Video
Trail Snapshot
Trail:
Over 15 growing miles of single track. Surfaces range from flat and rooted to steep (for Florida) and rocky.Difficulty:
A little bit of everything: beginner, intermediate and some that's deservidly expert.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.Thumbs Up and Down
Thumbs up:
Thumbs Down
I honestly can't see any constructive negatives at all with Alafia. It's not one of our favorite rides for nothing!Nuts & Bolts
Location:
Lithia, Florida - 25 miles south of TampaDirections
From the north on I-75 or the west, take I-4 east to Plant City exit and head south on SR 39 13 miles past Plant City. The main entrance is on your left.Facilities:
Trail head has picnic shelters with grills, a real restroom, information kiosk, volleyball nets, playground and a bike wash. The campground is open now and is currently more suitable for RVs than tent camping. The Reserve America system will be used for Alafia. Call 1-800-326-3521 to make reservations. If you can't reserved at the 800 number, call the Park at (813) 672-5132. Alafia also has several nice lakes available for canoeing.Activities:
Outdoor activities include: picnic areas, overnight camping area, mountain biking, hiking, equestrian, canoe and kayaking.Admission:
Vehicles with 2 to 8 people: $4.00, Single Occupant Vehicle: $3.00, Pedestrians, Bicyclists, Extra Passengers, Passengers in Vehicle with Holder of Annual Individual Entrance Permit: $1.00Camping Fees
Camping Fees - $18.00 a night, plus tax (Daily equestrian fees still apply to Equestrian campers; the daily equestrian fees are NOT included in the camping rates.Contact:
Park Office: (813) 672-5132Park Website
Maps, Links and Photos:
Maps and Links
SWAMP Club MapUseful Links
Trail Photos
Moonscape TrailBill rides a challenging turn
Technical climb - fail!
On the "Doom" portion of Moonscape
Technical bit very early
Highest spot on Doom
Same turn as before
"Smaller" drop on Doom is relative
Entering the drops on Doom
The big drop on Doom
Rolling through near the end
Technical bit towards the end
Optional high line
Fun spot!
Roller CoasterFun drop on the hard line
Taking a break
Technical optional loop
Gator BackEating it in palms
Rolling into a small drop
Tough climb with 180 at top
Hugging a fast bend
Geting a little air
Rock GardenBridge
Walking off a cramp in the jungle
Rabbit EarsHow NOT to ride Rabbit Ears
Misc. PhotosNice lake
Aligators on and near the trails are not uncommon
Mountain Biking
Alafia State Park
Lithia (near Tampa), Florida
You say Florida is flat and boring for mountain biking? You haven't been to Alafia State Park yet!
Dana Farnsworth, Outdoor Travels
How can a state that is barely above sea level seem appealing to mountain bikers? You gotta go subterranean baby! It's actually quite simple. Phosphate miners in the 1940's pushed a lot of dirt around in the area that is now Alafia State Park. To get to the phosphate, miners created huge mounds of dirt ranging in size from sizable rolling hills to dump truck sized mounds. The miners would have never guessed that they were creating a wonderful mountain biking landscape.
After the miners left, the forest took over and performed it's magic. What is left is terrain very unique to Florida. Did I mention that this unique terrain makes for some top notch mountain biking? How good are the trails at Alafia you ask? Well, consider these facts: Alafia was earmarked to be the sight of the 2012 Olympic mountain biking competition had Tampa been selected to host the games. The International Mountain Biking Association actually had a hand in designing the trails in the park, along with the members of SWAMP, the local mountain biking club. The International Mountain Bike Association wrote in their summer newsletter publication that the mountain bike trails at Alafia River SP "will be recognized as among the best in the state". In fact it was designated an IMBA Epic Ride in 2002 - an honor given to only a select few trails internationally.
The trails at Alafia have been expertly, carefully and thoughtfully designed as to offer a challenge to any level of rider from budding off-roader to full-fledged pro. The beginner level trails (Sand Pine and River Loop) offer up long and twisty rides through palmetto and pine forests. You'll find the toughest part of these trails to be the myriad of roots that can crisscross the trail like railroad ties.
Intermediate level trails like Bridges and Rock Garden are generally found to be more challenging than other intermediate trails that you may be accustomed to riding. One visiting rider remarked: "The drops and climbs on the advanced trails are larger and there are more of them, but the intermediate trails have their share of tough technical sections. I think the biggest difference is the intermediate trails seem to give the rider the option of riding through or around the tough stuff."
