Balm-Boyette

Balm-Boyette

	Balm-Boyette
Location:	Florida
Nearest Town:	Ruskin
Directions to Trailhead:	Take 1-75 exit on 46. Head east on CR-674 past 301 until you get to Balm wimauma rd. take a left. go all the way down until you reach CR-672. Cross the road and take balm boyette rd. follow it down and around the corner. you'll see a little parking lot on the right. enter.
Trail Description:	east side has about 12 miles of double track that circles around a dozen lakes. west side has about 18 miles of single track.
Trail Length:	30 miles
Trail Type:	Singletrack
Skill Level:	Trails for all skill levels
Submitted By:	bryce

Craig from New Hampshire Date: July 9, 2003 Trail Ridden: Ridden Once
Recommended Route: All Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: Boy Oh boy...for an ol New Hampshire Mountain rider, used to wet greasy rooted trail, gnarled with rocks and rotted blowdowns, I was pumped on this vacation, but damn near stroked out!!!CAN YOU SAY HEEEEET !!!.Damn hot is what it is in Fla. in july and not a degree less. Whered the air go doods !!Holy shit, it was HEAVEN on toast. Christ its beautifull, and yes those biig spiders put themselves right on the trail on purpose so they can get a free ride, they aint stupid ! The wash out is no longer thanks to the good people at SWAMP im sure. It was a great loop. Intermediate all around and plenty of eye candy. Have a ball...just make sure to favor the outside edge of those steepsided phosphate pit trails or youll get an assfull of pallmetto! Enjoy	Overall Rating:

Garry from St.Petersburg,Fl. Date: April 22, 2003 Trail Ridden: Please Select
Recommended Route: After the two mile double track to the kiosk look for a left and ride the new section - it is great! Then exit right on two track again to a small bridge; after that keep left to some of the funner trails. Better markings are coming soon! Other recommended trails in the same area: More challenging is Alafia just 6 miles past Balm-Boyette road on 672, then turn left on 39.
Review: Balm-Boyette can be what you make it. Sure it is an easier trail system without too much challenge, but there are a couple of climbs that will test you, some tight switchbacks that keep you guessing. New trails are soon to be cut in. To best learn these trails ride with SWAMP Club on May 11, 2003, or join in on a workday or two - flat out the best way to learn where the trails are and have fun too. April 26, 2003 is the next workday at 9:00 a.m.. You don't have to be a member of SWAMP to join in. Just RSVP so lunch can be ordered, and check out SWAMPCLUB.org for other fun and cool events.	Overall Rating:

Jip from Tampa Date: March 15, 2003 Trail Ridden: Ridden Once
Recommended Route: Easy trails Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: Our family biked the easier routes of the trail today and had a wonderful time. Trails in excellent condition, not many difficult sandy spots and no high grass. The routes that we took today around the lakes are suitable for families looking for an enjoyable ride without extreme challenges. Thanks to all the dedicated SWAMP members who were out there today doing maintenance work.	Overall Rating:

Garry from St. Petersburg, Fl. Date: November 9, 2002 Trail Ridden: Once a month
Recommended Route: Other recommended trails in the same area: Morris Bridge - Carter Road - Croom - Alafia
Review: This trail system has received some less than favorable reviews about it not being maintained. Well, that has changed! It is now groomed and in great shape! There are about 16 miles of trails here that can easily be turned into 20+ if you run it correctly. Pick up a map at the parking area and plot a route that puts you on ALL of the trails out there and you will see 20+ miles. Or checkout swampclub.org for the next group ride out there and learn the trails from the folks who made them. SWAMP Mountain Bike Club maintains these trails and you won't be disappointed with the flow from one end of the park to the other. If anyone has comments or suggestions about Boyette let me know and I will address them as I am the new trail maintenance person out there. Get out there and ride!!	Overall Rating:

