• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Florida Hikes logo

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

  • Trails
  • Maps
  • Guidebooks
  • Search
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
  • Hike
    • Scenic Hikes
    • Loop Trails
    • Dog-friendly Hikes
    • Hikes for Kids
    • National Parks in Florida
    • Florida State Parks
  • Bike
    • Major Bike Trails
    • Paved Bike Trails
    • Off Road Biking
    • Biking Articles
  • Paddle
    • Canoe & Kayak Rentals
    • Paddling Destinations
    • Paddling Articles
  • Camp
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Car Camping
    • Primitive Camping
  • Florida Trail
    • Plan your Hike
    • Best Scenic Hikes
    • Best Backpacking
    • Section Hiking
    • Thru-Hiking
    • Trail Updates
  • Travel
Bike rider on woodland trail

Biking Scottsmoor Flatwoods East

At Scottsmoor Flatwoods Sanctuary, the trails are open to hikers, cyclists, and equestrians. But as we learned, off-road biking here can be more than a little challenging.

December 9, 2020    John Keatley

706 shares

It was a perfect day to be outdoors. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the temperature was in the low seventies. But it was Sunday.

Parks and trails tend to be busy on Sundays in our area, so we decided to head somewhere that we knew wouldn’t be: Scottmoor Flatwoods.

Scrub habitat with tall pines and palmetto Scrub at Scottsmoor Flatwoods


Unless you live near it or do a lot of digging around online for natural areas, you probably wouldn’t know how to find it. Which is why we were there.

There isn’t a sign to the trailhead, and even when you park your car, you can’t see either of the trailhead kiosks at Parrish Park in Scottsmoor.

Ballfield at Parrish Park The trail kiosks lie along this line north and south of the ballfield


We’d been here earlier in the year to hike the northern portion of the preserve, but wanted to finish the rest of the trails so we could write about it.

Sandy decided to make up a loop on trails through the south end of the preserve, while I rode the perimeter trail, which is blazed red. The map on the kiosk says it is 6.1 miles long.

South kiosk at Parrish Park The roughed up ground past the south kiosk didn’t look promising


Approaching the south kiosk, what I could see behind it was a very a rough area. Luckily it was nothing more than a wide fire break. I crossed it and started a clockwise loop.

The red perimeter trail headed off into open palmettos and pines.

I came across Sandy as she was about to turn off onto the White Trail to hike counterclockwise to meet me later on.

John on his bike in the woods Meeting up with Sandy not far into the start of the loop


I hadn’t ridden far past that junction before the trail began to look as rough as the fire break I had seen as I started. Hog damage!

Sometimes I could skirt around it or ride along the edge, but usually the entire trail was uprooted.

Bike track through mud A hog wallow in the palmettos


As I was beginning to enjoy the twist and turns through the palmetto and pines I came to another fire break, and another and another.

They each were so rough that I had to walk the bike across them.

Some of the ruts were deep enough to catch and trap my entire front wheel. Just pushing the bike became a challenge.

John on a bike along a firebreak Just past the second of many firebreaks


Thankfully the trail was well marked with poles topped with a red stripe and was easy to follow.

Once through the dry and hog damaged part of the trail, I entered a soft and muddy section with occasional standing water.

Red tipped blaze posts at firebreak Blaze posts mark a firebreak crossing


Passing the turn off to the south end of the park I came to a grassy road without a noticeable trail mark. The road led straight into a standing body of water.

Parking the bike I walked towards the water where I came to a worn path leading to a marker and narrow boardwalk.

Dirt road full of puddles Road turned mucky trail


Back on the bike, I rode through a short distance of standing water to reach the end of the boardwalk, stopping as soon as I was on it.

I could see ahead about three quarters of the way across that there was a broken board. It looked like a horse put its foot through it.

Marsh surrounded by pine forest In the middle of the preserve is a north-south line of marshes, which the boardwalk crosses


Opting for safety I walked the bike across. Noticing that there were water lilies on both side, I was thinking that this place has standing water most of the time.

At the opposite end I hopped on the bike to gain a bit of momentum and rode through the wet and mud at before reaching the dry trail.

Bike on a boardwalk Making a stop on the boardwalk


It’s funny you have to get your feet wet to get on and off this boardwalk, but it was still better than wading across the swamp.

I didn’t know what was waiting for me further down the trail. The good news was less hog damage. The bad news? Plenty of wet, soft trail.

I used my smallest gear in front (granny gear) for the most powerful strokes to get through the wet and deep mud.

Back end of bike in a wetland A soggy wet area that the trail led through


Gearing is tricky when riding through soft mud and water. If my front wheel gets bogged down or stuck in the mud, the back wheel just spins without gaining traction.