The tough stuff starts at Roller Coaster. A single black diamond designation indicates that it is the "easiest" of the advanced trails here. But don't let that fool you. Roller Coaster is a fine example of what "flow" means in terms of mountain biking. It's a smooth running trail with at least two or three steep decents to keep things interesting. Stepping up a notch to double black diamond trails, you have the very technical Moonscape and the challenging Gator Back. Moonscape is a "longish" trail that has many tight maneuvers, freakish high ridge trails, big drops and plenty of obstructions. Gator Back is a challenging trail with a couple technical climbs, steep outs, and several areas that require an insane amount of inertia to scale.
With great new facilities and miles of well marked trail choices from mild to wild, you won't go wrong choosing Alafia State Park. In fact, I'm sure that once you visit, you'll come back for more!
Note: The trails are marked with traditional ski marks: Black diamond for expert, blue squares for intermediate and green circles for beginner.
Trail Descriptions
Roller Coaster
Difficulty Rating: Single Black Diamond (Advanced)
With over 2 miles of rolling, challenging and most of all fun flowing singletrack, Roller Coaster is truly a signature trail for Alafia. Possessing what just might be some of the best flow of any trail anywhere, Roller Coaster serves up exciting inertia drops, tight ridge lines, rotted track and more. Roller Coaster is sort of divided in two parts with a small clearing in the middle that is perfect for taking a quick break or waiting on your buddies that you just smoked! The second half of Roller Coaster (after the clearing) was redesigned in 2008 and features short inertia climbs and drops, tight turns and a lot of fun. Overall Roller Coaster is a great trail for budding advanced riders to cut their trail teeth as well as experienced riders to bomb through.
Moonscape
Difficulty Rating: Double Black Diamond (Even more Advanced)
Moonscape is a technical salad of trail that has a little bit of everything thrown in. There is no mistaking that you are on a challenging trail, as Moonscape immediately begins with a tough little dig, followed by a roll into a tough short technical climb and with a 90 degree turn at the top into a hair raising little drop in. Welcome to Moonscape. I'm not sure of the exact distance of Moonscape, but I would say it's near or over 3 miles in length. Along those miles, you'll find ridge lines, rocky drop ins, tough technical climbs and more! An option right hand turn will take you into the hyper aggressive "Doom" section. I believe this is an unofficial name, but nonetheless, it is aptly named. Doom features technical swoopy lines with a rocky approach to two hair raising drop options. Known as "going big" a 90 degree left hand drop in down a steep drop will ruin your day in a hurry if you blow the approach. Doom also features what is arguably one of the toughest technical climbs at Alafia. But wait, it's not over yet! There's still several tough sections left with a signature stepped 180 downhill hairpin near the end. Strap it on! This is MOONSCAPE!
Gator Back
Difficulty Rating: Double Black Diamond (Even more Advanced)
The Bad News
Gator Back has been one of the most volatile trails in Alafia's history. Once upon a time Gator Back was a swooping, drop laden, hair raising inertia-fest that took a fair amount of skill, luck and guts to clean. Unfortunately, as insane as the trail was, it was built in a manner that was not easily sustainable. Because of that, Gator Back was infamous for being closed the majority of the time. Anyone who had the pleasure of riding Gator Back prior to 2007 will attest to the sheer thrill of that technical ride.
The Good News
A thoughtful reroute and redesign of Gator Back in 2007 has given it new life, and a different sustainable character entirely. Gone is the "bomb down this hill if your balls are big enough" replaced with "I bet you can't get enough momentum to clean this technical climb". Although the old Gator Back may have been more thrilling, the new face of Gator Back is still very challenging in a "climby" sort of way. Gator Back still sends one challenge after another at you and still remains one of the more challenging trails around.
North Creek and "Poop Loop"
Difficulty Rating: Blue Circle (Intermediate)
With around three solid miles of flowing fun, North Creek just might be the perfect "go fast and have fun trail" at Alafia. North Creek was very thoughtfully designed and built. A friend of mine probably best described this trail as "it keeps you busy". Beginners will find this trail VERY challenging while intermediate and advanced riders will begin pushing the speed envelope to get the full effect of this trail. There is a small drop at the beginning, followed by rolling track that is accented with technical rooted sections, rocky rollers and a couple small climbs. The second half of North Creek is more tight and technical and requires more skill to go fast than the previous half. Also along the second half is the optional dubiously nicked named loop trail: Poop Loop.