EDDIE BURK from LAKELAND, FLA. Date: October 21, 2002 Trail Ridden: Once a month
Recommended Route: BE ADVENTURESOME, AND HAVE FUN! Other recommended trails in the same area: The usuals...Alafia, Morris Bridge, Carter Road, etc. etc.
Review: Rode this trail for the first time on 10/19/02. It is very different from say Morris Bridge in that it seems to be much less traveled and a little more crude.. No real "Challenges" but plenty of beautiful views. On the north side (go left at first intersection past the sign post, which is approx. 2 miles from entrance gate.) there are some really fun trails around the edges of the "lakes" much like riding through a tunnel of woods. The open grass fields are a good workout but not much fun. The tall grass adds lots of drag. Do not turn left at the sign post to wash out as it is exactly that "washed out"! You will have to u-turn. Plenty of banana spiders to run through but they just add to the adventure, and are much less dangerous than say riding through a pit of rattlesnakes. Saw one huge deer jump and run the trail in front of us. And expect a few minor scratches from some sparce briar thorns. I loved the place because it offers a very different type of terrain from Morris Bridge and Alafia thus adding to the variety! Very cool place to ride...cant wait to go back and explore more! The Dragonflies out there are huge, I swear I saw flight numbers painted on their sides.Although there are a few minor climbs and drops, dont go there if your looking for huge drops, insane climbs, or speed trails... Just a good fun place to ride! The grass is so thick I was tempted to just lay down in the shade and take a nap. Terrain varies from hard packed pine needle trails with some minor roots and stones, to open rolling fields of tall thick grass pocked with tiny holes, (and few big ones) to a 2 mile dirt access road (good for warm up).	Overall Rating:

Norm from Valrico Date: September 29, 2002 Trail Ridden: Every few months
Recommended Route: Follow the map from the SWAMP website. Other recommended trails in the same area: Alafia, Alafia, and Alafia
Review: I rode this weekend (28 Sept) and the trails really sucked. It was hard to determine where the trail actually was because of all the overgrowth. The trail was also very swampy and the sand stuck to the drivetrain. I think everyone has abandoned this place and moved over to Alafia. I know I have.	Overall Rating:

Valerie & Matt from Palm Harbor, FL Date: September 14, 2002 Trail Ridden: Ridden Once
Recommended Route: Other recommended trails in the same area: Alafia, Morris Bridge/Flatwoods
Review: The 4 of us approached the gate, which, from reading previous comments on this page, is always closed (probably to prevent 3 wheelers from entering). Saw the kid that lived in the house (w/cop cars in yard) and he told us we were in the right place. Talk about your spiders, high grass and deep soft sand. This trail is obviously not ridden enough - no wonder why there were no cars. But it's hard to find a trail not full of mush this time of year. Too wide open in the high grass and too spidery in the woods. I was no fool; I was in 4th position so I wasn't wearing yellow webs and 3-4 inch spiders on my helmet...the ride inside could have been okay if it wasn't for the 2 men up front screamin' like li'l girls from the spiders. Go later in the day after someone else has worn the webs down for you! And go on an overcast day or when it's cooler. Outside the woods you just die, esp pedaling thru tall grass. Met a guy who does Carter Road and only came to this trail today because Carter was too wet. Gonna try that one next...	Overall Rating:

Eddie from Lakeland, Florida USA! Date: July 10, 2002 Trail Ridden: Once a month
Recommended Route: From Highway 60 going east to Plant City. Turn left on CR 39. Follow CR 39 as if you were going to Alafia River State Park. When you get to Lithia-Pinecrest Rd turn right. You'll be going west. Follow the road for approximately 4 miles or so. There will be a mom and pop store on your left. Turn left at the corner (I think this is Balm Road). Follow this road for several miles. It winds through the area. You'll come a fork in the road. Follow the road to the right and continue on for another few miles. Then you'll come to a big intersection. Turn left and follow that road which is now Balm-Boyette Road. Go about another 5 miles or so. When you see a yellow crosswalk sign start to slow down. Just past the sign is the parking lot for Boyette Park. The lot is very small. And don't worry if the gate is closed. It's always closed. Follow the trail (double track) for approximately 2 miles to the trail head. Other recommended trails in the same area: Alafia River State Park, The Croom, Carter Road Park.
Review: When I first came to this park I thought it was kind of lame. But after riding it several times I have found more and more trails which makes this place a fun track to work on speed and endurance. This trail is for every skill level. At the trail head map you'll see the place laid out. The signage is not the best but it would be hard to get lost out there. There is a trail that is not marked on the map. I have asked some other SWAMP members about this trail and nobody seems to know anything about it. But anyway this is a real fun trail. Whoever made it spent some time on it. To get to this trail, start at the trail head map. Go to the left toward the washout area. Right before you get to the washout there is a small unmarked (except for the worn grass) trail on the left. Follow it into the woods. The first time into it I thought that it was a hiking trail. This trail is a couple of miles long and winds through the woods. There are a couple of wooden bridges along this trail. And it looks like it is still being worked on somewhat.	Overall Rating:

