Nature Coast Trail

CLOSED while damage is assessed from Hurricane Idalia.

The Nature Coast Trail spans 31.5 miles across three counties, connecting several parks with major springs along the Suwannee River.

It follows the route of rail lines that once enabled timber companies to remove massive cypress from the Suwannee River floodplain.

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.

Overview

Location: Chiefland to Cross City and Trenton
Length: 31.5 miles
Land Manager: Florida State Parks
Address: 17441 NW Old Fanning Road, Fanning Springs
Phone: 352-535-5181

Ride Details

Starting north from the old railroad depot in Chiefland, this paved bike path quickly crosses US 19 at a crosswalk downtown at Main Street & SW 2nd Avenue.

After 1.7 miles, a side trail – essentially a broad bike lane – leads west along SR 320 (NW 115th St) for almost 6 miles to the entrance to Manatee Springs State Park.

Services inside the park are another mile and a half along the park road.

The park has two beautiful campgrounds near the spring and a swimming area. For camping, it’s best to book well in advance.

Surrounded by relict sandhill habitat as it passes farms and pockets of residential areas, the trail makes a beeline from the north end of Chiefland to Fanning Springs.

Although it pretty much parallels Old Fannin Rd, it is nicely canopied through much of this stretch.

At Fanning Springs, the trail crosses US 19 within sight of the agricultural inspection station and a restaurant.

Just before the crossing, Fanning Springs State Park is less than a half mile west.

In addition to its popular swimming area, they have cabins for rent. Ask about tenting at the river camp campground.

There is an unpaved trailhead on the north side of US 19 in Fanning Springs.

North of there, the Nature Coast Trail continues up to Wilcox Junction. Here, cyclists reach a decision point at a Y intersection, 10.4 miles into the ride.

To the right, the trail leads east to Trenton.

A 2.5-mile side trip north on the bike lane on CR 232 (follow signs) leads to Otter Springs, a county park with a campground and a lodge along a spring flowing into the Suwannee River.

The trail parallels SR 26 much of the way into Trenton before it veers off to reach the historic railroad depot downtown.

From Chiefland, this makes for a ride of 17.9 miles, or a 35.8-mile round trip.

In the opposite direction at Wilcox Junction, the trail heads towards the Suwannee River.

After reaching the east-west line from Trenton, you start riding due west.

The trail tunnels through forest for 1.5 miles until it reaches the Suwannee River and crosses an impressive trestle built atop an old railroad bridge.

You enter Dixie County after crossing the bridge, reaching the Old Town trailhead just 0.7 mile past the trestle. A convenience store and Hardees is 0.1 mile south of the trailhead at US 19.

After passing through Old Town, the trail draws within sight of US 19 and stays there as you pass timber mills and farmland.

Reaching Cross City, it crosses quite a few side roads – and passes a Dairy Queen – before coming to the Cross City depot, 22.6 miles from Chiefland.

The paved path continues a short ways longer before it dead ends, so this is the turnaround point for a round-trip of 45.2 miles.

Trailheads

Trail Map

Mileage

Chiefland to Trenton

Chiefland to Cross City

Trenton to Cross City

Explore More

Fanning Springs State Park One of the Suwannee River's largest swimming holes is the clear, cool reflecting pool of Fanning Springs, located along the edge of its namesake town

Manatee Springs State Park Showcasing the lower Suwannee River, Manatee Springs State Park centers around a clear blue spring, one of Florida's largest and most picturesque

Otter Springs West of Trenton along the Suwannee River, Otter Springs is a second magnitude spring surrounded by clusters of ancient oaks and towering cypress.