Poop Loop
Difficulty Rating: Blue Circle+ to Single Black Diamond (Hard Intermediate to Advanced)
Poop Loop is an optional loop trail built near the end of North Creek. Poop Loop was ominously nicknamed due to the omnipresent amount of putrescent smelling buzzard feces that coated the trail like vigorously splattered paint. The odor was so foul (no pun intended) that I've almost wretched my breakfast on a couple of occasions. Thankfully, the buzzards have relented and moved on for now leaving a wonderfully technical little loop that is not made more challenging by burning lungs or tears welling up in your eyes. Poop Loop features a tight ridge line, a 180 turn that could result in a rider being dunked in the swamp, a log crossing, tight technical sections and more.
Bridges
Difficulty Rating: Blue Circle (Intermediate)
Bridges is a bit confusing in that it refers to two non-contiguous trails that are connected by a short piece of double track. The first part of Bridges (as you ride from the parking lot) features a short optional advanced rated loop. The loop isn't long, but with a swooping drop, a technical climb and a ridge line whoopdee doo, it's not a walk in the park. The first part of bridges is pretty much an easy swooping turn that descends slight and then climbs up to the optional loop. After the optional loop, things get a bit more interesting with a little drop into a ridge line ascent, followed by a couple of fun whoopdee doos. Towards the very end, there is a hill that requires a fair amount of run up speed to make it to the top. After that a manageable drop takes you to the connecting double track. From there, you can go straight into Rock Garden or turn left and look for the sign on the left side of the double track for the continuation of Bridges.
Bridges Part II
Difficulty Rating: Blue Circle+ to Single Black Diamond (Hard Intermediate to Advanced)
The second portion of Bridges is more technical and demanding than the first. Think of it as "intermediate plus". There are several tight technical spots, a couple sharp but short inertia drops and a tough little technical climb. Towards the end, there are a series of fun and challenging whoopdee doos that require a "no breaks, go fast" entry to make it to the other side.
Rock Garden
Difficulty Rating: Blue Circle (Intermediate)
Rock Garden may be one of the more technically challenging intermediate trails at Alafia. Mostly due to the fact that it always seem to change and become more difficult. There are no death defying drops or really anything that you could be described as thrilling. What makes Root Garden, I mean Rock Garden so difficult, you ask? Well, it's the roots. There are tons of the slippery tree veins all over the place. In tight turns, on the exit of a small whoopdee doo, at a creek crossing, hell, they are everywhere. Rock Garden can be divided in two parts. The first part is a twisty challenging and technical section. My favorite thing to do is try to ride it without dabbing (putting a foot down) or using my brakes. Once you come to a smaller clearing after a technical little drop, you'll have the option of continuing on Rock Garden in a part I personal refer to as Apocalypse Now, or cutting across a short section of horse trail to the second half of Bridges. Continuing on Apocalypse Now (the second section of Rock Garden) you'll find a couple miles of oh so gradual uphill grade filled with even more roots. Its a great place to stretch out your legs and see how fast you can ride this section. The faster you go, the more challenging it is!
Frank's Loop
Difficulty Rating: Double Black Diamond (Even more Advanced)
Franks Loop is an optional loop located off of the beginning of Rock Garden. For it's lack of distance, Frank's will spank the living crap out of you if you are not careful! An immediate rolling drop in takes you to a tough technical climb, followed by another tough climb and then a hair raising technical ridge descent and inertia ascent. Frank's not done with you yet! What follows is probably the signature feature of the loop - a 180 descending switchback that will eagerly send you flying into the green swamp of hell if you miscalculate or choke.
Sand Pine
Difficulty Rating: Green Circle (Beginner)
Sand Pine offers up about two miles of twist mostly-flat single track. Along with some pretty Florida slash pine scenery, you'll find some tight tree slalom sections and a trail that becomes more and more interesting the faster you ride it. I've seen advanced riders run into trees and overcook turns and end up in the palmettos. Sand Pine, along with most of the trails at Alafia are perhaps a little harder than similar rated trails elsewhere. All in all, Sand Pine is a great trail for families, beginners, and speed junkies.
River Loop
Difficulty Rating: Green Circle (Beginner)
The other beginner trail along with Sand Pine, River loop offers up almost three miles of rooted shaded single track. Although both Sand Pine and River Loop are beginner trails, they couldn't be more different. River Loop is a bit longer, more remote, more rooted and more shaded. Of note, River Loop is the farthest trail from the parking lot. The ability to change a tube or repair your own bike can keep you from a long hike a bike back.