Haro from Tampa, FL Date: June 18, 2002 Trail Ridden: Once a year
Recommended Route: none - circle the lakes Other recommended trails in the same area: Tampa - Alafia, Cater, Toe.. even Morris Bridge Ocala - Santos, Hard Rock, RazorBack/Reddick
Review: Ever dreamed of riding you mountain across DEath Valley and the Hill Julie Andrews is singing from in "The Sound of Music"? Well, neither have I. This place sucks as far as challange. I would say its more flat, grass and palmetto riding. Most of the trails are over grown because the riders have left for more enjoyable pastures like Alafia or Carter Park. I suggest going here once just to see if you like it .. I tend to like drops, obsticals and hills like Santos, RazorBack or the Toe. If you like cross country rigga-ma-roll, this may be for you	Overall Rating:

Tschramm from Tampa Date: May 4, 2002 Trail Ridden: Once a week
Recommended Route: See directions above Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: This park is what you make of it. I happen to really like it. The park is a reclaimed phosphate mine which has been coverted to a nature preserve / bike park. There is a 2 mile ride on a dirt road to get to the trail head. From there you can cruise around in the open for several miles of connected loops; or you an opt for some easy to moderately technical single track which takes you through scrub forrests, palmetto fields, or around the clif edges of the old mine scrapes which have filled with water. I have seen wild boar, deer, otters (yes, a family of 3 just this morning), skunks, aligators, ect... Give it a try, I think you will like it. At the very least it is something different from the trail you currently always go to.	Overall Rating:

Craig Fulton from St. Pete Date: January 18, 2002 Trail Ridden: Every few months
Recommended Route: Anything past the first two miles and away from palmetto plants. Other recommended trails in the same area: Carter Rd. Park, Alafia River Park
Review: If you want the most perfect jump in Florida go here. There is a spot out in the open field that has two sweet jumps in a row. There is a 20 foot drop to a jump with a declined landing then come up to another jump with a flat landing. The best way to to this course it go left after you get to the trail head (after to 2 mile stretch to it). DO NOT GO TO THE RIGHT unless you like to climb through palmetto plants for 10+ miles! If you go left you will find a couple nice section around some water with a few elevation changes. There is also one huge drop hidden off in some trees, but has a some tree in the way at the bottom. Check out www.kmaracing.com for videos from trails in the area.	Overall Rating:

T from Florida Date: February 21, 2001 Trail Ridden: Once a week
Recommended Route: Use the double track and the singletrack fields to connect up to the singletrack in the woods and palmettos to make a diverse ride. Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: Boyette is what you make of it. Don't come expecting an epic adreneline rush unless you are willing to work hard for it. The twisty single track is easy, peasy until you add a bunch of speed to the mix. The palmetto sections are a cinch until you take them going all out. The section in the open field sucks unless you realize that you can catch air coming off the top of each mound and up the face of the other side. The areas that border the chain of lakes are fun, I don't care how slow you go. So maybe it isn't the most challenging place to ride in Florida, not even Hillsborough county, but don't shy away because it is too easy. If you ride it, get involved with the maintenence. A bad trail can become a good trail with some extra work. There are still lakes out there without trails cut around them.	Overall Rating:

K luv from Tampa Date: February 26, 2000 Trail Ridden: Ridden Once
Recommended Route: NONE Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: If you like flat boring trails, some being in the middle of a field ,then this place is for you.	Overall Rating:

Bill from Tampa Date: January 27, 2000 Trail Ridden: Ridden Once
Recommended Route: Other recommended trails in the same area: Santos Trail
Review: This is a great place to ride. For my first time there I enjoyed it very much so. My sigle speed loved it too. I can see how hot it can get in the summer. It was only 70 in Jan and it was hot. Very easy to get to and not very crowded. Its technical but the single track is fun. Watch out for the gators in the first lake.	Overall Rating:

