Biking Santos
milesBiking 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.
Carney Island Conservation Area
Ocklawaha 4.0 milesAs a peninsula in Lake Weir, parts of Carney Island Conservation Area are naturally air-conditioned. Walk 4 miles beneath ancient oaks and expect to see wildlife.
Cross Florida Greenway
Spanning 110 miles between the St. Johns River near Palatka and the Gulf of Mexico, the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is a mile-wide recreational corridor.
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.
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: 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 Multiuse Path
Ocala 15.6 milesOver fifteen miles long, this linear paved path along the Cross Florida Greenway connects Santos to Ross Prairie with direct access from several trailheads.
Early Birds on the Greenway
The Land Bridge section of the Florida Trail has a special place in my heart since I helped create it under the tutelage of Kenneth Smith, 'Mr. Greenway,' who retired last year from being a section leader.
Florida Trail, Cross Florida Greenway
Ocala 43.8 miles43.8 miles. A prime destination for backpacking and day hiking south of Ocala, the Florida Trail follows the Cross Florida Greenway between the Withlacoochee and Ocklawaha Rivers.
Florida Trail, Land Bridge Trailhead to Santos
Cross Florida Greenway 6.7 miles6.7 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, Santos to Baseline
Cross Florida Greenway 5.1 miles5.1 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
Cross Florida Greenway 3.6 miles3.6 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.