When the Suncoast Parkway was built, a paved multi use trail was built alongside it. That decision gave this part of Florida one of its longest continuous car free routes, and it runs right through Hernando County.
What it is
The Suncoast Trail is asphalt, roughly twelve feet wide, and separated from the parkway traffic rather than painted onto a shoulder. It runs for tens of miles, connecting Hernando County south through Pasco and into Hillsborough, with trailheads and parking at intervals along the way.
Overpasses carry the trail above the major crossings, including State Road 50, so a long ride does not mean repeatedly waiting at highway intersections.
Who uses it
Road cyclists training in distance, families riding a few miles from a trailhead, runners, and people on skates. Because it is flat, straight and uninterrupted, it suits steady mileage better than scenery. It is a route rather than a destination, and that is exactly what a lot of riders want.
Practical notes
There is very little shade for long stretches. In summer that matters more than the distance does. Ride early, carry more water than you think you need, and know where the next trailhead is.
Trail extensions have been under construction at the northern end for years, pushing the corridor further into neighboring counties. Segments open in stages, so check current maps rather than assuming an old endpoint still applies.
Connections
Within Hernando County the trail crosses near enough to several communities that it can serve as an actual transportation route and not just recreation. Combined with the Good Neighbor Trail and the Withlacoochee State Trail to the east, the county has more connected paved trail mileage than most Floridians would guess.
Cover photo: DanTD / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Source.
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