A Stormy Ride along Florida’s Pinellas Trail

Not soon after moving to Tampa, Mike and I embarked on the 10 mile journey from Dunedin to Tarpon Springs via the popular Pinellas Trail biking/walking path. We had heard about this trail before moving here and were excited to see what all the fuss was about. We biked a lot in Massachusetts and we wanted to keep enjoying one of our favorite hobbies.

The entire journey is 40+ miles (starting in St. Petersburg and ending in Tarpon Springs), however, we felt like taking a leisurely Saturday ride. Nothing too intense, especially since we are not used to the hot and muggy Florida temperatures.

We have been biking a lot since moving to suburban Palm Harbor which is close to a lot of great trails. There really are some gorgeous trails in this city. This is one of our favorites because it is long and flat with many convenient starting points and fun detours. As a bonus, it’s pretty lush with trees lining most of the route.

What is a rail trail?

The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail is a multi-use paved path which follows the course of an old railroad. For those unfamiliar, many cities transform former railroad routes into good use, by way of a recreational path. Communities benefit with beautiful, often lengthy recreational paths, which can be used both for commuting and leisure.

We first found out about these paths while living in Massachusetts for several years. Cape Cod especially, is home to a number of these including the amazing Cape Cod Rail Trail, which is basically 22 miles of uninterrupted forest. We also loved the East Bay Bike trail in Providence and the Minuteman in suburban Boston.

The Pinellas has earned a place in the Rail Trail Hall of Fame, a distinction given to the best trails. Deciding criteria include: amenities, scenic views, maintenance, historical significance, and usage according to the Rails to Trails Conservancy. I would agree with this award as it truly is a beautiful addition to the metro and a great space for any type of recreation.

Beautiful downtown Dunedin: an ideal starting point

Downtown Dunedin offers a convenient starting point with the bonus of free parking. This is a great place to begin your ride as there are a number of local restaurants and coffeeshops within walking distance. The downtown is colorful and charming – it’s one of my favorite Main Streets in the region.

Update: Since writing this post, we have biked the Pinellas many times (and loved using it for the race training) and explored downtown in full. I recommend taking a walk around town either before or after your ride. You can also head over to the marina and check out one of the waterfront restaurants.

If you are seeking a quick bite, Cork and Beans is a great local coffeehouse which opens early (7am). The Sandpiper, while pricey, serves decent breakfast fare in a colorful beach decorated cottage. Another great attraction is a small, but colorful Beatles museum (it’s free so take a look around!). You can check out my downtown travel guide for more info.

After passing the charming downtown area, the route passes a few busy highways and a lot of commercialization. I don’t care much for this part of the route. As you can see in the photo below, this portion of the ride is not very scenic. It is flat and easy to ride though which is great for anyone wanting to take it easy. I am not really a fan of overly hilly biking path, especially if I am trying to enjoy a fun weekend activity rather than a rough fitness workout.

Honeymoon Island: a quick and incredible detour

You have the option of taking a 2 mile detour to Honeymoon Island State Park, well known for its’ scenic beaches and natural hiking trails. I recommend taking the detour if you are up to it (as an added bonus admission to the park is much lower for cyclists than vehicles).

If you don’t feel like biking extra miles (I understand – it’s a long ride), definitely plan another day just to relax at the beach. It’s a bit more crowded than some of the others (often with backed up traffic), but at least worth a one time visit. I would recommend a visit especially if you are into hiking as the trails cross through a rare pine forest.

A mostly flat and easy ride

Most of the trail is flat as a pancake, although you will pass one steep hill near the Dunedin section of the path. The hill takes you up to a highway overpass. From here, you will see mostly urban highway views, although there is a nice view of the water as well.

Next, you will pass through suburban Palm Harbor and Ozona which are a bit more scenic, with lots of trees and views of residential areas. I recommend a detour to John Chestnut Park. This is my favorite place to walk amongst the swampy boardwalks. I’ve seen lots of gators here and more deer than you can imagine.

Up next is Crystal Beach, one of the most attractive portions of the path which features nice forested scenery. Check out a few views below of the more scenic wooded areas of the path (mostly in Ozona, Crystal Beach, and Tarpon Springs section of the trail). This part of the path is separated into walking and biking paths which is nice.

Tarpon Springs: “the sponge capital of the world”

As you head into Tarpon Springs, you will enter the historic, scenic downtown area with beautiful palm trees lining the street. This is probably my favorite portion of the path. Outside of the downtown area, it feels like the most remote section of the trail.

Update: We have explored much more of Tarpon in our ~3 years living here (I wish we would have explored more earlier on). I recommend a lunch & shopping break before embarking on the return route. Hellas (featuring wonderful desserts like Baklava cheesecake) and Mr. Souvlaki (serving excellent Greek salads) are both great choices. Interestingly, this city is home to the highest percentage of Greek Americans in the US, and thus, the food is really authentic.

The city is also known for its’ sponge diving history which you can learn more about during your visit. Be sure to visit Spongeorama (or any other tourist shop) and pick up a quality sponge (they never grow mold and are very durable!). Other fun activities include: dolphin cruises and gator watching at A.L. Anderson Park. You can read all about these activities and more in my Tarpon travel guide. There really is a lot to do here, so if you have the time, I recommend a separate visit.

Be aware of summer thunderstorms!

During our first ride, we encountered one of the intense afternoon storms that are known to frequent South Florida almost daily during the summer months. This is Florida – what do you expect!? It’s hard to plan lengthy exercise excursions here due to the random afternoon showers. I can say I have never seen so much rain in my life! We were absolutely drenched.

Luckily, we found a bridge to go under until the rain let up. In a way, we were glad for the rain as the drastic temp drop helped to cool us down a bit. We are used to the cool temperatures of New England, so biking in the extreme heat was pretty rough. On a positive note, the thunderstorm made an otherwise bland ride a bit more interesting!

Update: After this ride, we quickly learned to expect a random storm anytime during the summer season even if skies look clear at the start of the ride. Surprisingly, most of the time we have timed our rides just right to avoid any rain. Sometimes, it’s so hot and sunny that I wouldn’t mind a bit of rain.

In my opinion, this trail is the best place in the Tampa metro for lengthy exercise of any sort. However, I felt like there were too many busy roads to cross and too many views of businesses, houses, and highways. I prefer the more rural rail trails over this very urban trail.

Nevertheless, it’s a great way to get some exercise in for the day. And, the path is well maintained, clean, easy to follow, and conveniently split up into a separate biking and walking path in most sections. There are a few hints of nice scenery along the way, and most importantly, it’s a great way to explore some of this beautiful county without driving all over the place.

Update: We have enjoyed so many great bike paths since I first wrote this post. Check out my Tampa biking guide for a guide to my top ranked trails. If you love this trail, then I am sure you will love Bayshore Blvd which runs a really scenic 6 mile course along the water. This really is a fabulous city for cyclists!

Tips for a great ride

Park in downtown Dunedin. Parking is free and you can leave the car as long as you want. Conveniently the trail begins directly downtown.

Check the weather forecast for possible thunderstorms. Plan your trip in the morning for the lowest probability of running into a storm. Of course, unexpected storms are common in this area.

Bring with plenty of water and a few snacks. A camelbak is a great idea.

Check the Pinellas Trail map and plan in advance how much of the trail you want to complete. A little bit is better than nothing and sometimes better than an exhausting ride via my personal experience.

Get a full bike tune up before your ride. There are plenty of places in the area to do so. In addition, most offer bike rentals if you don’t have your own.

Consider taking the Jolly Trolley back to Dunedin if you do not feel like completing the return route. Tickets are only $5 for an all day pass.