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Heart of Florida Loop... Bike Trail System

A Plan to Connect Bike Trails in 8 Florida Counties

The Heart of Florida Loop touches on eight counties - Seminole, Orange, Lake, Sumter, Hernando, Citrus, Marion, and Volusia - linking existing and evolving trail systems, approximately 215 miles. It incorporates portions of the Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail (C2C), St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop (SJR2C), Withlacoochee State Trail, and Cross Florida Greenway. Gaps remain, funding is provided within the Florida SUN Trail program. See map.

Below we list Heart of Florida Loop trails and gaps, in 4 sections, starting at the Volusia/Seminole County line at the St. Johns River in Sanford and going clockwise.

• west along the Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail
• north on the Withlacoochee State Trail
• east on the Cross Florida Greenway
• south along the St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop

We return to the St. Johns River and Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail at DeBary.

Heart of Florida Loop

Seminole/Volusia Link

Bridge over St. Johns River - Seminole and Volusia Counties - Shared-use lane on the US 17-92 bridge over the St. Johns River connecting Cross Seminole Trail (at Lake Monroe Wayside Park, Sanford) and Spring-to-Spring Trail (at Lake Monroe Park, DeBary).

Trails Along the Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail

Cross Seminole Trail - Seminole County - Part of the C2C from Lake Monroe Wayside Park in Sanford to the Seminole Wekiva Trail connector in Lake Mary, about 5.5 miles. The total trail is 28 miles, to the connection with Cady Way Trail in Orlando.

Seminole Wekiva Trail - Seminole County - Popular 17-mile trail. Part of the C2C for 13 miles from the bridge over I-4 at Lake Mary to its south terminus at the Orange County line, where a gap exists to the West Orange Trail.

West Orange Trail - Orange County - This is a 22 mile, world-class rail trail through urban and suburban sections of Orange County. It's part of the C2C from the Seminole Wekiva Trail gap, to the South Lake Trail (13.5 miles).

South Lake Trail - Lake County - Runs 12.5 miles as part of the C2C from the West Orange Trail west to Groveland where a gap exists to the Van Fleet State Trail.

Van Fleet State Trail - Sumter County - Totally rural 29 mile rail-trail with one curve and no hills through the Green Swamp. The C2C crosses the trail between the South Lake and Withlacoochee State Trails (gaps exist).

Withlacoochee State Trail

Withlacoochee State Trail - Hernando, Citrus Counties - From the future juncture with the C2C near Croom Road, the trail is part of the Heart of Florida Loop to its northern end at Gulf Junction in Citrus Springs (35.5 miles), where a one-mile connector now links to the Dunnellon Trail. The trail totals 46 miles, to its southern end at Owensboro.

Cross Florida Greenway Corridor

Dunnellon Trail - Marion County - Part of the Cross Florida Greenway, the paved trail runs 2.5 miles along the Rainbow River including a bridge across the Withlacoochee River. The Greenway continues eastbound paralleling SR 484.

Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway - Citrus, Marion Counties - Continuing eastbound (37 miles), the Greenway includes two additional paved sections with several trailheads: about 6.5 miles from Santos Trailhead to the Landbridge Trailhead, and 5-miles from the Baseline Trailhead to the 64th St. Trailhead. The remainder is currently on unpaved trail to SR 40. Here, the Greenway continues north, while the Heart of Florida Loop turns east along SR 40 to US 17.

Black Bear Trail - Marion and Volusia Counties - The Black Bear Trail is planned to run 27 miles, following SR 40 from Levy Hammock Road to US 17.

St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop Section

US 17 Corridor - Volusia County - This is future construction, about 7 miles south along US 17 from SR 40 to DeLeon Springs. (As part of the SJR2C, this route also runs north 40 miles to Palatka.)

Spring to Spring Trail - Volusia County - From US 17 in DeLeon Springs to DeBary (about 26 miles) the trail is part of the SJR2C, a couple of gaps exist. (At DeBary, another leg runs east to the East Central Regional Rail Trail as part of the C2C.)

More Information and Resources

Related Resources:

FDOT - Heart of Florida Loop