The Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway has long been one of our favorite destinations for outdoor recreation in Florida, and that’s partly because we were involved with the arc of its story.
As a teen, Sandra was aware of the environmental disaster that completing the Cross Florida Barge Canal would cause, slicing through the aquifer and potentially destroying Silver Springs.
One of her high school teachers was part of a group fighting this Federal project with scientific studies, and eventually, with lawsuits. In 1971, President Richard Nixon agreed to stop the digging.
The land that the canal would be built on was turned over to the State of Florida.
The corridor was designated Florida’s first greenway in 1998, and then named for the environmental advocate who founded the Florida Defenders of the Environment, the group instrumental in stopping the canal project.
Helping to build and maintain a new route of the Florida Trail along the Greenway, Sandra was among those who cut the ribbon on the Land Bridge over Interstate 75 when it opened in 2000.
Resources
These are the books we’ve written that cover specific trails and recreation areas along the Cross Florida Greenway
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.
Land Manager
The Office of Greenways and Trails was instituted to oversee Florida’s first greenway. While it is now headquartered in Tallahassee, it maintains an office along the Cross Florida Greenway in Silver Springs. It is now part of the Florida Park Service, and the Cross Florida Greenway is considered a unit of Florida State Parks.
Land Manager: Cross Florida Greenway
Address: 8282 SE Highway 314, Ocala
Phone: 352-236-7143
Their office is open weekdays
Directions
Click on specific destinations above to find directions for those trails and parks along the Cross Florida Greenway.
Trails along the Cross Florida Greenway
Hiking Trails
There are more than 300 miles of trails on the Cross Florida Greenway, according to the Office of Greenways & Trails. Hiking trails along the Cross Florida Greenway include a long segment of the statewide Florida National Scenic Trail as well as several shorter day hiking loops and a few interpretive trails.
Florida Trail
You’ll find a full guide to hiking the entire Florida Trail end-to-end across the Cross Florida Greenway on our website.
The Florida Trail on the Greenway is a great destination for fall backpacking since, unlike other public lands in the region, no hunting is permitted along its length.
It’s also a good backpacking trip for you and your dog.
Thanks to the large number of trailheads, all segments of the Florida Trail on the Cross Florida Greenway can be day hiked.
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 through woodlands between the Withlacoochee and Ocklawaha Rivers
Florida Trail Segments
Florida Trail, Baseline to SE 64th Ave
2.7 miles. On a sliver of restored sandhill, the Baseline section of the Florida Trail provides a stroll within a forested oasis surrounded by suburbia.
Florida Trail, Dunnellon
2.3 miles. Tunneling through dense floodplain forests to bridge the Withlacoochee River, this paved segment of the Florida Trail offers accessible users an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.
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, Marshall Swamp
3 miles. Marvel at towering trees in an ancient forest along this Florida Trail segment on the Cross Florida Greenway
Florida Trail, Pruitt to Ross Prairie
7.5 miles. With switchbacks, scrambles, and ancient oaks, the Pruitt section of the Florida Trail along the Cross Florida Greenway offers a fascinating hike into the history of the Cross Florida Ship Canal
Florida Trail, Ross Prairie to SW 49th Ave
6.5 miles. With hilly terrain to traverse past fern-covered boulders and large sinkholes beneath the pines, this is a rugged and interesting segment of the Florida Trail on the Cross Florida Greenway.
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.
Other Hiking Trails
Blue Run of Dunnellon Park
Enjoy a gentle family-friendly hike along the Rainbow River at Blue Run of Dunnellon Park, where woodland footpaths and paved trails keep you mostly in the shade with dry feet as you explore the river floodplain.
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.
Holly Hammock Hiking Trail
A 2.4 mile loop showing off the habitat diversity of Ross Prairie State Forest, this easy hike provides scenic panoramas across the prairie on a mostly shaded trail.
Ross Prairie Loop
3.5 miles. Circling the largest prairie ecosystem on the Cross Florida Greenway, the Ross Prairie Loop showcases massive oaks and panoramic views
Silver River Connector
Built to showcase the Cross Florida Greenway, the Silver River Connector is a 3-mile round-trip from the Ocklawaha Visitor Center to Ray Wayside Park.
Biking Trails
Cyclists have the famed Santos Trails, a nationally-renowned set of technical off-road trails accessed from Santos, as well as paved trails at Inglis, Silver Springs Shores, Dunnellon, and between Santos and Ross Prairie.
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.
Blue Run of Dunnellon Park
Enjoy a gentle family-friendly hike along the Rainbow River at Blue Run of Dunnellon Park, where woodland footpaths and paved trails keep you mostly in the shade with dry feet as you explore the river floodplain.
Florida Trail, Dunnellon
2.3 miles. Tunneling through dense floodplain forests to bridge the Withlacoochee River, this paved segment of the Florida Trail offers accessible users an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.
Florida Trail, Marshall Swamp
3 miles. Marvel at towering trees in an ancient forest along this Florida Trail segment on the Cross Florida Greenway
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
Silver River Connector
Built to showcase the Cross Florida Greenway, the Silver River Connector is a 3-mile round-trip from the Ocklawaha Visitor Center to Ray Wayside Park.
Equestrian Trails
The Land Bridge trailhead, Shangri-La trailhead, Ross Prairie trailhead, and Pruitt trailhead are optimized for equestrian use, with large dedicated parking areas for horse trailers, watering troughs, and hitching posts.
Shangri-La Campground was originally equestrian-only but is now open to all. It, along with Ross Prairie, are the best places to camp with your horses.
Paddling
Ray Wayside Park and Gore’s Landing, both Marion County Parks, provide access to the Ocklawaha River. Ray Wayside also is an access point for the Silver River, as is Silver Springs State Park.
Eureka West and Rodman Recreation Areas provide put-in for the Ocklawaha River where it is dammed up to create the Rodman Reservoir. When drawdowns of the reservoir occur, paddlers flock to this area to find the springs that are exposed when the river’s normal flow towards the St. Johns is temporarily restored.
Camping along the Cross Florida Greenway
Developed Campgrounds
The Cross Florida Greenway has campgrounds at several locations that work well for base camps for outdoor recreation. At Ross Prairie Campground and Shangri-La Campground, facilities include special corrals and horse trailer parking for equestrians.
At Santos, mountain bikers and hikers will appreciate the easy access to the trail systems. The Rodman Campground near Rodman Reservoir is very close to put-in points for paddlers and boaters on the Ocklawaha River, and is right along the Florida Trail. It is a safe location to leave a car when backpacking across the Ocala National Forest; a small daily fee applies.
Primitive Camping
If you are not, contact the Office of Greenways and Trails during office hours to let them know your planned itinerary and stops.
There is no fee for primitive camping. Each of the primitive campsites includes a picnic table and a fire ring. They are suitable for only a few tents, not large groups.
See our Florida Trail info for the Cross Florida Greenway for more details.
Towns along the Cross Florida Greenway
We’ve spent a lot of time in towns along the Cross Florida Greenway to grab a meal or kick back in comfort in a hotel room after a long day out in the woods or on the water. These are the communities you’ll find, west to east, near the Cross Florida Greenway.
Of them, Dunnellon is our very favorite. That’s partly because Sandra used to live there, but also because it has great local eateries and several options for affordable hotel and motel stays. And Rainbow Springs!
Articles
Articles about the Cross Florida Greenway
