Belleview

Exploring Belleview

Established around Nine Mile Pond in 1884, Belleview is one of the older communities in Marion County. It lies just south of what might have been the Cross Florida Barge Canal.

Instead, that strip of federal land became the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, home to the Florida Trail and the famed Santos Trails for mountain bikers.

The Greenway, which stretches from the Gulf Coast to the St. Johns River near Palatka, is a superb destination for outdoor recreation.

Belleview is also a Florida Trail Gateway Community, within walking distance of the Florida Trail at Santos for long distance hikers to come into for resupply and relaxation.

Lodgings are limited but are mom-and-pop along US 301/441/27, as are the best of the eateries, like B.D. Bean’s coffeehouse, the delightful Chicken Time Cuban restaurant, and the Farmhouse.

Trails and Parks near Belleview

Biking Santos Biking the Santos Trails for the first time this fall, I opted to leave my vintage Cannondale at home and try a rental bike for my first spin through these famed off-road trails south of Ocala.

Carney Island Conservation Area As a peninsula in Lake Weir, parts of Carney Island Conservation Area are naturally air-conditioned. Walk 4 miles beneath ancient oaks and expect to see wildlife.

Cross Florida Greenway Multiuse Path Over fifteen miles long, this linear paved path along the Cross Florida Greenway connects Santos to Ross Prairie with direct access from several trailheads.

Florida Trail, Cross Florida Greenway 43.8 miles. A prime destination for backpacking and day hiking south of Ocala, the Florida Trail follows the Cross Florida Greenway between the Withlacoochee and Ocklawaha Rivers.

Florida Trail, Land Bridge Trailhead to Santos 6.7 miles. Between the Land Bridge Trailhead and Santos, the Florida Trail winds its way around horse farms to meander through stands of oaks and pines.

Florida Trail, Santos to Baseline 5.1 miles. History is on display along this segment of the abandoned Cross Florida Barge Canal, from a town demolished nearly a century ago to agricultural land undergoing habitat restoration.

Florida Trail, SW 49th to Land Bridge Trailhead 3.6 miles. Bookended by soft sand pines and ancient oaks, this particularly fascinating hike along the Cross Florida Greenway includes a massive dune-like slope and the Land Bridge over Interstate 75.

Florida Trail, Western Corridor Linking Withlacoochee State Forest and the Cross Florida Greenway, the 241 mile Western Corridor of the Florida Trail accesses wild spaces between Tampa and Ocala.

Historic Ship Canal Trail The shortest trail on the Cross Florida Greenway interprets nearly a century's worth of efforts to dig a canal across the Florida peninsula and split it in two.

Land Bridge Loop The first of its kind built in the United States, the tree-lined Land Bridge above Interstate 75 is the focus of this 3.5 mile loop along the Florida Trail.

Ocklawaha Prairie Restoration Area At Ocklawaha Prairie, east of Lake Weir and south of Marshall Swamp, trails lead to some of the best birding in the region from levees along the extensive marshes of the river basin.

Santos Trails With miles of twisting, winding off-road bicycle trails that dip into old limestone pits, the Santos Trails south of Ocala are a mecca for cyclists who enjoy riding through the woods

Sunnyhill Levee Trail A linear path along the channelized Ocklawaha River, the Levee Trail at Sunnyhill Restoration Area stretches 7.5 miles from SR 42 north to Moss Bluff.

Sunnyhill Observation Tower Hike A 2 mile hike to a humble climb up a small observation tower leads to an incredible panorama of marsh at Sunnyhill Restoration Area.

Featured Articles

The Over 80 Across Florida Hike (9/30/2017) In 2007, a group of senior hikers made Florida hiking history by successfully completing a backpacking trip from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico via backroads, the Florida Trail, and the Withlacoochee Bay Trail. All were over age 80.

Biking Santos (12/19/2016) Biking the Santos Trails for the first time this fall, I opted to leave my vintage Cannondale at home and try a rental bike for my first spin through these famed off-road trails south of Ocala.