The Tampa Bay area of Florida offers some of the best biking trails available. If it’s your first time biking in this area during the summer months, make sure you take along enough water to stay hydrated, and also insect repellent as the mosquito’s can be fierce!
The first trail you might like to try is one located in the Alafia River State Park. The physical address is 14326 South CR 39, in Lithia, Fl. which is southeast of Brandon.The entrance fee for the park is $3.00 per vehicle, or $4.00 for 2-8 passengers.
This trail is said to be one of the most favored choices for off-road cyclists. Many skilled riders travel from all over the State to ride this trail. It consists of drops, hillside ledges, sharply banked curves, and ridge top trails. It is a single track on rugged terrain, in what use to be a mining area. There are approximately 20 miles of trails.
For beginners, the Park offers an easy loop, which is called Sand Pine. There is another trail used for more experienced beginner’s, which is called the Green Trail. It is approximately three miles long. For the more experienced riders, the Blue Sections, named Bridges, North Creek, and Rock Garden, offer a fun ride with medium sized hills. There are sudden drops, climbs, twists and turns. The Roller coaster and Moonscape Trails, (black section), form a four mile advanced loop, which has to be ridden one way only. There is also the Gator back and Rabbit Ears trails, which are very difficult, but seem to be enjoyed greatly by experienced riders.Knowing how to control your speed is essential on these trails.
Another biking trail in the Tampa area, is the Withlacoochee Croom Off-Road Bike Trail. It is the longest single track in Florida. It is located in Brooksville, Fl. The State Forest is one of the third largest in the State. It is in west central Florida with the headquarters located on U.S. Highway 41 approximately seven miles north of the town of Brooksville and 50 miles north of the city of Tampa.
The actual biking trail is over 55 miles long. The 35 mile loop is marked by white signs with a bicycle symbol in blue paint. The terrain you’ll be covering on loop #1 varies from rolling, pine covered hills, to low lying oak hammocks. The trails that run thru the hammocks are more twisty and closed in, requiring more concentration. If you are a beginner, you may want to start out with a different trail, because this one is very difficult. They have “Bail Out” areas at three and Six miles into the trails.
Another popular biking trail is located at the Boyet Park. It includes approximately 35 miles of single- and double track loops. It is located in an old phosphate mine in South Tampa.If you are a beginner biker, this trail offers a 13 mile trail of double track. For the more experienced, there is an intermediate course of nearly 6 miles of single track connects to the expert trails, which are 18 miles long.
SWAMP Mountain Bike Club Trails in Florida
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=BGN066-081
http://www.swampclub.org/locations.htm#Croom
