Trail Snapshot
Trail:
Over 60 miles available
Difficulty:
A little bit of everything: beginner, intermediate and some that's deservidly expert, even freeride.
Outdoor Travels Rating:
5 bikes out of 5 bikes. This can be one intense ride! But there is always something to ride for most everyone.
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Nuts & Bolts
Location:
Bellview, Florida
Directions:
Off I-75, take Exit 341 and head east on CR 484. Go approximately 2 miles and turn left (north) on 475. Take 475 north about 6 miles and turn right on SE 80th Street (east). Go about 3 miles and the Santos Trailhead and Campground will be on your right.
Facilities:
Campground, picnic shelters, bike wash, water
Activities:
Mountain biking, freeriding, hiking, equestrian
Admission:
none
Camping:
The Santos Trailhead and Campground day use area includes separate trailheads for hikers, bikers and equestrians and has picnic pavilions, potable water and restrooms. The campground, which opened in April 2005, has 24 sites with fire rings, picnic tables, water and electric (20, 30 & 50 amps) hook-ups It has a bathhouse/restroom, picnic pavilions and a dump station. A camp host resides in the campground year-round. Call 352-369-2693 for more information and reservations.
Contact:
Ocala Mountain Bike Association OMBA Website
Maps Links and Photos
Maps and links:
Trail Photos
Santos
Cruising through John Brown Trail
Mountain Biking
Santos / Bellview Trail System
Orlando, Florida
Miles and miles of single track that look like everything from Florida to the north east!
Dana Farnsworth, Outdoor Travels
81,290 acres of pure off-road riding bliss. Santos is the largest and best known mountain biking park in the Ocala, Florida area or, arguably for the entire state. Santos' official designation is Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway - that's certainly a mouth full... The Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway was born out of the failed Cross Florida Barge Canal which was terminated in the late 60s due to environmental concerns, among others.
Santos has a reputation as one of the finest places to mountain bike in Florida - you can believe the hype. Let me first say that there is something at Santos for any level of off-road bike rider. The trails are well maintained, well marked and even though the map looks like it's incredibly difficult to navigate, I found the trail system to be relatively easy to find my way around in its labyrinth, although a map and compass does come in handy. What impresses me most about Santos is the fact that it's relatively easy to create an enjoyable ride for all levels of biking ability.
Also know as "Bellview", Santos is named for the small town where the main trailhead is located. Standard trail markings are in place here - yellow trails are beginner, blue intermediate and red markings for advanced. The majority of advanced riding is located around two abandoned mining pits. There is even a freeride / jump area near the southern pit. Trails are all one way with arrows up indicating the trail is straight ahead and down arrows meaning "do not enter". Trails range from flat and rolling to rocky and steep. The large network of trails can make it easy for the un-initiated to get lost. In the event you do get lost, locals are always happy to help out with directions.
As I mentioned before, the majority of the advanced trails at Santos are in close proximity to the two large pits. The trails proved to be a very unique experience. Short of a couple of trails that have very large, long and fast drops, the overall personality of the advanced trails at Santos could be described as tight, rocky and rooted with short climbs and descents that put a premium on maneuvering your bike through a labyrinth of tight turns and rock obstacles.Overall, the impression that I got from Santos' technical trails was that they are pretty similar to northeastern trails. Since Santos is at a slightly higher elevation than some of the other Florida rides, the flora even looks a little northeastern. The freeride / jump area is first class for Florida. It features beginer's jumps right up to big honking cliff drops.
The good thing about such an extensive network is that one can spend a couple of days here and never tire of riding the ever-growing miles of singletrack. If you haven't ridden here before, put Santos on your short list of "must ride" destinations in Florida.
