Awesome, flat, straight trail (NO stops for roads/traffic). We saw lots of wildlife including turtles, snakes & a huge gator.

The trail winds around beautiful woods and a golf course with minimal exposure to traffic.

The trail was fabulous, paved and winding along Lake Minneola. I would love to give our experience 5 stars, but several trail users made this impossible. We had been looking forward to biking this trail on our cruisers and traveled over an hour from Seminole County. We came on a Wednesday afternoon.

The posted speed limit on the trail is 15 mph and those directions are to also use the right side of the path.

Most of the bicyclists were riding touring bikes and exceeding the speed by a considerable amount. In addition, only two out of the more than 40 touring cyclists alerted us when they passed us. Because we didn't hear them coming, a collision nearly resulted in one case. We noticed that several pedestrians and a couple of other bicyclists were also startled at different times by these cyclists with some riding at speeds we've seen when they ride along the highway.

Another issue was people walking in groups spread across the entire path. I was nearly involved in a head-on collision with three cyclists because A walker who was spread across to the far left side of the trail did not yield despite my calling out 3 times "ON YOUR LEFT!" I had no where to go but into a pole or a park bench until she finally moved to her right. At that point I was able to see the other cyclists feet away who were only able to pass just inches from me. It could have been a big mess of bikes AND pedestrians.

Earlier we heard a jogger telling other groups to "break up" due to the same situation. No one walking seemed to hear him either.

I'd like to think that people just aren't thinking about how their use of the trail affects others. I really don't like to believe people are selfish and inconsiderate. Regardless of intent, however, there were at least three incidences that we personally witnessed or were involved in during our one and half ride in which we or others could have been hurt pretty badly.

In the interest of public safety it seems that the trail should be monitored, warnings given to abusers and fines imposed if they choose to continue to behave without concern for others.

Not a fun ride. Not sure how this is in the rails to trails guide, it would be fine if you needed to commute to work. All you hear is traffic and not much to see; trail is a little quieter once you get to the school. A lot of the pavement has roots, asphalt is in need of repair and there are poor transitions to the streets. Caution on the crosswalk as some cars ignore the crosswalk signal even while the lights are flashing. Lots of better trails to choose from in FL

the trail has been extended on the southern end and now it's 9+ miles and ends at Plymouth Avenue instead of Denton Avenue

The paved trail is pretty flat with the exception of some bridges across busy streets. From the parking lot at the Chamber of Commerce on the Winter Haven side to the end of the trail at W. Haines Blvd in Lake Alfred is 5.1m out and 5.1 miles back. It's pretty basic, but I would like to add some suggestions to make the ride slightly more enjoyable.

1) Try and time your ride for the third Saturday of the month. There is a free water ski show on Lake Silver. The show time changes so check the website for the Cypress Gardens Ski team. I suggest that you do your ride first and hit the show on the way back into Winter Haven as the bike path goes right past the lake.

2) Instead of just dead heading out to where the trail ends in Lake Alfred, take a little detour off the path to the Mackay Gardens and Lakeside Preserve. The preserve is a better destination than just the abrupt end of the trail in downtown Lake Alfred. It's about a mile east of the trail.

3) There's not a lot of shade on the trail so stay hydrated and bring sunscreen. There is a "splash pad park" along the trail in downtown Winter Haven where you can cool off under the misters so DEFINITELY bring a change of clothes.

4) Enjoy Winter Haven at the end of your ride. Again, bring a change of clothes...and explore the downtown area. There are public restrooms for changing near the splash park for changing. They have nice restaurants, coffee shops, a brewery, antique shops for browsing, and live music on Saturdays (once Covid subsides) - It's a cool little area to walk around after your ride.

I think it's a great way to kill a Saturday afternoon if you're looking for a leisurely ride. A good portion of the trail is through industrial areas, which is to be expected as this was an old train track bed, but if you're looking for a nice 10 or so mile easy trail, this is a good option.

Finally the connection of the second and third section is near completion at mile marker 14.5 where the trail dead ended into a recycling dump before. In addition they are constructing public restrooms along the trail at the Winter Springs High School sports complex. This turns the trail from a 4 to a 5 star bike trail, though it still has many road crossings and certain sections get quite busy on weekends. People are overall polite and cooperative when you announce yourself and communicate well with drivers at the many 4 way stops. I love this trail since a lot of it runs through shady wooded areas, especially between Longwood and Oviedo.

The trail is paved and there are great views the entire way. There are parks along the way and places to eat. Such a relaxing and beautiful ride.

Parked in Sand Point Park, rode to Aurantia Trailhead & back (20 mi) No services, but there are a few places nearby to stop for water. Check out Pier 220 for lunch & a great water view