Legacy Bike Trail

Very easy flat trail along an old railroad bed. One fairly steep bridge. Water stations, restrooms, and rest benches along the way. 20 miles round trip. Good beginner trail. Well kept. Very popular trail. Lots of bicyclists and walkers (for a Wednesday). The wind picked up so the return ride was a challenge.

Not very challenging until you
head south into the wind but a Great trail
Boats, Dolphin, Manatee, smooth flat and wide. Whats not to like?

I just stumbled upon this today while out for a ride in southern Sarasota. The trail is basically an old CSX line running from southern Sarasota to Venetian Waterway Park in Venice, FL. It’s a very straight 12+ mile stretch intended more for street bikes than mountain bikes. However, it’s still quite a scenic journey with several «stations» at which you can stop, sit on something other than your bike, and enjoy some shade for a few minutes. There are plenty of vehicle access points where you can drive and park your car.
The ride is typical Florida scenery sans a pine tree canopy. If you’re riding mid-​day, wear sunscreen, there’s not much overhead protection.
Also, I was only able to ride about three miles of the trail, but I did notice at least one port-​a-​potty – I guess that’s for an extreme emergency! It was hot enough and I was sweating hard enough that anything I drank just came through my skin.
My goal is to ride the entire trail (about 24 miles round trip) and maybe even continue through Venice in the future. This is a great thing for Sarasota to offer and I hope if you are visiting, you can take advantage of the trail.