Legacy Trail and Venetian Waterway Park - A Top Florida Bike Ride, Sarasota to Venice, Florida

The connected Legacy and Venetian Waterway Park Trails are paved, well-maintained trails from Sarasota, through Venice, Florida, to the Gulf of Mexico. There is something to satisfy everyone - parks, beach, river and gulf, waterway, forest, wildlife, and history. Biker, runners, joggers, and rollerbladers can all be found here. Food, shops, and lodging are nearby.

The Legacy Trail starts in south Sarasota and runs 11 miles through Oscar Scherer State Park to Historic Venice Train Station in Venice, Florida. Here, it connects with the Venetian Waterway Park Trail which is a total of 10 miles - 5 miles on each side of the Intracoastal Waterway.

LEGACY TRAIL

The Legacy Trail has varied scenery including forest, field and marsh, and scenic waterways. The trail maintains a rural feel, even when running past subdivisions or businesses. There are several road crossings (in one section, the trail runs 6 miles without crossing a road), the overpass at US 41 is a bonus to avoid crossing this very busy road.

Along the Legacy Trail are trailheads with parking and facilities, access points without amenities, and rest stations located about every mile. The main trailheads and access points are:

Palmer Ranch Parkway at McIntosh Road is the northernmost trailhead, with parking but no restrooms.
Potter Park on Central Sarasota Parkway provides trail parking; the Legacy Trail is a ¾ mile ride along Stoneybrook Nature Trail.
Bay Street Park provides parking, one mile from the trail..
Oscar Scherer State Park is a trailhead with parking, water, and restrooms. The 1,400 acre park also has camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing, playground and kayaking/canoeing, with about 15 miles of marked hiking and biking trails.
Laurel Park trailhead has parking, restrooms, playground, fitness trail, tennis and basketball courts, and picnic area.
Nokomis Community Park trailhead provides parking, restrooms, picnic, playground, tennis/volleyball/basketball, kayak launch, fishing pier.
Patriot's Park trailhead features parking, restrooms, picnic area.
At the Venice Train Depot is a trailhead with parking, restrooms, boat ramp, and a museum in the Depot.
VENETIAN WATERWAY TRAIL

Starting at the Venice Avenue Bridge near the Historic Venice Train Depot, the Venetian Waterway Trail runs on both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway. On the west side it goes to Caspersen Beach (one of the most natural beaches remaining in Florida), and on the east side to Shamrock Park and Nature Center. There is little shade but rest areas are provided, and there are several small parks and parking areas along the way. There are no road crossings along the Waterway Park, rather the trail runs under the bridges that cross the Intracoastal Waterway.

In addition to the Venice Train Depot, the main trailheads and access are:

Shamrock Park and Nature Center has parking, water, restrooms, playground, picnic pavilions, playing fields, walking and biking trails, butterfly garden, and environmental programs.
Caspersen Beach Park has parking, a boardwalk, dune walkovers, picnicking, playground, nature trails, canoe/kayak launch, and fishing.
Airport Road parking.
Venice Area Beautification Headquarters parking.
Biking on the Legacy Trail and Venetian Waterway Trail is a pleasurable way to spend a day enjoying Florida sun, scenery, outdoors, and recreation.

For a listing of top Florida bike trails visit www.BikeFlorida.net. Here the Legacy Trail and Venetian Waterway Trail are featured as a "Top 10 Trail" with detailed maps, photos, recommendations on the best trail sections to ride, and more.