The Jacksonville-Baldwin Trail begins at the Imeson Road trailhead, about 5 miles west of Jacksonville and ends at the Brady Branch Road trailhead, about 3 miles past the town of Baldwin. Built on an old CSX rail corridor, the trail is fully paved in 12 foot wide asphalt for its 14.5 miles. Officially a Jacksonville City Park, the Jacksonville-Baldwin Trail was one of the first paved rail-trails in Florida. In recent years, the Florida trail system has grown rapidly and with the addition of several bike trails in excess of 20 miles in length, the 14.5 mile Jacksonville-Baldwin Trail is no longer considered a "long" bike trail by Florida standards. However, thanks to superb maintenance by the City of Jacksonville and an active volunteer trail organization, it is still one of the smoothest and best-kept bike trails in the State. Because of the smooth surface and the fact that there are few true road crossing, the trail is popular with both slower recreational bikers and faster road bike cyclers, who are looking for a safe place to train without vehicle traffic. Riders pass numerous "vehicle crossing" signs along the trail, but the vast majority of these signs are for forestry service roads that are chained off, overgrown, and rarely used. There are 3 official trailheads: • Imeson Road Trailhead - From I-295, take Exit 9 and go west on Commonwealth Avenue. Go about 1 mile to Imeson Road. Turn right (north) on Imeson Road and continue to the trailhead on your left. • Baldwin Trailhead (at Baldwin City Park) - From I-10 heading west from Jacksonville, take exit 343 (US 301). Go north (to Baldwin) on US 301 about one mile to US 90. Turn right (east) on US 90 and go about 4 blocks to Center Street. Turn left (north) on Center Street. Go to the end of Center Street. The City Park and trailhead are on the left. • Brandy Branch Trailhead - From I-10 heading west from Jacksonville, take exit 343 (US 301). Go north (to Baldwin) on US 301 about one mile to US 90. Turn left (west) on US 90 and go about 2 miles to SR 121 (Brandy Branch Road). Turn right (north) and continue to the trailhead on your right. These official trailheads offer parking, water fountains, but sadly no modern restroom facilities, only portable toilets. While not an official trailhead, many bikers now park at Camp Milton State Park. The bike trail forms the north boundary of the State Park. The State Park features new and modern restroom facilities, which are conveniently located adjacent to the bike trail. Camp Milton State Park is located off of Halsema Road, 1.7 miles north of US 90, about half-way between the Imeson Road and Baldwin trailheads. There is no entrance fee to the State Park and a short, paved path leads from the parking lot to the bike trail. A Confederate Army camp during the Civil War, Camp Milton makes for an interesting side-trip. It is also a pleasant place to start and end your ride, as this is one of the shadiest, tree-lined sections of the bike trail. While close to Jacksonville, the trail is largely quiet and rural. The first 3 miles from Imeson Road pass through a suburban area, but the rest of the trail is mostly bordered by pine forest and pastureland. Riders should bring lots of water and other supplies, as there are no stores or restaurants along the trail. This is Florida, so sunscreen is also recommended. A pleasant tree canopy provides cover for long stretches of the trail, but plenty of sunlight still manages to filter through. If you are looking for a peaceful and relaxing bike ride, with fresh air, lots of trees, and the sound of song birds, then the Jacksonville-Baldwin Trail is for you.
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The Jacksonville-Baldwin Trail begins at the Imeson Road trailhead, about 5 miles west of Jacksonville and ends at the Brady Branch Road trailhead, about 3 miles past the town of Baldwin. Built on an old CSX rail corridor, the trail is fully paved in 12 foot wide asphalt for its 14.5 miles.
For more information on the Jacksonville-Baldwin Trail, including photos and recommendations on the best trail sections to ride, check out www.BikeFlorida.net, a website for recreational bikers who love the Florida outdoors.
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