 states. This is so far the best trail I have ever been — over 90% distance is shaded, 10 feet wide, most times is very clean, and not hilly at all.
I love riding rail trails because you don’t need to worry about traffic ! Cross over a few roads but nothing major until you get into Gainesville. But there are crossing signals and traffic was good about stopping. Recommend you eat at The Wrap Shack if you ride into Hawthorne.
Years of trail neglect and last seasons hurricanes have made this potentially wonderful trail not worth your effort to locate.
I set about riding some of the paved sections but I was most intrigued to try the unpaved section from Hampton to New River. I rode the paved section from Lake Geneva to Hampton and back. The pavement is smooth and the section between Keystone and Hampton covers some beautiful country scenery. Highway signage for trailheads and signage at the trailheads themselves could use improvement!!!
As for the unpaved section, a comfortable seat with full suspension comes in handy as parts are bumpy from the ballast rock and some roots.
This rail trail is also part of the Florida National Scenic hiking trail. I saw one pair of hikers on this section. There are two detours required due to removed rail bridges. The detour near Lake Sampson is really minor. The detour over the New River is a much larger detour which I avoided through my routing.
I first rode west from Hampton to Sampson and back then moved my bike via car to New River and road east toward Sampson though I didnt quite reach it before returning to New River. Each out and back section clocks in around 11 miles.
The trail was quite well maintained. Often it was a clear path through a tree canopy as far as the eye I could see. Sometimes it bore through a natural habitat and other times through pine tree farms. This unpaved section is also the most remote. It did require crossing a major US Highway (301) and two different rail lines. If or when it gets paved, it will be the best section on the entire trail. For now, it is for intermediate+ riders.
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