My 5 Favorite Local Trails (and Why Each One Is Worth the Drive)

Jacksonville’s Riverwalks are a dynamic set of scenic pathways connecting public spaces along the St. Johns River in Downtown Jax. Stretching over three miles along both the Northbank and Southbank of the St. Johns, these linear parks blend nature, recreation, public art and urban vitality to provide a picturesque escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. The Northbank and Southbank riverwalks are connected and accessible by pedestrian pathways along the Main Street and Acosta bridges. Future Riverwalk expansions will connect the Southbank Riverwalk to the Shared Use Path over the Fuller Warren Bridge, as well as link the Northbank Riverwalk from Brooklyn all the way to Downtown Jacksonville’s Sports and Entertainment District.  Triking is great here, just be patient and respectful of pedestrians.  My favorite is the boardwalk system on the Southbank.  Great for a straight ride or break it up with visits to shops and restaurants.

Converted from an old rail line, this trail has the gentle, consistent grade that rail trails are famous for — never steep, always manageable. The surface is crushed limestone, which is slightly softer than asphalt but perfectly fine for e-trike tires.  There a good mix of sun and shade with a lot of the ride cruising through a lush tunnel of oaks reaching across the trail providing an almost storied look. The payoff is the view from the ridge at mile 7, where you can see for what feels like twenty miles on a clear day. I usually turn around there and coast most of the way back. Bring water — there's no refill point until the far end.

Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park is a 1.5-mile public beach and city park in Jacksonville, Florida. It is located at Mayport in the Jacksonville Beaches area. It consists of 447 acres of mature coastal hammock, which is increasingly rare along Florida's heavily developed Atlantic coast.  Trike riding here is open, smooth, safe, and as big or little as you want. You can push your trike through the sandy access to the beach and ride for miles once you're on the hard pack at low or mid-tide. Most of the trails are for mountain bikers, but there are a few that are quite manageable for the experienced triker. This is one for the whole family to ride, picnic, fish, swim, and camp, or any combination of those.

Begin your adventure with stunning views of the Nassau Sound, the region's prime fishing grounds. Restrooms, water fountains and bike racks are available at the building at the north end of the bridge. Once you’re ready to start rolling, head either north or south along the paved Timucuan Trail Pathway, part of the 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway that runs along the Atlantic Coast from the Florida Keys up to Maine. The Timucuan Trail in this area is a paved, mostly off-road pathway that runs north 6 miles to Peters Point Beach Park on Amelia Island, or south crossing the A1A bridge to Big Talbot Island State Park. The southern section brings you across the mouth of the sound to a wooden boardwalk overlooking Spoonbill Pond, one of the premier birding spots in Northeast Florida.  Whether you head north, or south, the ride is a mix of views but easy pedaling on curvy paved paths. You can also break the trip up into sections as long or as short as you like thanks to several parking and pickup spots as the trail peeks out to meet A1A.  This is the trail I bring people to when I want to show them why I do this — it makes the case better than anything I could say.

The seaside town of Atlantic Beach is one of my personal favorites. I park my truck at any of the shopping centers around, unload my trike, and get riding. 3rd Street is the main road running north and south and is a very safe ride with lots of bike lanes, sidewalks, and quiet streets. No matter where you ride, Jax Beach is friendly, inviting, urban and beachy at the same time. There are several beach accesses for beach riding, and lots of neighborhoods with parks galore. Weekdays are better because it's less crowded during the summer, but anytime is a great time at the beach!  There are tons of great little shops, eateries, and coffee shops.