One of the great things about living in Central Florida is the Cross Florida Greenway. This strip of land running from across Florida from the St. Johns River at Palatka to the Gulf near Inglis started as a dream to build a barge canal to connect the east and west coast. The modern history of the Greenways begins in the 1930's when the Roosevelt administration started the project as part of the WPA. It shut down quickly only to be revived in the '40's when concerns about German U-boats prompted several locks and dams to be built.
The project again hit a stalemate until the Johnson administration revived it again in the 1960's but when the Environmental Protection Act became law in 1969 it eventually put the project again on hold two years later. Finally, in 1991, the project was decommissioned, the land returned to the state of Florida which, in 1992, used it as the basis for the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.
To honor that celebrated Florida naturalist, the Greenways have been developed into park and outdoor recreation areas, environmental protection areas, bike, hiking and horse trails. While there are wonderful recreational areas, much of the Greenways has been left in it's natural state, with hiking trails you can enjoy the quiet beauty of the land before development came to bless, and curse us.
We have enjoyed exploring a small part of the Greenway, biking on the unpaved Santo's trail that includes difficulties ranging from mild to extreme. It includes some of the best mountain biking in the southeast with its limestone pits, steep inclines and dead falls. The Ocala Mountain Bike Association (OMBA) is an enthusiast organization with an extensive site about Santos. It included maps, trail conditions, camping information and so on. There's also some cool pictures that give a good feel for the trail.
On the other end of the spectrum is the Baseline Road Trailhead. This paved trail meanders through open fields and pine wood stands. The road bed is about 12 feet wide and is an easy 5 mile ride. At the north end is the Marshall Swamp hiking trail which is a 3 mile walk through heavily wooded trails that have been somewhat developed with bridges and overlooks. Well worth the walk.
Also within 20 miles of our home is the Land Bridge, a unique structure crossing I-75 in such a way that, if you're on the trail you would barely know you've left the woods and are now crossing a major thoroughfare.
All this is just a small part of the trails and recreational opportunities now available with more on the way. If you enjoy this kind of recreation, next time you're in Florida, take time to check out the Greenway. It'll be a memorable experience.

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