That leads to a quick unplanned stop– and if I’m not careful, a mud bath.

Mud with animal prints Stopping short before sliding through soft mud


Near the northwest corner of the preserve, the trail dumped me onto a dirt/grass road.

At least it wasn’t another terrible fire break, because I had to park the bike and begin scouting for the trail.

Across from where I met the road, I saw was a fence line. Looking in both directions, there weren’t any markers that I could see.

Up until here, the blaze posts had been doing a great job of keeping me on trail.

Gunky mudhole in a footpath Sloppy mud hole dead ahead!


I walked about a hundred feet in each direction and saw no evidence of the trail. I sent Sandy a quick text for advice, and she sent me a map of my location from her GPS.

Using that, I saw that the Red Trail followed the road until reaching an intersection where the red trail met the yellow equestrian trail.

After passing the end of the fence, I saw where the trail veered off to the right to where the yellow and red trails met up ahead.

Of course, that next marker — and the trail I needed to continue along — were on the opposite side of a large large wet area.

With as much momentum I could gather, I started to pedal my way across it.

Bike tire in water It was wet out there


The water got deeper and deeper, and the deep mud finally won. I made an unplanned fast stop, with my foot hitting the mud hard to avoid falling over with the bike.

When my foot hit the mud I felt it sink in. As I tried to pull it out, my foot began pulling out of the shoe. Is this a good place to say I don’t like riding in deep mud?

Algae and moss clinging to bike pedal Hitchhikers after the deepest marsh


After wiggling my way free of the mud and a bit of wading while pushing my bike through the mud, I made it to the other side.

As soon as I hit the dry spot, I was met by the next obstacle. The trail was completely blocked by a few small fallen trees.

Trees across trail in front of blaze post Fallen trees obscured the trail


Parking the bike — I did this a lot on this ride — I began breaking off limbs to clear the trail. A little “trail maintenance” to keep going.

The wet and muddy trail continued. I kept saying to myself “Keep your momentum up and DON’T stop pedaling!”

Back of bike just past bubbles on water Coming to a stop as swamp water got too deep


It was a good mantra which got me through all but the deepest places. Often I could feel my shoes go under water with every pedal stroke.

Sandy had suggested that I take the Blue Trail back to the parking lot since “it was the shorter route” and I was already running way slower on this loop than either of us expected.

Mud in the Blue Trail The Blue Trail looked like trouble right off. Last time we’d hiked it, it was bone dry.


However, when I reached the Blue Trail it looked like a black lagoon. I could turn and head directly into the water, or I could take my chances on the shared Red/Blue Trail.

With only a mile to go I decided to try and avoid the standing water by sticking with the perimeter ride. It was the right choice.

Although I hit a few wet and muddy places, there was nothing else I had to wade through. I was very happy to see the ballfield lights and knew that I was almost done.

Damp trail in grasslands Wet trail at the north end


Back at the car, my bike computer showed 5.7 miles. l had averaged 4.8 MPH while riding, had gotten up to 8 MPH and had been on the trail for 2 hours and 20 minutes. It said I had burned 52 calories.

Now, I’ve ridden in the desert through rocks and cactus and up and down mountains on singletrack path.

As far as I am concerned, riding through thick mud and standing water is by far more difficult. And I am very positive that I burned more than 52 calories!

It was still a fun and pretty trail, but between the hog damage, the standing water, and the very deep mud, I would only recommend the trail to an experienced rider.

Even if you are, be prepared for wading and numerous stops for pushing the bike through rough and muddy terrain.

Mud and gunk all over the bike I needed to hose off the bike after this ride


Category: Articles, CyclingTag: Featured Articles, Florida's Space Coast, Mims, Oak Hill, Titusville

Reader Interactions

Have an update? Contact us.

Primary Sidebar

CENTRAL FLORIDA

CENTRAL FLORIDA OVERVIEW
East Coast Greenway. Florida Trail

Brooksville. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. Kissimmee. Lakeland. Leesburg. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Orlando. Sanford. St. Petersburg. Tampa.

Our Newest Books

The Florida Trail Guide

The Florida Trail GuideOur definitive guidebook to planning backpacking trips on the Florida National Scenic Trail, now in its fourth edition. Full data charts and maps. B&W, 356 pages. $19.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Florida Trail Hikes

Florida Trail Hikes 2nd edition coverFifty of the best day hikes, overnights, and weekend trips on the Florida Trail. Full hike descriptions and maps, full color. 376 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.

