Yes, you can mountain bike in Florida — here’s how
Many Florida mountain biking enthusiasts know the experience all too well: They’ll mention mountain biking in the country’s flattest state, which tops out at 345 feet (in the Panhandle, mind you), and people will look at them as if they have five heads.
“Mountain biking? But Florida doesn’t have any... mountains?” they might inquire.
Yes, inquisitive friend, that may be true. But what I’ve learned, along with many other Sunshine State off-road cyclists, is that having real mountains is not a prerequisite for experiencing some amazing trail rides.
And the interest in cycling off-pavement is only growing in Florida.
“The growth of it in the last 10 years has been insane,” said J.C. Mazza, a trail builder who also assembles bikes at Kyle’s Bike Shop. “There’s a push toward mountain biking because it’s so dangerous to ride in traffic here. I like road riding, but I moved more toward the woods because trees don’t run you over.”
Orlando’s urban shreds
It’s common to see entire families out at Orlando Mountain Bike Park (899 Coy Drive in Orlando), a focal point of Lake Druid Park near Colonialtown. It’s also not uncommon to see junior giving mom or dad a run for their money, showing off with wheelies and jumps.
The park, which opened in 2015, features a pump track with wooden features, small jumps and berms for entry-level riders to cut their teeth on.
Back in the woods, 1.7 miles of a mountain bike trail, known as singletrack, awaits cyclists of all ages. Roots jut out and keep beginners on their toes, while rock gardens, wooden rollers and drops provide additional challenges for thrill-seeking riders.
It’s just one of several easily-accessible trails in the Orlando area. Soldier’s Creek in Winter Springs gives riders a fast 1.3-mile trail, while Markham Woods in Lake Mary presents eight miles of flowing singletrack surrounded by natural scenery near the Wekiva River.
It takes a village to support the trails
None of these trails would exist or stay rideable without the dedication of local enthusiasts and clubs tasked with maintaining them. Around the City Beautiful, that responsibility belongs to the Orlando chapter of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association.
Sue van Bernum, the organization’s president, discovered mountain biking relatively recently but now feels passionate about working with land managers and maintaining the trails for all to enjoy.
"The best part about building trails is you’re actually preserving land,” she said. “It’s family-oriented, unlike road biking. It just pulls a lot of people together.”
This is evident when heading out to trail maintenance days, which sometimes draw dozens of volunteers who donate their time to sustain the paths they so love.
“A lot of us don’t know each other, but it’s that love for mountain biking that brings us all together to support each other. And it’s the same thing with the trails,” said Shawn Lukens, owner of Mount Dora’s Adrenaline Bike Works. “None of this would exist in Florida without the community.”
Lukens fondly remembers Wednesday night rides at Markham Woods (before the pandemic), which would frequently bring out more than 100 riders to share good times and grill out after the ride.
The growing community reflects surging interest in riding trails, and it’s local organizations like the Ocala Mountain Bike Association, Swamp Mountain Bike Club, Brevard Mountain Bike Association and SORBA Orlando that help make this type of outdoor recreation possible.
“The scene has gotten huge since SORBA Orlando got going,” Mazza said. “There are definitely more places to ride now.”
Florida’s ‘Mecca’ of mountain biking
While the Orlando-area offers several exciting riding opportunities close to home, local riders are quick to point out that there are plenty more trails a short drive away.
“Within an hour and a half, there are probably nine or 10 really good mountain bike parks,” Lukens said. “To me, there’s pride in our state. A lot of people think there’s no mountain biking in Florida. Then you bring them down here and you show them.”
On Florida’s east coast, exhilarating rides await mountain bike enthusiasts at Spruce Creek Preserve, Graham Swamp and Mala Compra.
Head west toward Lakeland and Tampa to discover the terrain of Alafia River State Park, Balm Boyette Scrub Preserve and Loyce E. Harpe Park (known to some as Carter Road). Those trails are among the favorites of Tampa-based designer Frank Rodriguez, who founded StokedMTB.com.
“Alafia and Boyette are carved out of reclaimed phosphate mines,” he said. “It’s not necessarily all about elevation, but it’s how these things are designed.”
While some might claim Alafia contains the best mountain biking in the state, many riders hold Santos in especially high regard. The Ocala-area trail system contains 80-plus miles of singletrack with options for cyclists of all skill levels.
Santos has five different trailheads to access different sections of path, but mountain bikers regularly congregate around spots like the Indigo Flow jump track and Vortex freeride area. That section offers challenging wooden features and opportunities to catch some serious air.
Parts of the trail are carved out of a former limestone mine, offering terrain unseen in many parts of Florida and some rocky drops, which should be ridden with caution.
Recently, Miami resident Caleb Teachout experienced his first day of riding on the famed trails of Santos.
“It was well worth the six-hour drive to experience the ‘Mecca of Florida mountain biking,’” he said. “They have a full range of trails for every skill level, including several playful jump trails where you can really hone your skills and try to impress your friends.”
Keep the Adrenaline flowing
In Mount Dora, the town’s cycling community is known to be an active one. While the in-person Mount Dora Bicycle Festival was canceled this year, the city has designated this month “CycleTober” with riding challenges, raffles and scavenger hunts.
Now, Mount Dora’s emerging mountain biking community also has a new home: Adrenaline Bike Works.
Shawn Lukens opened the shop about a year ago and aims to support the community with an indoor pump track, public events and even beer in the store.
“This shop was more about the community and hanging out than it was really about opening a bike shop,” he said. “To me, it’s more about passing on the love for the sport than it’s ever been about selling a bike.”
The former police officer personally discovered riding as a way to lose weight, then fell into mountain biking as a stress reliever and a good workout.
“It’s such a mental release, it really calms me down,” Lukens said.
About five minutes from the shop by bike, Mount Dora’s mountain bike trails possess a secret sauce that many other Sunshine State rides lack: natural elevation change.
Highlighting the diversity of Florida’s off-road cycling paths, the network of singletrack contains flowing downhills with wooden berms and strenuous climbs back to the top. Plus, there are manmade features that may challenge even the most serious riders. All of this can provide good conditioning for rides out of state.
“I’ll go up north and people will ask, ‘How do you climb so well?’ We don’t have the downhill and the uphill, but we don’t ever stop pedaling,” Lukens said.
Riding resources
For those starting out in mountain biking, there are many area shops, people and groups who can make the process easier.
When purchasing a new mountain bike, visit Orange Cycle, David’s World Cycle, Kyle’s Bike Shop, Winter Park Cycles, Winter Garden Wheel Works or Adrenaline Bike Works.
To learn where to ride, visit sorbaorlando.com, swampmtbclub.com, ridebmba.org and omba.org. Online resources such as stokedmtb.com, trailforks.com, mtbproject.com and singletracks.com also offer trail maps and guides.
Do you have suggestions for my next destination or just want to get in touch? Find me on Twitter @PConnPie, Instagram @PConnPie or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com.
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