I am a River Hills resident and moved here five years ago just for mountain biking at Alafia Park. It is one of the best mountain bike parks in the country! You might be wondering how there is mountain biking in Florida without the mountains. 

Yes you heard right! Not only does Florida have mountain biking, but it has some of the best trails in the country! And the best part is you can mountain bike Florida all year round. In fact, Alafia River State Park is open 365 days a year (even holidays!).

Alafia River State Park is known for its frequent changes in elevation, punchy hills, huge wood berms, smooth trails, techy trails, steep, fast descents, and jumps and drops of all sizes. Alafia has over 17 miles of mountain bike trails ranging from mild two-tracks to expert double blacks. There is also a full-time trail boss to maintain and improve Alafia's mountain bike trails to keep them running fast and fun. 

Alafia Park is a rare jewel because it was once a phosphate mine in the early to mid-1900s. Excavators dug deep trenches and stacked the dirt into tall steep jagged hills. When the phosphate mine closed, they had two choices: reclaim the land and turn it back to an ecologically usable safe land or donate it to the government as is. The old mine was transformed into a mountain bike park covered in green tropical vegetation and inhabited by animals galore. It is hard not to spot a deer on any given day. You can also see many tortoises, turtles, alligators, snakes, armadillos, rabbits and more.

As a state park volunteer, member of the Alafia Trail Crew, and a certified mountain bike coach and trail guide, I highly encourage members of our community to come check out Alafia River State Park. They can bring their own mountain bike or rent one at the park from UBC. For first-time bikers, I recommend a guided tour where a trail guide will prevent you from getting lost or stranded on a difficult trail and are available to give you heads-up about what lies ahead. 

Visit these sites for more information and to help you plan your trip to Alafia. There's an adventure waiting for you!