Scott from Pensacola, Fll Date: January 8, 2000 Trail Ridden: Ridden Once
Recommended Route: Other recommended trails in the same area: Croom
Review: I liked the "intro" which was fairly fun and curvey...but once we ended up in the open grassy area, we could not find the other section of fun trail (as shown on the map at the beginning of the trail). We rode miles in this huge grassy field with lakes - it all looked the same and we got lost!! We were lucky and made it back to the car - finally but it was already dark (talk about scary). The whole time we never saw another rider. This trail needs better markings for those not familiar with this trail -- especially mark out the remainder of the fun stuff which we were never able to find.	Overall Rating:

JoBu from Cocoa Beach Date: August 27, 1999 Trail Ridden: Every few months
Recommended Route: See above Other recommended trails in the same area: Carter Park Morris Bridge.
Review: I've ridden this trail a couple of times and quite frankly, I can't see what the big deal is. It's not technical, it's not challenging, and it's not even that much fun. There are some single track sections that have a few roots to hop over and there are some hills. But these hills are out in the middle of nowhere. I dunno. I, personally, found it to be boring and not worth the trip. No, I wasn't expecting an experience like Hardrock or Belleview, but unless you live close and don't want to make the trek out to some good trails, I would avoid this one. Try Carter Park or even Morris Bridge. Much more fun. I can't slam it because there was a lot of effort in building it and it's nice to have something local for the Bay Area Riders.	Overall Rating:

David from Tampa, FL Date: June 30, 1999 Trail Ridden: Every few months
Recommended Route: Depends on what your up for that day Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: Fun trail early in the day or during the winter, other than that you better bring extra water. It seems to get hotter out there than on any other trail Ive ridden. Make sure to hit it early and your sure to enjoy it. Trail maps for Boyette can be found at WWW.SWAMPCLUB.ORG	Overall Rating:

Denny from Riverview Date: May 26, 1999 Trail Ridden: Once a week
Recommended Route: Bloomingdale to Belle Shoals, turn south and follow for a while. 2.9 miles past the "Y" intersection at Balm Boyette on left for East trails. 200 yds more on right under powerlines for West trails. Other recommended trails in the same area: Morris Bridge/Flatwoods, Croom, Santos trails (Bellevue), HardRock MTB Park.
Review: This is a good area with trail for all types of rider. The East side has a few lakes and much winding single track. There are a few ridgline trails along the lakes that are fun. One hill section that has some opportunity for grabbing some air! The "golf cart" trail (there is a broken golf cart out there) is much improved recently thanks to the efforts of SWAMP members. West side has some tighter trails and more single track. Overall a nice place to ride. I agree with previous- it is what you make of it!	Overall Rating:

JJ from ST PETE BEACH Date: March 17, 1999 Trail Ridden: Once a week
Recommended Route: All the wooded singletrack to the singletrack on the lake rims. Other recommended trails in the same area: MORRIS BRIDGE,TROUT CREEK,FLATWOODS,BELLVIEW,CROOM
Review: I ride this area twice a week at least. Boyette is what you make it. You can have a nice long ride on easy singletrack & fireroads. Or you can rip the twisty stuff for hours on end. There are some short tough climbs. Very hot in summer we have seen 105 in the shade. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE GO RIDE IT !!!!!!!	Overall Rating:

JDG from St Pete Date: February 12, 1999 Trail Ridden: Once a month
Recommended Route: The main trail lazily rolls you about until you reach the lung burner hill. The trails to the East are best taken in the early AM, cuz there aint much shade. Other recommended trails in the same area: Flatwoods in Tampa, near USF Croom, in Ocala National Forest
Review: Very enjoyable - and almost relaxing. The trails offer the basic beginner trails, while there are some more technical trails which can be a bit more exciting. This is a great place to bring a lunch an relax in the cool breeze. Deer have been spotted towards the loop trail to the far east. Loads of trails for all skill levels, but be sure to enjoy the view! Too much fun - but hen again isn't any trail!? PEACE	Overall Rating:

Chris from Tampa, FL Date: February 8, 1999 Trail Ridden: Once a week
Recommended Route: Any and all singletracks Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: The singletracks in this park are a lot of fun. There are no hills but many tight twists, surprise roots, and narrow passes. The single tracks along the lakes (ponds) are sweet but short. Just watch out for the alligators in the ponds.	Overall Rating:

Gabor from St. Petersburg Date: January 7, 1999 Trail Ridden: Please Select
Recommended Route: The eastern half of the southern most single track is really overgrown. On that section palmetto fronds obscure many ruts and stumps. Everything else is a blast. Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: Be sure to take bug/tick spray and plenty of water.	Overall Rating: