[Lux612]

Gonna be in Gainesville FL next week and was trying to see if there are any actual trails there. The trail reviews on the site are a little vague and most seem to be closed. Wanted to see if any are open.

 

[FloridaFish]

San Felasco is ten miles north of town, if you can drive a bit further then there is Santos to the south of Ocala.

 

[Guest]

Besides the ones mentioned above (Santos rocks!) there are also "The Rock" and parts of the "Powerlines" is still open. There is also "Hailes Trails" which is an awesome trail and a few other smaller ones scattered around Gainesville. I have several riding buddies that live in Gainesville and I ride with them when I am up that way. We will be at Santos this weekend riding the red trails and hammering our playground in the Vortex bowel.....

I am sure some will chime in here and give you better details to some more trails in that area. All in all, the Rock and Hailes is awesome! Happy trails! :thumbsup:

 

[salpic]

I know the Rock trail is indeed open (Newberry Rd, west of I-75). Though I have not been there myself, friends of mine have been there recently and they go there often, speaking very highly of it.

There's also the Powerlines trails, a network of random stuff in NW Gainesville. From my knowledge, the easiest way to get there is take NW 23rd st and head west, past I-75 and keep going until the road becomes a dirt road. The trails will be shooting off from there.

For an easier, more in-town ride, there are the Creekside trails and the 8th ave trails. The Creekside trails start from the parking lot of the Creekside trip mall on 2nd ave (near the intersection of 34th and University ave.) Look for Calico jacks, it's in the back of that parkinglot half way between the CJ's buildings and the other set of buildings to the right. it's a few miles of singletrack, nothing too technical but a nice ride nonetheless.

The 8th Ave trails start at the Lobololly nature park, which is on 34th St just a bit north of Unviersity Ave. There, you can find some singletrack shooting off the main path. There's even a little bowl with some jumps (and it;s been dry the last few days so you can actualy ride in it!) After you get to 8th st (you'll see the park directly across), cross over no the north side of the street and head a little east for the next section of the trail (you can't miss it). More singletrack that is preety fun if it's dry.

There's also some stuff in the SE portion of town by Bivens Arm and the Sweetwater Preserve. Also something called the Split Rock trail off the south side of 20th Ave just west of I-75.

 

[salpic]

Besides the ones mentioned above (Santos rocks!) there are also "The Rock" and parts of the "Powerlines" is still open. There is also "Hailes Trails" which is an awesome trail and a few other smaller ones scattered around Gainesville. I have several riding buddies that live in Gainesville and I ride with them when I am up that way. We will be at Santos this weekend riding the red trails and hammering our playground in the Vortex bowel.....

I am sure some will chime in here and give you better details to some more trails in that area. All in all, the Rock and Hailes is awesome! Happy trails! :thumbsup:

I think Hailes is private, closed most of the year except for a few races.

 

[salpic]

ALSO (ok last one I promise) there are group rides through some local bike shops. The Super Cool Bike Shop has a Monday evening ride and Mr. Goodbike has a Wednesday evening ride. I've done both and they hit all the Gainesville spots (even a few trails right through the UF campus). Google those shops for more details, but they start around 6-6:30 PM and end around 8:30-9 PM.

 

[Guest]

I think Hailes is private, closed most of the year except for a few races.

Thanks SP. Unless the land owners change there policy, they will only allow so many riders at a time to ride the trails on the weekend, but I think only certain times of the year. I have been there several times not during races and it is a pretty nice trail system.

 

[Guest]

ALSO (ok last one I promise) there are group rides through some local bike shops. The Super Cool Bike Shop has a Monday evening ride and Mr. Goodbike has a Wednesday evening ride. I've done both and they hit all the Gainesville spots (even a few trails right through the UF campus). Google those shops for more details, but they start around 6-6:30 PM and end around 8:30-9 PM.

Hey salpic, we are going to be at Santos tomorrow (Saturday) and maybe a bit Sunday as well. If you want to join us, that would be cool to meet ya.

 

[salpic]

I wasn't sure of the rules for Hailes, but good to know that others can ride it at other times. I heard it's very nice. Where does one go to ask for permission?

As for this weekend, my girlfriend is visiting this weekend, and though we are actually going to get her a bike this weekend, I don't think she's ready for Santos. Raincheck for sure, though!

 

[Guest]

I wasn't sure of the rules for Hailes, but good to know that others can ride it at other times. I heard it's very nice. Where does one go to ask for permission?

As for this weekend, my girlfriend is visiting this weekend, and though we are actually going to get her a bike this weekend, I don't think she's ready for Santos. Raincheck for sure, though!

I used to have the number to the land owner, but I am sure if you ask around locally, you may find someone that has it or invite you. I will see if I can get it again, which I am sure I can, so give me up to a week or unless you get it first. That's cool about the GF and the bike, always nice to ride with the sweetie, well at least some times anyways. Have you rode with GALAXY and his bro's up there in Gainesville yet?

 

[salpic]

Actually, I have! I met up with them to ride the 8th trails a couple of weeks ago. They ride the Rock a lot, and they ride a lot at night (they each have some nice head-lamp setups). I keep bugging them to ride with me on the bike shop rides on Mondays and Wednesdays, but they seem to ride Tuesdays and Thursdays, of course.

 

[Jim311]

I wish everyone would quit posting about the Powerlines. They are not open, if you are there then you are trespassing. There is always a risk of getting caught and ticketed or arrested. Ride at your own risk. The biggest reason the area was heavily patrolled for years was because of internet exposure.

If you want to see most of the Gainesville singletrack come to the Wednesday night ride at Mr. Goodbike. We roll at around 6:30-6:45 so be there and ready to ride sometime shortly before that. There are 5 or 6 different routes we take, and if you ride with us for long enough eventually you'll see just about every piece of singletrack in the town. It's an intermediate ride. There is also a Friday night ride at Bikes And More.

 

[salpic]

Sorry about the Powerlines. I did not know it was closed.

Yes, the Mr. Goodbike ride is a great ride. I was able to ride with them for the first time this past Wednesday. Everyone was friendly and they were nice enough to let beginners like me catch up. Jim, were you there this Wednesday?

 

[Jim311]

Yeah man, I was there. I ride a white Kona Hei Hei 29er. I assume we met, who are you?

 

[salpic]

I was on the yellow haro. Mostly in the back of the pack. I was also the guy who got a little lost in the middle of sweetwater.

 

[Jim311]

Ha, yeah I remember now. Good to see some new faces. Most of the stuff we ride is easy to get lost on if you don't know where you're going, it happens to the best of us.

 

[salpic]

to the OP:

group ride with LBS Super Cool Bike Shop today.
Meet at 6:15 ride at 6:30. Under 2 hours on local trails.
3460 West University Ave, Gainesville, FL 32607