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Hard Rock MTB Park: Probably one of the better trails in Florida, Hard Rock ranges from 6-8 miles in length and offers some great elevation changes throughout. Hard Rock is an abandoned limestone pit and is mostly hard packed single track. It does have some tricky drops and turns and is not recommended for beginners. There are many races throughout the year and sometimes they are aired on ESPN. It costs $5 each for entry which includes restrooms, bike wash, outside showers, and gated parking. Hard Rock is open most weekends and depending on the time of year it may be open during certain days of the week. For more info you can call (352) 873-9279. To Get There: (Ocala, Fl) Take I-4 west to the Florida Turnpike. Go north to I-75 and exit at SR 326. Turn right on CR 25-A. The park is three quarters of a mile down on the left.
Bellview: Consists mainly of single track on a limestone base. There is plenty of steep drops, climbs, and obstacles and ranges from 12 to 15 miles. The trails are marked with easy (yellow), moderate (blue) and difficult (red). The red trails can be dangerous due to very sharp drops on very sharp rock. Bellview is state owned property and is maintained by the Ocala Mountain Bike Association. To Get There: (Ocala, Fl) From Orlando take the Turnpike north and exit on 301 at Wildwood and continue north to 441. Go through Bellview and turn left on the first street (80th St) after the north and south bound lanes of 441 come together again ( look for Sheriff's Staion in median). Go about 100 yards and take a left on limestone road which leads to the grassy parking lot.
The Seminole Environmental Center: This trail offers approximately 5 miles of singletrack and is mostly beginner-style trails. There are a couple of technical areas but it is mostly scenic singletrack through a cypress forest. This area is kind of low so you might want to avoid this area during heavy rains. To Get There: (Seminole County) Take U.S. Highway 17-92 to Sanford. Turn right on SR 419. Within a mile you will see the Center on both side of the road.
Hanna Park: This park is made up of mostly single track that is well marked.There is over 15 miles of trails and they are broken into sections like Misery and Log Jam. Though the trails are marked from beginner to expert none of them are very difficult. This is a state park and has great facilities such as bathrooms, bike wash, concessions, and camping. Hanna Park is located right on the beach so there is some great views of the Atlantic. It costs something like fifty cents to get in but it is well worth it. To Get There: (Jacksonville, FL) Take I-95 to the Beaches exit. Head east on Atlantic Blvd. When you pass over the Intracoastal waterway bridge, take the first exit exit to Mayport Rd. Head north to the Mayport Naval Station. Park entrance is on right at Wonderwood Dr.
The Sugar Mill/Spruce Creek Perserve: There is about 10 miles of some great singletrack and some great technical areas. There are some drops on the bank of Spruce Creek but you have to careful because of the roots. There is a National Indian Burial Ground in the middle of the park that is roped off. Some riders break the rules and ride on the burial ground but it is rumored that if it continues the park will be closed to bikers. Sugar Mill offers some great views of Spruce Creek on cliffs that are 80 feet up. During the dry summer the trails get almost to sandy to enjoy but because the ground is so that during the rainy season water runs of the trails and makes for some nice hard singletrack riding. To Get There: (near New Symerna) From Cocoa take I-95 north then exit on SR 44 going east. About half mile down take a left on Sugar Mill Dr. go to the stop sign and take left on Pioneer Trail. Turn left on Turnbull Bay and left on the first dirt road on left(Martin Dairy Rd.). Follow Martin Dairy Rd. and park where you trails going off into the woods on the right.
The Gran Canyon: There is about 10 mile of singletrack with some steep drop offs and climbs. The Gran Canyon was once a lime rock quarry and now offers bikers some awesome downhills. These trails are for intermediate to advanced riders and can get pretty slick during the rainy season. There is a $3 for admission and is open only on the weekends. To Get There: (Brooksville, FL) Take SR 50 west to Brooksville and turn right on Mundon Hill Rd. after the Holiday Inn. Turn right at Copper Terrace. The park is the first driveway on the right.
The Little Big Econ State Forest: This trail offers singletrack through flat pine woods and oak hammocks. There are some nice singletrack sections with whoop-d-Do's on both sides of creek.There are some new sections that have been added and it is said that more are coming. To Get There: (near Oviedo, FL) Take SR 46 to CR 426 southwest. When road forks vear off to the left on Snow Hill Rd. Follow Snow Hill Rd until you go over small bridge crossing river and look for parking on the right.
DeLeon Springs (Chuck Lennon Park): This place is a blast. I went there for the first time last weekend and found it to be allot of fun. Though very short there are whoop-d-doo's, short tight climbs, bowls, killer drops, and awesome jumps. We went on Saturday and not one other biker was there or showed up during our 3 hour ride. This place could use a little work, such as signage and trail maintenance to become a Florida favorite but if that happened it might become over crowded. It is all singletrack with a hard packed dirt base. There are no jagged rocks like Hard Rock or Bellview but it has the typical Florida roots and logs. Beware of BIG BAD Banana spiders. To Get There: From Orlando, Take I-4 to exit 54 and follow to 17-92 north. Take 17-92 north and turn Left at 15A (look for Winn Dixie and the Pontiac Dealer). Take 15A to US17 and turn left. From US17 turn left on Ponce DeLeon Blvd go over railroad tracks and take left on Burts Park Rd. Take your first left into Chuck Lennon Park and Park in the first parking area on the left next to tennis courts and basketball courts. Trail head is starts at parking lot.
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