Video
Trail Snapshot
Trail:
A combined 20+ and growing miles of beginner, solid intermediate and advanced riding are available for mountain bikers.Difficulty:
A little bit of everything: beginner, intermediate and advanced.Outdoor Travels Rating:
4.25 bikes out of 5 - Solitude, scenery and really nice trails for any rider.Thumbs Up
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Nuts & Bolts
Location:
Near Wimauma, FloridaDirections:
From I-75, take the CR-672/Big Bend Road exit 47. Head east on Big Bend Road to Balm Riverview Road. Take a right onto Balm Riverview and continue to Balm Boyette Road. Turn left onto Balm Boyette Road. The park is approximately 1-2 miles on your right.Facilities:
Porta-potty at entrance and nothing else.Activities:
Mountain biking and hiking.Admission:
NoneContact:
South West Association of Mountain Bike Peddlers www.swampclub.org or Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department: 813-975-2160Maps and Stuff:
SWAMP Club Map does not show new trails near AbyssUseful Links
Trail Photos
CanyonA cool switchback
Loch Ness
Signage marking Upper Loch Ness
Riding Upper Loch Ness
Riding Upper Loch Ness
Abyss
Climbing out of Abyss
Rocky part of Abyss
Last drop on Abyss
Riding along Abyss
A climb on Abyss
Whoopdee Doos on Abyss
Near the end
West Meadow
Pretty scenery
Riding through pretty scenery
SST
Riding Red Shirt
Pretty scenery
Vista Ridge
Riding along the "ridge"
Red Shirt
Pretty scenery
Golf Cart
Flowy and green
Gator Pit
At the top
Mt. Boyette
Going up the "Mountain"
East Meadow
Nice XC singletrack
More singletrack
Misc Photos
Pretty Lake
Riding toward Woods Trail
a small dip on one of the intermediate trails
Mountain Biking
Balm Boyette Scrub Preserve
South of Brandon, (Tampa area), Florida
Solitude with a maze of growing,diverse and enjoyable single track!Dana Farnsworth, Outdoor Travels
Balm Boyette Scrub Preserve is growing up and no longer lives in the shadow of its neighbor Alafia State Park.
After riding Balm Boyette off and on for several of years now, I can tell you that although this network is spread out, there is something for every rider.
Boyette does itself no favors with its location. Once a phosphate mine, the area is somewhat hidden from any major road and can be hard to find. My first attempt ended in mad frustration when the directions in my guide book were incorrect!
What are you missing if you haven't ridden Boyette before? Well, first there is the 12+ continuous mile Red Shirt Trail. Almost a separate entity from the rest of Boyette, this loop offers up a long and winding, uninterrupted stretch of oak and pine shaded single track that one can really stretch their legs on. As the trail winds back on itself over and over again, it's easy to fall into a hypnotic-like trance.
Boyette also features some of the best cross country type riding around. Miles of unobstructed single track weaves its way along the edges of lakes, through pretty and unique prarie-type fields (which are better explored in the non-summer months), and forested canopy with brilliant green ferns lining the trail. There are a couple of short climbs here and there as well as some nice intermediate level challenges.
Then there is the growing number of really great Intermediate Plus to Advanced trails. Abyss and Pandemonium serve up just about anything a rider would want with the exception of freeriding or exceptionally extreme advanced. Ridgeline offers up big drops on a smooth rolling trail that is really an amazing engineering feet of trail building!
The members of SWAMP (the local bike club) are the care takers of Boyette and they have to be a proud bunch. While other area trail networks get a lot of attention (Alafia and Carter Road), Boyette's trail crew have worked hard to fix a lot of the early ills (muddy roads and washed out bridges) and have created a unique and fun place for all riders to enjoy.
With all good things can come some bad. If there is a downside to Boyette, it may well be the 2-mile single/double track ride to get to what seems like, the actual trailhead. When you arrive at the current parking lot, you must ride around a fence. After that, 2-miles of riding double track is required to get to the bulk of the single track. There is a short single track trail (SST) to the immediate left after entering that bypasses about half the double track.
At the end of the road, there is a kiosk with a map and information. It certainly seems like a much more sensible trailhead.
Currently, navigation still requires a good map. Unfortunately, SWAMP keeps the most current maps exclusive to their members. Even then, you may get briefly lost. But don't let that deter you. A good sense of adventure as well as direction can go a long way here.
Trails
SST
Difficulty Rating: BeginnerTwisty, flowing flat singletrack that thankfully bypasses a mile of the first two miles of doubletrack. The scenery here is really pretty for Florida.
Loch Ness
Difficulty Rating: BeginnerTIght winding track through pine trees. There is some nice rolling character to this little trail that makes it fun!
Spider Berm
Difficulty Rating: BeginnerFast hard packed single track along the upper ridge of a pond.
Golf Cart
Difficulty Rating: BeginnerLong flowing trail that allows a rider to really stretch their legs and hammer. Pretty scenery along with varried terrain make this a must ride at Boyette.
Mt. Boyette
Difficulty Rating: BeginnerMore of a connector trail than anything else, the mountain is a small rise up to the top of the levee.
Abyss
Difficulty Rating: AdvancedThis long trail has a little of everything. Tight rocky passes, swoopy trail, whoopdee doos, a couple of tough climbs as well as a few drops are all highlights of this roughly three mile long loop trail. GO for two laps!
Pandemonium
Difficulty Rating: Intermediate-AdvancedSeveral thrilling whoopdee doos with steep drop-ins as well as tight singletrack make this trail notable.
Ridgeline (Poobah's Playground)
Difficulty Rating: AdvancedSmooth rolling trail of around 2 miles takes you on a roller coaster ride of short, steepish drops, a few short climbs and a switchback or two.
Swamp Thing
Difficulty Rating: IntermediateA typical Balm Boyette trail. A few root crossings and some smooth riding trail.
Gary's Loop
Difficulty Rating: Intermediate-AdvancedA short trail featuring a small drop and a nice switchback.
Canyon
Difficulty Rating: IntermediateA flowing smooth trail section that is carved out of the side of a dirt wall. Features include a nice switchback.
Sidewinder
Difficulty Rating: IntermediateA flowing smooth trail that lives up to its name.
Woods Trail
Difficulty Rating: EasyA very pretty (by Florida standards) trail that winds through slash pines. A great connector from the trails farthest from the trailhead back to the central trails near the entry doubletrack.
East Meadow
Difficulty Rating: EasyWith no shde, this trail gets quite hot in summer. The riding is definately easy XC, which is a great thing. The meadow scenery is pretty.
Red Shirt
Difficulty Rating: EasyMiles and miles and miles and miles of twisty and twisty and twisty flowing canopied singletrack.
Palmetto
Difficulty Rating: EasyA fun little connector that is true to it's name. Palmetto palms are all around.
Vista Ridge
Difficulty Rating: EasyRunning along the ridge of a pond, this hard packed trail serves up great views of the meadow below.
Inner Loch Ness
Difficulty Rating: EasyA little elevation changes and pretty meadow scenery take a rider out to Baby Nessie.
Baby Nessie
Difficulty Rating: IntermediateA little section of fun singletrack that features a couple small rollers and a nice little 180 degree turn that ascends slightly. This wooded trail is easy to miss so keep a close eye out.
Upper Loch Ness
Difficulty Rating: IntermediateMostly a giant bench cut, this slightly technical trail is pretty intersting to ride as well as look at. With a wall of dirt on one side of you and water or a small drop off into water on the other, it can be a little challenging. There is also a few surprises, like the technical short climb after turning a corner.
