Florida Cycling Routes
Here is a selection of cycling routes in Florida. All of the maps on this page have sufficient resolution for easy reading. Clicking on the icon loads the full-size image. After it loads, click on it to zoom in.
Cross Florida 1989, Cocoa Beach to Pine Island, 167 miles / 3108 ft of climbing
 Map,
665 kb (route highlighted on contemporary map) |
 Profile,
161 kb |
 Scanned
artistic map, 770 kb (shows original SAG stops, not to scale) |
Cross Florida, 26th Annual, Cocoa Beach to Crystal River, 168 miles / 3043 ft of climbing
 Map,
705 kb |
 Profile,
142 kb |
| Route sheet, east to west |
Florida Double-Cross
This proposed event crosses Florida twice on two consecutive days in an out-and-back style, circuit style, or some combination.
It is desired (but not essential) that each leg be suitable for a 300 km brevet. All of these rides are at least 600 km and will be run as an ACP/RUSA brevet.
Florida Double-Cross route (Preliminary version 2005-09-24), Indian Harbour Beach-Crystal River-Indian Harbour Beach. Each leg of this 600 km route is 300 km that each pass by the Holiday Inn at Rt 50 and US 27 in Clermont. It is considered the best double cross route to date.
 Google
Map |
Florida Double-Cross route (concept1), Indian Harbour Beach-Crystal River-Indian Harbour Beach, 381 miles / 8410 ft of climbing (305 km x 307 km = 612 km)
Both legs are based on Reinhard's "27th Cross Florida" route sheet. The differences are: the terminations where changed to suitable hotel/motels on each coast, bumped the mileage to 300 km for each leg and added a little more climbing. Specifically, outbound leg changed from Lake Jem to Yalaha to include Buckhill Rd and Sugarloaf. The return leg was changed from Inverness to Lake Jem taking a southern jog that includes the Withalachoochee Trail, Bushnell and Center Hill.
Outbound, Indian Harbour Beach to Crystal River:
190 miles / 4253 ft of climbing
Highlights are Tropical Trail, Buckhills and Sugarloaf Mountain
Return, Crystal River to Indian Harbour Beach:
191 miles / 4157 ft of climbing
Highlights include Withalachoochee Trail from Inverness to Nobleton, the
Wall, and Tropical Trail.
 Map,
592 kb. Outbound leg is highlighted, return leg is dashed. |
 Route
detail in Sugarloaf area, 636 kb. Outbound leg is highlighted, return leg is dashed. |
 Profile
of the outbound leg, 138 kb. |
| Route Sheets: |
Florida Double-Cross route (concept2), Indian Harbour Beach-Spring Hill-Indian Harbour Beach, 383 miles / 8427 ft of climbing (339 km x 277 km = 616 km)
This route emphasizes safety and challenging terrain including Sugarloaf and the best Dade City/San Antonio/Brooksville has to offer. This is made possible only by tossing the unnecessarily restrictive and counter-productive constraint of having both legs 300 km.
The eastern half of the outbound and return is based on Reinhard's "27th Cross Florida" covering Indian Harbour Beach to Apopka. The route turns-around and overnights at the Best Western in Weeki Wachee Springs stopping 6.9 miles short of Pine Island. Eliminating the Cortez Blvd run to the coast eliminates a much needed 13.8 miles. Just one of the tough choices that need to be made hold the total distance near 600 km while maintaining safety and quality. Ambitious riders yearning for a view of the Gulf are free to ride it as an unsupported option.
Outbound, Indian Harbour Beach to Spring Hill:
210.5 miles / 5091 ft of climbing
Highlights are Tropical Trail, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the best of hilly
Dade City/San Antonio/Brooksville.
Return, Spring Hill to Indian Harbour Beach:
172.5 miles / 3336 ft of climbing
Highlights include hills north of Brooksville, CR476 and CR48 through Nobleton,
Bushnell, and Center Hill, then over the SR19 cswy of Lake Harris.
 Map,
592 kb. Outbound leg is highlighted, return leg is dashed. |
 Profile
of the outbound leg, 138 kb. |
| Route Sheets: |
Southern Routes
These routes cross the state south of Orlando
300 km Crossing (Concept A), Homosassa to Melbourne, 196 miles / 4099 ft of climbing
This route explores the concept of a state crossing to the south of Orlando. Almost half of the climbing (1812 ft) is concentrated in a 33 mile stretch from Brooksville to Zephryhills. Riders will encounter ten notable hills there.
Since it is over 300 km (186.45 miles) this route is long enough for a 300 km brevet, but probably a little too long. Some distance should be trimmed to get the distance between 187 and 190 miles. The best way to this is to adjust one or both of the termination points along the coasts.
Three alternate west coast terminations are shown for reference. The two northern alternates lengthen the course and the southern one shortens it. The east coast termination in Melbourne provides quiet county roads and scenic views of the the Indian River. One problem with this route is a 9 mile stretch of SR 520 near Cocoa.
 Map,
778 kb |
 Profile,
157 kb |
300 km Crossing (Concept B), Hernando Beach to Indian Harbour Beach, 190 miles / 3707 ft of climbing
This route is similar to the above route except the terminations have been moved to Indian Harbour Beach and Hernando Beach to reduce mileage. The climbing is slightly less with eight hills and 1450 ft of climbing concentrated in a 27 mile stretch from Powell to Zephryhills
It is just over the 186.45 miles required for a 300 km brevet. But, still suffers from the inclusion of a 9 mile stretch of SR 520 near Cocoa.
 Map,
777 kb |
 Profile,
152 kb |
| Route sheet, west to east (Excel), 33 kb |
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