Resources
Resources for exploring the area
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.
About the Greenway
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.
Cross Florida Greenway History: The Land Bridge A landmark along Interstate 75 near Ocala, the Land Bridge remains one of the more popular destinations for hikers, bikers, and equestrians on the Cross Florida Greenway. 
Cross Florida Greenway History: Finding a Route A visit to the Barge Canal Diggings near I-75 after 13 years of the Florida Trail on the Cross Florida Greenway reveals steady changes over the years, shown in a series of photos.
Cross Florida Greenway History: Bridge to the Future The history of the Cross Florida Greenway's birth and the building the Land Bridge - and the Florida Trail - across this new stretch of public land in Central Florida in 1999.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.
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.
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, 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, Dunnellon 2.3 miles. Tunneling through dense floodplain forests to bridge the Withlacoochee River, the paved Dunnellon Trail 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. 
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.More 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.
Inglis Dam & Island Recreation Area The former deeply wooded north shore of the Withlacoochee River became an island in the 1960s with construction of the Cross Florida Barge Canal. 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 between the former Ocklawaha Visitor Center and Ray Wayside Park.Biking Trails
Cyclists have the famed Santos Trails, a nationally-renowned set of technical off-road trails accessed from Santos, to explore along with off-roading at Withlacoochee Bay.
There are paved trails at Withlacoochee Bay, Silver Springs Shores, Dunnellon, and between Santos and Ross Prairie.
Florida Trail, Dunnellon 2.3 miles. Tunneling through dense floodplain forests to bridge the Withlacoochee River, the paved Dunnellon Trail segment of the Florida Trail offers accessible users an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.
Felburn Park The eastern terminus of the Withlacoochee Bay Trail is home to a surprisingly hilly trail above a freshwater marsh along the saltwater Cross Florida Barge Canal.
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
Withlacoochee Bay Trail Paralleling a completed segment of the ill-conceived Cross Florida Barge Canal, this 5.1 mile paved bike path surprises with hills, overlooks, and a panorama stretching to the Gulf of Mexico.Equestrian Trails
Equestrians have extensive riding and carriage trails between Santos and Dunnellon, connecting with the Florida Horse Park. Guided trail rides are available from Cactus Jack’s, based at the Land Bridge trailhead.
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
Paddlers can put in at Withlacoochee Bay, Inglis Lock, or Blue Run Park in Dunnellon to paddle the Withlacoochee River. Rainbow River access is also available at Blue Run Park.
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. 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 backpacking the Florida Trail along the Cross Florida Greenway, you are permitted to use the primitive campsites along the route if you are a member of the Florida Trail Association.
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 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!
Belleview With the Cross Florida Greenway hugging its northern boundary and the famed Santos Trails for mountain bikers, Belleview is a destination for outdoor recreation.
Crystal River Known for its beautiful springs and as a gathering place for manatees, Crystal River shows off coastal habitats in its many parks and along its waterways. 
Dunnellon At the confluence of the Rainbow River and the Withlacoochee River, Dunnellon is an outpost for adventures in the woods and on the water.
Ocala Between the Ocala National Forest, the Cross Florida Greenway, the Florida Trail, and dozens of waterways, springs, and parks, Ocala is central to more than 200 miles of trails.
Palatka With a delightful riverfront on the St. Johns River, Palatka is just east of the Florida Trail and 15 minutes from the Ocala National Forest, providing a gateway to outdoor adventures.
Salt Springs Surrounded by the Ocala National Forest, the community of Salt Springs is a hub for outdoor recreation, with direct access to trails on both land and water
Silver Springs Florida's original tourist destination, Silver Springs is both one of the world's largest springs and the name of the community that grew up around it in the 1800s.Related Articles
Sunflower Season at Cannon Farms (6/11/2019) When a sea of sunflowers pops up along the Cross Florida Greenway, it's an attention getter. Meet Cannon Farms, a family farm right along the Florida Trail in Dunnellon.
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. 
- Fairchild Oak Trail - September 27, 2025
- Micco Scrub Sanctuary - September 25, 2025
- Fort King National Historic Landmark - September 12, 2025