Order Now


Discovering the Florida Trail

Florida Trail mini coffee table book cover of trail into palm hammock
A visual journey the length of the Florida Trail, covering more than 1,500 miles from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach. Hardcover, 196 pages. $24.95 + tax & shipping.
Order Now


50 Hikes in Central Florida 3rd edition
Five Star Trails Orlando guidebook
Explorer's Guide North Florida & The Panhandle guidebook

Florida Trail Apps

Farout GuidesFarout Guides Comprehensive logistics and offline maps for the
Florida National Scenic Trail (1,500 miles), the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail (108 miles), and the ECT Florida Connector (92 miles).

Explore More

Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Florida rosemary growing in bright white sand

Shadow Bay Park

Shadow Bay Park
Marker 26 at edge of pine woods

Alafia River North Trails

Alafia River North Trails
Sunset in a pine forest

Red Trail, Palm Bluff Conservation Area

Red Trail, Palm Bluff Conservation Area
Footpath in shade of palm forest with white blazes

White Trail, Palm Bluff Conservation Area

White Trail, Palm Bluff Conservation Area

Footer

FIND A TRAIL OR PARK

NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Apalachicola. Apalachicola National Forest. Blackwater River State Forest. Blountstown. Bonifay. Bristol. Cape San Blas. Carrabelle. Chattahoochee. Chipley. Crawfordville. Crestview. DeFuniak Springs. Destin. Ebro. Eglin Air Force Base. Fort Walton Beach. Freeport. Gulf Islands National Seashore. Madison. Marianna. Milton. Monticello. Mossy Head. Navarre Beach . Niceville. Panama City Beach. Pensacola. Ponce De Leon. Port St. Joe. Quincy. Sopchoppy. South Walton. St. Marks. St. Marks NWR. Tallahassee. Vernon. Wakulla. Wewahitchka

NORTH FLORIDA
Alachua. Amelia Island. Baldwin. Branford. Bunnell. Cedar Key. Chiefland. Crescent City. Dowling Park. Ellaville. Fernandina Beach. Flagler Beach. Gainesville. Green Cove Springs. High Springs. Jacksonville. Keystone Heights. Lake Butler.Lake City. Live Oak. Mayo. Macclenny. Micanopy. Olustee. Orange Park. Osceola National Forest. Palatka. Palatka-Lake Butler Trail. Palm Coast. Perry. Salt Springs. St. Augustine. Starke. Steinhatchee. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Suwannee Springs. Talbot Islands. Timucuan Preserve. Trenton. Welaka. White Springs. Williston

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

MULTI-REGION
Big Cypress Swamp. East Coast Greenway. Everglades National Park. Florida National Scenic Trail

CENTRAL FLORIDA
Apopka. Belleview. Brandon. Brooksville. Bushnell. Canaveral National Seashore. Christmas. Chuluota. Clearwater Beach. Clermont. Coast to Coast Trail. Cocoa Beach. Cross Florida Greenway. Crystal River. Dade City. Daytona Beach. De Leon Springs. DeBary. Deland. Deltona. Dunedin. Dunnellon. Frostproof. Geneva. Inverness. Kenansville. Kissimmee. Lake Mary. Lake Wales. Lakeland. Largo. Leesburg. Longwood. Melbourne. Melbourne Beach. Merritt Island. Merritt Island NWR. Mims. Mount Dora. New Port Richey. New Smyrna Beach. Ocala. Ocala National Forest. Ocklawaha. Orlando. Ormond Beach. Osteen. Oviedo. Palm Bay. Ridge Manor. Sanford. Silver Springs. Spring Hill. St. Cloud. St. Petersburg. Tampa. Tarpon Springs. Titusville . Walt Disney World. Weeki Wachee. Winter Springs. Withlacoochee State Forest. Withlacoochee State Trail. Yeehaw Junction

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

SOUTH FLORIDA
Arcadia. Basinger. Big Cypress National Preserve. Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Clewiston. Everglades City. Fisheating Creek. Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Lake Placid. LaBelle. Lakeport. Moore Haven. Okeechobee. Pahokee. Port Mayaca. Sebring. South Bay

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Big Pine Key. Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park. Boca Raton. Boynton Beach. Coral Gables. Davie. Delray Beach. Northeast Everglades Natural Area. Florida Keys. Fort Lauderdale. Fort Pierce. Hobe Sound. Hollywood. Homestead. Islamorada. Jensen Beach. Jupiter. Juno Beach. Key Biscayne. Key Largo. Key West. Marathon. Miami. Ocean to Lake Greenway. Overseas Heritage Trail. Palm Beach. Port St. Lucie. Redland. Sebastian. Stuart. Vero Beach. West Palm Beach

  • Trails
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Springs
  • Ecotours
  • Attractions
©2006-2023, Sandra Friend & John Keatley | Disclosure | Site Index | Work with Us | Advertise with Us
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy | Florida Hikes PO Box 93 Mims FL 32754| Contact