Florida Trail, Dunnellon

Envisioned as a connector to join the Cross Florida Greenway and the Withlacoochee State Trail together to benefit the route of the statewide Florida Trail, the paved Dunnellon Trail crosses the cypress-lined banks of the Withlacoochee River on a massive bridge with great views.

Resources

Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover

Full details on this hike, including a trail map, are in our full-color guidebook Florida Trail Hikes.

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.

Guthook Guides GPS-driven map-based guide to the Florida National Scenic Trail with thousands of waypoints from The Florida Trail Guide. Works offline. For iPhone and Android.

Overview

Location: Dunnellon
Length: 2.3 miles linear
Trailhead: 29.03125, -82.45610
Fees: Free
Restroom: portable toilets at all trailheads
Land manager: Cross Florida Greenway
Phone: 352-236-7143

Cyclists and hikers share the trail. This entire route is paved and accessible, with multiple benches along it. Leashed pets welcome. Open 8 AM to sunset. No potable water or designated campsites provided.

Additional trailheads are at Bridges Rd, the end of this paved segment of trail, and off a spur trail at Blue Run Park along CR 484 just east of the Rainbow River.

Directions

Just off US 41 south of Dunnellon, the CR 39 trailhead is immediately east of the intersection of the two highways. Follow the long access road up to the parking area.

Both alternative trailheads are off CR 484 east of downtown Dunnellon. The road to the Bridges Rd trailhead is unpaved and very rough.

Hike

The pavement starts at CR 39, but your hike starts at the trailhead kiosk with a map of the route. Flanked by a dense forest of oaks in climax sandhill habitat, the trail curves along a former railroad route with a broad grassy berm.

Shade begins in earnest as the trail enters the floodplain forest of the Withlacoochee River. The big bridge over the Withlacoochee River fills the horizon ahead.

Withlacoochee River from the Dunnellon Trail

Reaching the bridge after 0.8 mile, enjoy the views from the top. Observation platforms provide a place from which to watch birds, boaters, and alligators along this cypress-lined waterway.

The far side of the bridge has a bench cleverly built into it. Walk through the deep shade of the floodplain forest for the next half mile, admiring the cypress swamps.

Hiking on the Dunnellon Trail in the floodplain forest

Access points on both sides of the path are for residents of a small community. On the left, you start seeing glimpses of the Rainbow River. While you can’t see its confluence with the Withlacoochee River, it’s beyond the dense swampy forest.

At 1.3 miles, the trail curves past a bench and a paved path. That path to the left leads to Blue Run Park and the city of Dunnellon.

Bench at Dunnellon Trail junction — Junction of Dunnellon Trail and Blue Run Park side trail

Backpackers wanting to access services in town – Dunnellon makes a good zero day stop – can do so via sidewalks by following this connector a quarter mile to CR 484.

Cross over paved San Jose Blvd. The trail makes a sharp turn to the right to leave the powerline easement for a short jog through an oak hammock.

Orange blaze near San Jose Blvd Dunnellon

After passing ballfields on the left, this paved section ends at the trailhead on Bridges Rd. There is usually a portalet in place but no water. If you need water, walk over to the ballfields to find a spigot.

NORTHBOUND: CR 484 Roadwalk. Cross Bridges Rd to enter a pine plantation through a gap in the fence. Follow the orange blazes 1.5 miles through the pines, emerging through a fence gap onto CR 484. Turn right. Follow the shoulder of CR 484 for 3.4 miles, passing Cannon Farms at the traffic light and a forestry tower more than a mile later. Turn right into the Pruitt trailhead entrance road and walk up it to connect to the Pruitt section.

SOUTHBOUND: Citrus Springs Roadwalk. Orange blazes connect the Dunnellon trailhead with the Withlacoochee State Trail trailhead at Citrus Springs by following CR 39 west, US 41 south, and a maze of subdivision roads back to the trailhead.