Find the top rated birding trails in Lake City, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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.
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.
Rode twice from the eastern terminus. The trail is almost completely flat and straight. There are some crossings at the beginning but they aren’t busy. The trail is mostly shaded and goes through a mix of forests and swamps. I rode over a 2.5 foot copperhead that I didn’t see until it was too late to avoid. There are bathrooms at the eastern end. I think there was a portable toilet at the other end. The trail was all paved and the surface in good condition. There is a train crossing about 3 miles from the western end. On one trip we waited for a couple of trains. Last year we used it and had a train stop on the tracks blocking access to our car. With help from a local we navigated around the train using roads.
Driving Rt 100 out of town, once you pass the SJ River Water Management District office, you will start to see pull off and parking spots on your right. Especially at Coventry Oaks Farm.
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.
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.
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