Biking Chuck Lennon Park

Every time we’ve visited Chuck Lennon Park, there have been chains up across the trails. For good reason.

Mountain bikes tear up muddy trails. So keeping them closed until they dry out is good common sense.

While we haven’t been able to explore the bike trails yet, we have biked into the park as a northern terminus on a ride of the entire Spring to Spring Trail.

Although the trail technically ends at De Leon Springs State Park just around the corner, this county park is far less busy and has much more parking. And it’s free to visit.

John biked into the park to complete his Spring to Spring ride

Resources

Our resources for exploring the area

Orlando & Central Florida: An Explorer's Guide

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Overview

Location: De Leon Springs
Length: 10.4 miles in 7 trails
Trailhead: 29.1249, -81.3642
Address: 5000 Greenfield Dairy Rd, De Leon Springs
Fees: Free
Restroom: Between the courts and at the ballfield
Land manager: Volusia County
Phone: 386-736-5953

Open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome. To reserve recreational facilities, call ahead.

Cyclists, do not enter trail system if it is closed off. Hikers, for your safety and that of the cyclists, don’t hike the bike trails. They are clearly posted No Hiking.

Directions

From US 17 in De Leon Springs, follow Ponce De Leon Blvd west for a mile. Immediately after it crosses the railroad tracks, turn away from the state park entrance, making a left onto Burt’s Park Rd. Continue a quarter mile to the entrance road into Chuck Lennon Park on the left.

About the Park

The long entrance road at Chuck Lennon Park leads to a surprising amount of recreation spread across 136 acres of forests and fields.

Adjoining but not within direct view of Spring Garden Lake, a part of the mazy St. Johns River system fed by De Leon Springs, this park exists for active outdoor recreation.

There are several pulloffs along the entrance road. You can use these as unofficial parking for access to the north segment of the Spring to Spring Trail southbound.

Picnic table in shade at the dirt lot for the mountain bike trails

One of the pulloffs is specifically marked as Trailhead B for the novice portion of the mountain bike trails. The large dirt lot adjoins the main off-road trailhead.

A paved lot sits between the tennis, basketball, and racquetball courts. A playground, picnic pavilion, and restrooms are tucked under the trees between the courts.

Ballfields at Chuck Lennon Park

The park road ends at the large ballfield complex, which has the largest parking area and an adjoining playground, picnic tables with grills, and restrooms.

Most visitors to Chuck Lennon Park are either here for team sports or the mountain bike trails. The trail system is among the top five in Florida by Singletracks.com.

Playground near the forest that the trails traverse

Spring to Spring Trail Terminus

Chuck Lennon Park serves as an alternate trail terminus for the northern end of the Spring to Spring Trail across Volusia County.

De Leon Springs State Park is the primary terminus, but there is no fee to park at Chuck Lennon Park and far less people to encounter.

A paved bike path, the Spring to Spring Trail is currently in three pieces, with plans to connect them together between Green Springs, Gemini Springs, Blue Spring, and De Leon Springs.

A ride south from Chuck Lennon Park to where the northern segment ends and back would be a 14.2 mile round trip from the main cyclist trailhead.

Parallel bike path and road in rural forested area

Spring to Spring Trail North

Paralleling the St. Johns River basin, the northernmost segment of the Spring to Spring Trail is a hilly and often canopied ride through historic communities

Biking

Developed and maintained by the Florida Association of Single Track Riders (FASTR), a chapter of SORBA, the trail system at Chuck Lennon Park appeals because of its setting.

It’s in the woods. And not just any woods, but lush hardwood and palm hammocks in the St. Johns River basin.

Trailhead for the easiest of the singletrack trails, Screaming Hawk

Seven singletrack trails make up the trail system. Each is a one-way loop, which may alternate direction depending on the day of the week. Some have shortcuts to trim the ride.

Since most of the trails are in a low-lying area, they do get wet and muddy in the rainy season and should not be ridden when they aren’t dry.

You can check the club website for current trail status but don’t ride if these signs are up

Hard-packed clay is used as the base surface for a smooth ride. The trail system has both natural and man-made challenges along it.

There are steep drop-offs and hairpin turns that can be treacherous for inexperienced cyclists, plus technical features.

A rock feature on Wild Turkey Trail

A skills area is just inside the main trailhead for the trail system at the Chuck Lennon Trails sign. Use this to practice and to determine your skill level for tackling the Wild Turkey Trail.

Pay attention to the signage stating experience levels at each trail. Trails are color-coded for difficulty.

All skill levels are accommodated at Chuck Lennon Park

Screaming Hawk

Entering the park along the long park road, you’ll notice a grassy pulloff on the left along the edge of the forest. This is Trailhead B for Screaming Hawk, the beginner level loop.

This loop is 3.5 miles long, with lots of meanders through the forest and a couple of shortcut for an early bailout.

At its very south end there is the option to interconnect with more challenging trails.

Trailhead for the Screaming Hawk Trail

Main Trails

The next parking area along the park road is a larger dirt lot, with direct access to the main Chuck Lennon Trails trailhead and a few picnic tables.

It’s here you’ll find the skills area as well as a set of dirt jumps to try out before heading out on the trails.

The skills area starts behind the main kiosk

Two intermediate level trails start behind the kiosk, the 1.5-mile Raccoon Run and the 1.3-mile Hoot Owl. A short challenge trail, the 0.6 mile Wild Turkey, starts here as well.

Experienced riders can add tag on the 1.25 mile Angry Armadillo onto Raccoon Run, or jump onto the tougher 0.75 mile Red Panther from the trail hub.

A bike wash sits near the second entrance, across from access to the Awesome Possum. Cross the park road to the start of this trail.

It’s a 1.5-mile intermediate level loop through elevation changes around borrow pits and down to Spring Garden Lake.

Start of the Awesome Possum Trail

Hiking

Hiking isn’t allowed on the singletrack trail system for safety reasons. We checked into the claim that is made by the De Leon Springs Community Association that there is a hiking-only trail at the park.

According to park staff, the trail hasn’t been completed. They ran into a little issue on it: nesting eagles overhead. So the remainder of the trail will likely never be built. What exists now has been blocked off with caution tape.

Playground near the ballfield

Explore More!

Learn more about the Spring to Spring Trail

Cyclist headed along bike path into forest

Spring to Spring Trail

A paved bike path to link Volusia County’s major springs, the Spring to Spring Trail provides a growing network of trail and park connectivity

Connecting the Spring to Spring Trail

With a goal of connecting all three segments of the Spring to Spring Trail together using roads in between, John rides from Lake Monroe Park to De Leon Springs on a 25.6 mile route