Find the top rated birding trails in Ocala, 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.
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This is a great trail. Like the curves and gentle hills. The scenery is perfect. Makes for a perfect 30+ mile ride.
The Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is the epitome of what a bike trail should be.The asphalt blacktop looks newly paved and is almost perfectly smooth the entire 15+ mile ride. It is plenty wide for two way traffic and passing with lots of nice curves and some hills passing through some truly beautiful woodlands in Central Florida just outside of Ocala. Wildlife abounds along its entire length. An added bonus is the 100's of miles of mountain bike trails that intersect along its length in many places. It is super well maintained and marked throughout on the pavement for any emergency that may need reporting. There are only a couple of road crossings with the majority being underpasses and a very unique overpass over Interstate 75. Anywhere there is a blind corner there are large round cornering mirrors and signs to notify you to slow appropriately. There are water and toilet facilities at the Santos Trailhead and further down their is an equestrian campground that also has accessible facilities. If you plan for a down and back ride it is a great workout and make sure to bring some hydration. A large part of the ride is shaded but there is enough sun exposure to warrant sunscreen. All and all, this is a top teir bike trail and worth the drive to get there if you have to travel. Truly My New Favorite Bike Trail! Highly Recommended!!!
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 !!
Awesome bike ride for those who don't need paved trails. There is nature galore with many species of birds and alligators everywhere. If you go down all the various paths you can easily exceed 30 miles of riding. The paths are from decently smooth to very rough. Recommended that you have a bike with suspension for your own comfort. A regular bike could make it of course but many areas with a very rough ride. There is a bathroom and water fountain at the trailhead but only porta potties in a couple of other places. Cars are alowed in certain parts from Friday to Sunday but shouldn't be a real issue for bikers.
Trail is very well maintained, rest areas plentiful along the way. Nice scenery
Its not as easy to find nice camping and a beautiful bike trail as you would think. Blue Springs campground is right on the trail! You can ride into Town, never have to drive. This whole trail system is really growing. Very exciting.
My husband and I rode this trail a few days ago. Started just west of Vermont heights and rode 14 miles west and back again. The trail is mostly shaded through woods. A few miles in the sun by Hasting through farms. Ate breakfast in Hastings at Nirmas which was quite good! . Would like to come Bach another day when it’s a little cooler and ride the entire trail.
It's a very peaceful and quiet ride the only thing I would want more is signage indicating the miles from and to
From this point to palatka is fifteen miles etc
Wife and I started in Palatka, we crossed over the St Johns River and followed the trail to Hastings. Good trail, lots of farms to see.
Started at Lake Minneola trailhead park and headed west to where the trail abruptly ends in Groveland. No signs are an understatement. Trail has several restrooms. 1 water stop and beautiful views of several lakes. Nice suspension bridges, plenty of benches and downtown Clermont Resturant choices. Just sparse mileage markers and virtually no trail signs. Odd. But if you are up for the adventure of not being sure where you are going, it was a fun ride
I just rode this trail for the first time, and I have nothing but good things to say about it. In short, the ride is very scenic with a few challenging hills along the way. It's a nice alternative to the typically flat trails that I've ridden elsewhere in the state. The hills are really not that difficult assuming you have gearing. I wouldn't recommend this trail for single speed bikes though. There are a few major road crossings that you have to negotiate along the way, and I can see where pedestrians could be a hindrance while riding around the lake depending on the day of the week, but these are minor issues. I started my ride at Killarney Station at the east end of the trail which is a great place to begin. On the return trip, if you have the energy, you can continue past this point onto the West Orange Trail and ride a few more miles through Oakland into the heart of Winter Gardens (recommended). I assume at some point in time the west end of this trail will be extended beyond its abrupt ending since it will eventually be part of the Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail that will stretch across the state. I've ridden the Withlacoochee State Trail and the Pinellas Trail, and they are both great trails, but all things considered I found this trail to be a better biking experience.
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