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| Econlockhatchee River
The Little Big Econ State Forest Terrain: Flat pine woods and oak hammocks border the lower Econlockhatchee River. Singletrack bicycle trails are at the Snow Hill trailhead and the trail at Chuluota is part of an old county road. Trails continue to expand and improve. In short, a good place to ride.
Skill
To Get There:
These trails are
Northeast of Orlando and relatively close to the
Chuluota Entrance: From SR 426 (Aloma Avenue) in Oviedo, turn right on Mitchell Hammock Road. Continue to the end and turn left. Turn right on SR 419 and after crossing the Econlockhatchee River and just past the fire tower turn left on Langford Road. Follow the signs to the trailhead. This 8,000 acre addition to Florida's public lands protects the watershed of the Econlockhatchee River near Oviedo. While bicycles are not allowed on the hiking trail at the Barr Street entrance other cycling opportunities continue to be developed. Originally just a short four mile loop at the Snow Hill Road trailhead, there are now over 10 miles of trails. The original loop is relatively slow because the trail is narrow, curvy, and sometimes sandy. All riders, regardless of skill, can enjoy the loop. Most of the route is shaded, though there are areas where the sun can burn you alive in the summer! The white sand reflects the searing heat for a double dose. Bring sunglasses and SPF 45! Other cycling possibilities include jeep roads and fire lines anywhere in the forest. There is a hard packed dirt road leading to a suspension bridge at the Chuluota trailhead. Trails continues to be added with 5 more miles of trails in the western half of the park since 2002. They are mostly flat but feature challenging combinations of technical roots and tight corners. These will challenge better riders especially when wet, but the lack of elevation change will keep things easy for an expert rider. Families have been known to tackle the tougher stuff at their own pace, so the entire park is still pretty accessible. On weekends there are generally 10-15 cars in the parking lot, and riders have to be aware that oncoming traffic could appear around any corner, especially close to the trailhead.The park service maps are not very useful, but the map below is suitable for printing (highly recommended). There are lots of intersections, making it easy to get lost.
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