Following a former narrow gauge railroad corridor from the main line at Croom to a depot built in 1885 in Brooksville, the Good Neighbor Trail is a 10.1-mile linear paved bike path providing a crucial connector in the Coast to Coast Trail across Central Florida.
Overview
Location: Brooksville
Western terminus: 28.5488, -82.3859 (Russell Street Park)
Eastern terminus: 28.5894, -82.2284 (Withlacoochee State Trail)
Length: 10.1 miles linear
Fees: None
Open: Sunrise to sunset
Directions
At the south end of the trail in Brooksville, park adjacent to the 1885 Train Depot and Countryman Family One Room Schoolhouse Museum at Russell Street Park. There is a restroom at the park.
Details
On the books as a future recreational asset for Hernando County for nearly twenty years, the Good Neighbor Trail officially opened in October 2018. A little more than half its length is within Brooksville and its surrounding rural residental areas, but except for the portion west of US 98, you never feel like you’re riding through someone’s backyard. The corridor dates back to the heyday of lumberjacks felling the “yellow pine,” as long-lived longleaf pines were known, and sending them off to sawmills. Narrow gauge trains facilitated the process, in this case the Southern Railroad. It was later taken over by the Atlantic Coast Line and rails widened to accommodate standard gauge trains.
Starting off from Russell Street Park in Brooksville
Riding north from Brooksville, there is one tricky crossing to contend with: US 98, which is usually busy no matter the time of day. On the city side of US 98, the classic Coney Island Drive Inn is just up the hill and worth a lunch stop.
Once you’re past US 98, the corridor is deeply shaded by forest for much of the stretch up to Old Jasmine Drive. Two very sharp jogs happen at McIntyre Road and Mondon Hill Rd. Both roads often have traffic that can’t easily see you. However, you’re surrounded by farms and ranches in this part of town.
Segment of trail paralleling Richloam Road
Once you’re northeast of Mondon Hill Road, there is a stretch with tall chain-link fence on both sides of the trail. Since we could hear gunshots, we presume a shooting range is nearby and the fence is there so cyclists don’t wander into it. Once the trail reaches Richloam Road, it parallels it behind a screen of trees. It’s hilly through this stretch, so we think that the road used the railroad bed a long time ago. There are a few more rural road crossings to keep alert for.
Good Neighbor Trail along Richloam Road
Leaving the rural residences behind, you enter Withlacoochee State Forest for the final stretch. It’s straight as an arrow and the grade rises very, very gradually through this mature sandhill forest. There are two spots where the bike path crosses the Florida Trail. The first is along one of its yellow-blazed loops, and the second is along the orange blazes as you approach the Croom intersection.
Croom C Loop of the Florida Trail at the Good Neighbor Trail
Ending after 10.1 miles at a T intersection, the Good Neighbor Trail meets the Withlacoochee State Trail. If you are following the Coast to Coast Trail, turn right to head towards the Interstate 75 underpass, Silver Lake Recreation Area, and the Ridge Manor Trailhead.
T intersection marking the end of the Good Neighbor Trail
If you’re looking for the nearest trailhead and restrooms, turn left instead to head up to the road crossing of Croom-Rital Road. There is a picnic bench and bathroom at this trailhead.
There is a bench and fence just north of the trail intersection for a rest break
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Biking the Good Neighbor Trail (12/4/2018)- A morning of exploration allowed us to experience the not-quite-open-yet Good Neighbor Trail and its historic context during our visit to Brooksville this September.
Oh, no! Not another paved trail running through the forest. Some of us like the feeling of being immersed in the woods. The new paved trail in Marion County has ruined the experience of some portions of the Cross Florida Greenway for me. I had no idea this happened to Croom also…
Initially, we’d agree with you. But accessibility is also important: some outdoor enthusiasts can only handle riding a bike or pushing a walker down a paved path. These new trails open new outdoor opportunities for them. We do believe that hiking and biking trails should be kept separate in such places, as the experience for each type of user is a very different one and not especially compatible. I don’t like hiking and seeing people zooming past on bikes. When biking, I don’t mind seeing hikers.