Biking the Nature Coast Bike Trail

Location: Fanning Springs, Fl
GPS Coordinates: 29.591828, -82.930342
Date: 8/26/2012

We rode the Nature Coast State Trail starting at the Fanning Springs trail head. We traveled through Old Town and continued on to Cross City which is northwest of the starting location. At around three miles from the start the trail crosses the Suwannee River using an old railway bridge. This location gives you a very good view of the river, both upriver and downstream.
Since the bike trail was built on an old railroad bed, there’s just about no elevation change along the trail (no hills!!). The trail is wide and well maintained and they have covered benches at about every 2 miles along the trail. All trail heads have parking and bathrooms. Many sections of the trail run through areas with many trees which give good shade, however both ends of this section of the trail are fairly open and sunny.
As a note, there is a hole in the wall BBQ place right next to the Fanning Springs train head. This makes a good place to visit after a long, tiring bike ride. Also, in Cross City there was a Dairy Queen right next to the trail. We didn’t stop, but sure crossed my mind!
Information on this trail can be found at: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/state/nat/default.htm
Old railroad bridge crossing over the Suwannee River

 
Looking north upriver at the Suwannee

 
Julie taking a water break and checking out the view,

This is the hole in the wall BBQ place that is right next to the trail head. It’s got some pretty tasty BBQ and sure hit the spot after riding 27 miles.

 
Here is the GPS track of our bike ride.
Nature Coast Bike Trail at EveryTrail