Review Date
November 4, 2008

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Reviewed by: Runfox ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
My son and I have just started riding cross country, this is the first place we have been and is still our favorite. The trails are marked so well, it's a nice ride with a few bumps, stumps, drops and a few hair pin turns. Just enough difficulty to make it fun and interesting. Takes about an hour to ride the whole trail. You hit a few sugar sand pits, by the radio tower, but that's a good spot to stop and drink anyway.It is worth the ride for the view from the bluffs of Spruce Creek. My wife enjoys walking the dogs on the straight horse/hiking trails. It has something for everyone.Cant say enough good things about how well the Spruce Creek Mnt Bike club does at keeping the trails clear and well marked.I wish all trails were this well maintained.

Recommended Route:
Start at the sign, take a printed map with you if you like. Ride out to the point overlook, follow the blue markers, then continue all the way left past the radio tower, around the whole trail. If your just starting out and get tiered, cross over to the yellow trail to ride back to the start.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
We rode on Chuck Lennon park in Deleon springs today to try it out, it is very challenging, trail is not marked very well, but it was fun. Still like Spruce Creek the best.

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Review Date
September 13, 2008

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: mark d. ,  Racer

Summary:
I've visited new Smyrna beach for the last 10 years and could kick myself for not giving this trail a ride years ago.This year,after reading a relatively current review,I decided I would pack up the cannondale rush and pay this trail a visit while I was down.

This trail is pretty typical Florida single track.Tight and twisty for the most part,palmettos slapping you in the face and sand really deep in some spots.The faster you try and ride it the funner/harder it is.Really beginner friendly but also fun for even the most advanced rider.The faster it's ridden the more difficult it can be.

Would like to send out a great big thank you to everyone involved in maintaining this place.You can tell a ton of work goes into the upkeep. The best thing about the trail was how well it was marked.Nothing better than not being familiar with a trail and being able to ride it as a first timer and feeling completely comfortable finding your way around. the place.Will positively be back for sure.

Mark D.
www.sorbaomba.org

Recommended Route:
Follow the blue trail/arrows and you can't go wrong.Really nice overlook about 2 miles in so make sure to take a camera along.Very scenic.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Not sure of any other trails in the immediate area but would recommend both Hannah park in Jacksonville and Santos in Ocala Fl.

Review Date
June 28, 2008

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Reviewed by: jdmd09 ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
The trail is getting nicer and being better maintained mainly by the Spruce Creek Mountain Bike Assoc. I called them today to see about rumors that houses were going up soon that my intrude on the trails. They told me as of now those plans were o hold. They also said they were getting some clay to pack down in the real sandy areas that get bad during thr dry spells.

Review Date
February 21, 2008

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: Christopher_CK ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
The Spruce Creek Mountain Bike Association has done an AWESOME job keeping the trail up. Recently some whips and a stunts have been added that make the 6.5 mile loop a bit more ineresting. The first part of the trail can get very soft when it's dry out, but the sugar sand gets your heart rate up like nothing else.

Some of the trails have been re-routed to save from destruction, but the new routes are actually better (and less sandy). The singletrack can get tight at times while splitting trees and there are several tight turns and a couple good switchbacks.

The trail has some elevation changes (for beachside Florida), a lot of roots, and has fast/flowing parts. The only thing it lacks is some good downhill or jumps. It is fairly technical but can be handled by a novice rider.

Recommended Route:
Follow the clearly marked blue arrows placed throughout the trail.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Snow Hill in Orlando/Oviedo... Graham Swamp in Flagler Beach

Review Date
July 30, 2006

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a year

Reviewed by: jx0shawn ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
What a change the times has brought out there!!!

I used to ride these trails about 3-4 times a week back in the early to mid 90's. It's was greuling, technical and... if you didn't have someone to show you around the first few times, downright disorienting! I've ridden many trails in the state and found this one to be the best trails for skills and strength building. We often had to ride on the fire trails to get from one single track to another. If you didn't keep the pace up the sugar sand would suck you right in. There used to be steep sections with some 2-3 foot drops and angled side trails with roots strewn across occasionally requiring a "get off" at times. The woods were dense, and the deerflies and bannana spiders about as dense too. Ahh... the memiories...

Back to my opening line...
Times have changed mostly for the better. Although some of the most technical stuff has been eliminated (even challenging for the most experienced riders) there's still enough out there to have some fun on. The trails are marked now too!! (Good job to the folks who did this!)
From start to finish you can essentially stay on tight, twisty single track. Big plus there.
I have ridden there at least once a year for the last 7-8 years sometimes a few times more. The devastation the hurricanes brought out there is amazing! Although the trails still wind around through some of these sections (along the overlook where the swing used to be) it's eerie (for me, at least) to see the sky and remaining devastaion.

This trail can still get the heart pumping. I've been out there 2 times this week and will go back this afternoon for a third. About mid way I have to take a rest to catch my breath. Boy am I out of shape! You can take it easy if you want and still get a good workout, but I guess the old racer in me is still around and I like to push it.

I'm on a FS bike but have ridden that trail when it was much tougher on a rigid, and hardtail so it's not any worse if that's what you got now. The FS bikes are a little more plush but generally weigh more. Depends on your perference.

On a side note: not sure what's going to happen to this trails future. It seems ICW may be buying this property from the county and builing homes out there. It's a shame that such a nice natural preserve that's been carefully groomed and maintained will go to waste.