Never Ending Cycling Chronicles

Except for the portion of this ride that goes through Hammock, FL, there is very little shade along this route and factilities that are not within restaurants are far and few between.

Bring along some water, sunscreen and a pair of sunglasses. Gloves and helmet are always recommended.

Getting There:

Take the Highway 100 (Moody Boulevard) exit off of Interstate 95 and head east approximately 3 miles to the intersection with Highway A1A. There is parking along the beachfront either north or south of the intersection.

I actually chose to begin my loop at the Flagler Beach Post Office since I wasn’t sure if Flagler Beach had tapped that parking market like most other Florida beach front communities. Fortunately, Flagler Beach has not endeavored to tap revenue stream.

The Trail:

As stated above, I started my trek at the Flagler Beach Post Office. This is the inaugural ride for my new Kia Soul. Loving my new mean green car machine.

I headed east to Highway A1A. The trail runs along the west side of A1A through this section. I head south along the trail.

Just a few words about this trail. There is no signage along the entire length of this trail. At no point is there a designation that this is the Flagler Beach to Marineland Trail. I only found out about this trail from a Wikipedia entry listing paved biking trails in the state of Florida.

Apparently Flagler County does not promote the trail since I could find no published information on the web about this site. It was only through looking at Google Maps that I finally found the trail marked and it was titled “Flagler Beach to Marineland Trail”.

With all that said, if I would drive 3 hours from the west coast of Florida to visit this trail that has the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean as its backdrop, I think that if the trail was promoted, it would become a desitnation for cyclists across the state. I’ll step off my soapbox now…

As you head south of Flagler Beach, you will pass the entrance to Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area (isn’t that a mouth full!).

Approximately 4 miles south of the Flagler Pier, you will reach the Volusia County line. This is where I turned around and chose to head north – retracing my route.

As you head back north, you will see that the actual welcome center for the Gamble Rogers Park is on the east side of A1A. There is currently a $5.00 fee to use the park and it is paid on the honor system.

The park has restroom facilities. It also has placards that describe the plight of the Right Whales that breed off the coast of Florida from December through March.

The park also boast a fine boardwalk that leads down from the dunes to the Atlantic Ocean. It also offers fine views to the Atlantic Coast to the north and south.

As you continue north, keep an eye out for what I call the “Pirate House”. It is a house with statues of pirates attached to the house. I found it very unusual and quite amusing.

If you are of the casual cycling nature as I am, you might want to stop and expore the Flagler Beach Fishing Pier. There are quite a few places to eat along this stretch of the trail. The morning I rode, there was a nice arts/crafts show going on in the park across from the pier.

You could see trawlers lined up along the coast just offshore during the morning. Perhaps trawling the Gulf Stream Current where it upwells along the continental shelf.

There were several instances as you head north out of Flagler Beach and through Beverly Beach and Painters Hill where you could see signs of the implosion of the real estate market. Subdivisions standing empty – some with streets and boat docks.

The next picture is just because I love lighthouses. Enjoy!

Just across from Varn Park, you will have to cross Highway A1A and will continue on the east side of the highway all the way up to Marineland.

Varn Park is a nice little park. It has restroom facilities and a nice series of boardwalks leading out to the Atlantic Ocean.

As you enter the town of Hammock, the trail (always following A1A) starts to head away from the coast. At first, I thought this transition was going to be a boring slog past strip stores. I was surprised and the trail actually has some curves and splits. It weaves through hardwood hammocks and actually moves away from A1A a bit. This, by the way, is the only shaded part of the trail.

Leaving Hammock Behind, after a short spin north, you will see the entrance to Washington Oaks Gardens State Park on the west side of A1A. While I didn’t eventure into the park itself, I did see quite a few cars entering the park.

Finally, the turnabout within sight, you arrive in Marineland. It looks like quite a nice little seaside town. I didn’t venture past the park at Marineland’s southern border. There is a nice little gazebo connected to a boardwalk that runs parallel to the coast.

Heading south, you will once again pass the entrance to Washington Oaks Gardens State Park on the west side of A1A. Across from the entrance on the east side, you will find the entrance to the Washington Oaks Gardens Scrub Habitat Restoration area. It is just a short ride out to the boardwalk area and back.

As I crossed back over to the west side of A1A near Varn Park, I was curious what body of water was running parallel to the roadbed. It appeared to be a tidal canal.

I retraced my way back through Painters Hill and Beverly Beach to my base at the Flagler Beach Post Office.

There are more pedestrians that cyclists along the trail (the hardcore cyclists choosing to ride the shoulder along A1A instead. The pedestrians did seem oblivious to cyclists and, perhaps, that is in part to the lack of signage along the trail. It is a beautiful trail with the Atlantic Ocean within site (and sound) for at least 3/4 of the ride.

If you are looking for an easy ride with a nice vista, I think you would enjoy this little surprise on the east coast of Florida. Happy Trails ~ John