Top 10... West Orange Trail

Popular for all types of biking, West Orange Trail is a world-class rail trail through urban and rural sections of Orange County. Winter Garden, FL is an prime example of how a well-maintained rail-trail can revitalize an "old Florida" downtown. Here, bike shops and restaurants now abound. The new Winter Garden City Hall fronts the trail and features a bicycle-art sculpture. The western terminus at Killarney Station (bike sales, repairs, rentals, rest rooms, snacks, playground) connects to the South Lake Trail. (More photos below.)

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End Points: Killarney (Old SR 50) to Apopka
Mileage: 22 miles; 9 mile link on South Lake/Lake Minneola Scenic Trail to Clermont; future plans to become part of a 200-mile Central Florida loop.
Surface: Asphalt, 15'
Location: Orange County
Nearby Points of Interest: Towns of Oakland and Winter Garden, Oakland Nature Preserve, Winter Garden Historic Museum, Lake Apopka; Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld.

THE BEST TRAIL SECTIONS TO RIDE... and additional comments by MUDFISH

I recommend the western-most 5 miles of the trail, from old Winter Garden to the trailhead at Killarney Station (bicycle rentals, repairs, snacks, restrooms).

The bike trail has completely revitalized old downtown Winter Garden, which now features at least 2 bike shops, several restaurants, and a small but worthwhile history museum.

You'll find more interesting features along this section of the trail -- an old barn pays homage to Bobby Bowden (retired FSU football coach), tall oaks laden with Spanish moss, quaint "downtown" Oakland, Briley Farm (where you might see some exotic animals, such as Watusi cattle, zebra, and ostrich), the Oakland Nature Preserve (0.6 mile trail and boardwalk leading to a pier on the lake), and an old railroad bridge over I-75.

For some additional exercise, go west past Killarney Station and ride the first 1.5 miles of the South Lake Trail to the stop sign at the first major road crossing. This short portion (narrow at first, but it soon widens out) is shaded and contains some nice hills and turns, rare for Florida. After 1.5 miles, this trail crosses a road and soon becomes a completely open suburban ride popular with road bikes (but not what I seek).

Another nice section centers around the trailhead off Apopka-Vineland Road, behind the Buddhist Temple. Ride north along the road about .2 mi. Here, the trail crosses at the light. After crossing, you have one mile of mostly beautiful, relaxing tree canopy (pictured below). Then you emerge once again along busy Apopka-Vineland Rd. (From here to trail's end north of Apopka, it is mostly open and parallel to roads.) Turn and ride back through the canopy, past the Buddhist Temple and you have another mile of shade, then about .6 mi. along Claracona-Ocoee Rd, then away from the road, you weave around a golf course, tunnel under a highway, pass through suburban neighborhoods (former orange groove) and into Winter Garden.

BOBCAT'S PHOTO GALLERY along the West Orange Trail (hover over photo for a larger view)

Downtown "Old" Winter Garden The trail is the focal point for the renaissance of this old Florida town.

Winter Garden to Oakland

An homage to Bobby Bowden and FSU is a trail landmark.		Old track
Oakland Serene old Oakland is a charming town draped in Spanish moss.

Oakland to Killarney Station

The bridge crosses Florida's Turnpike.	Killarney Station
Apopka to Winter Garden The short one mile stretch from Apopka-Vineland Road toward Apopka is one of the prettiest canopied rides in central Florida.

	Apopka-Vineland Outpost	Fence at the golf course, a few balls still make it over!
South Lake Trail Links to the West Orange Trail at Killarney Station; the first 1.5 miles is shaded and features some rolling hills until meeting the road into Clermont. (There is a 100 yard paved section connecting the "0" mile markers of the West Orange and South Lake Trails, which we have claimed as the "Bobcat-Mudfish Trail.")

Briley Farm Most unexpectedly, you may see African Watusi cattle, zebra, ostrich, and other exotic animals grazing along the trail at Briley Farm, just west of Oakland.