Trail Snapshot
Trail Surface:
Paved
Distance:
29.2 miles
Outdoor Travels Rating:
2.5 out of 5 bikes
Thumbs Up
Many unobstructed miles
Great for training
Lots of wildlife
Thumbs Down
Straight and relatively boring
Not much shade
No places to stop and have a snack, brew or anything along this trail
Lessons Learned
- Bring plenty of water and snacks
- Make sure that you have company to keep you occupied
Nuts & Bolts
Location:
Clermont, Polk City, Lakeland, Florida
Directions:
Mabel Trailhead:
From Clermont, take SR 50 west to the trailhead approximately 5 miles past the intersection with CR 565/Bay Lake Road.
Bay Lake Trailhead:
From Clermont, take SR 50 west to CR 565/Bay Lake Road. Turn left (heading south) and follow the road until you reach the trailhead on the left at the intersection with the trail.
Green Pond Road Trailhead:
From Clermont, take SR 50 west to SR 33. Turn left (heading south) and follow SR 33 until you reach Green Pond Road. Take a right (heading west) and continue until you reach the trailhead. From Lakeland, take Interstate 4 East to Exit 20 (new Exit 38) for SR 33. Follow SR 33 through Polk City and north to the intersection with Green Pond Rd. Turn left (heading west) and continue until you reach the trailhead.
Polk City Trailhead:
From Lakeland, take Interstate 4 East to Exit 20 (new Exit 38) for SR 33. Follow SR 33 into Polk City and look for trailhead at intersection with CR 665.
Activities:
Biking, walking, backpacking, trail jogging
Admission:
None
Contact:
General James A. Van Fleet State Trail (352) 516-7384
http://www.FloridaGreenwaysAndTrails.comMaps and Stuff
Trail Map
Useful Links
Trail photos
Lots of great photos to give you a good idea of what riding here is like!
Southern trailhead
Riding
Green trail
Armadillo!J
Rest stop
Wheel view
Bridge
Riding over a bridge
Scenic rest stop
Speed bump
Cool bike at rest stop
Facilities
Riding into a trailhead
Typical view
Biking
General James Van Fleet Rail Trail
Polk City, Florida
Many miles of straight trail
Dana Farnsworth, Outdoor Travels
It was hot, Africa hot. I was riding alone, tired, hot and most notably to this mildly ADHD bicycle enthusiast, bored as hell. Before I work dozens of General James Van Fleet trail enthusiasts into an uproar, let me say that for some particular uses, this is a great trail. For me, on this day, it wasn't so hot - actually it was really hot, but I've already mentioned that. I have reviewed many of the Orlando area trails in the past. The General James Van Fleet falls into this category due to the fact that the ambitious planners in the city of Orlando have plans to connect this 29 mile multi-use trail with their wonderfully burgeoning trail system creating a giant network of traffic-free trails. I had left reviewing (riding) the GJVFT for last for many reasons, none of which was a perception on my part of "leaving the best for last". You see, like most longer rail trail conversions in Florida, the GJVFT is dead flat and dead straight. I swear that if I had a telescope at one end, I could see a turtle at the opposite trailhead munching on some grass. Don't get me wrong, any bike trail is a good trail, and there are some very nice things about this trail. However on this day, like I said, I had no one to chat with and honestly, I was having trouble getting out of my "point A to point B in the shortest amount of time" roadie mindset. Want a good piece of advice? There are no pubs along the way on this rural trail and I only saw one water fountain. Personal refueling is left up to whatever a rider is carrying. I left the southern trailhead woefully unprepared for a 60 mile ride. I had no food and only two water bottles on this 100 degree heat index day. Take plenty of snacks and water - you'll need it if you are planning to ride the trail in out and back fashion.
The Good News
What the GJVFT lacks in geographical excitement, it more than makes up for it in nature, solitude and unobstructed miles. In fact, there was a point where I spotted so many gopher tortoises, that I thought there was a small reptilian parade. I also spotted armadillos, snakes, box turtles and even a deer on my ride. This is remote Florida at it's non-motorized finest. Training for long rides, time trials or just enjoying a nature filled ride really bring out the best side of this trail. Overall, I believe that with a companion, some snacks, a few degrees drop in temperature and a different mindset, I really would have enjoyed this trail for it's remoteness. It's really a yin and yang thing with the GJVFT. What you give up in geographical "ride variety", you gain in nice Florida scenery and remoteness. A sacrifice of interesting railway towns and trailside pubs yields miles of unobstructed car-less miles. Bringing along someone to chat with during this 60-mile roundtrip trek is also a good idea, as the resident gopher tortoises are sadly, poor conversationalists.
