SOLID 5 STARS! I live near the corner of Tyrone Blvd N and Park St. and have marveled at the Pinellas Trail overpass for the busy intersection. When I learned that the Trail is 28 miles long it blew me away. The commitment to build and maintain this fantastic walk/run/bike trail is stupendous! I have only been on a small section of the trail, but that's enough to be really impressed not only by the trail, but also by the friendliness of the people using it. read more

Wow, what a beautiful trail! Oh, wait...not so fast... Alot of people on e-bikes are using this for a road! Like, they need law enforcement. I took my kid there yesterday around noon, so he could get a distance run in with less traffic. He's an experienced runner but did not enjoy! I assume the trail was created for dog / walkers, runners and pedal bikers. We did see a few dog / walkers and many pedal bikers which were no issue. We saw at least 30 e-bikes, with a decent portion of them driving way too fast. It's not a trail when motorized vehicles are allowed, it's a road. Only in Florida! Won't be back. read more

Let me start out saying just the fact that this trail exist says a lot about the area's commitment to providing the community with another outdoorsy venue to enjoy in a variety of ways. To find this type of path in an urban environment is pretty amazing, of course there are aspects of this trail that leaves a little to be desired but those that complain about the shortfalls need to appreciate the investment even with its imperfections. I'm impressed with the number of over-passes over the busier intersections and the vast bridges that span the sections of water along the trail, yes it's true the trail crosses less busy roads and you need to pay attention but most of those have flashing lights and give the pedestrians and bicyclists the right a way over the vehicular traffic. I rode about 28 miles of the trail counting doubling back to my starting point, the pavement and grassy easements are pretty well maintained, there was a mowing crew out along one of the sections I rode showing the commitment to make the experience as good as it can be. I did ride across sections that were absent of shade but I also experienced beautiful water crossings and plenty of opportunity to stop and take a break in the shade. This is definitely an urban trail so take that into consideration when you plan your day - some offer up tips on places to snack and eat and that's a plus but personally I used this trail more as an escape so I carried my own refreshments and snacks. I encountered quite a number of people during my ride and found everyone was respectful when there were interactions. I also noticed that there was practically no litter showing the respect people have for the environment or maybe showing the efficiency of the crew tasked with caring for the trail, but I hope its more about people respecting the environment. I find it very difficult to publish negative information on a space that allows anyone to get out and enjoying our beautiful state without paying a fee - it's not perfect, but it does exist so if you're able to explore it and are able to accept it for what it is consider yourself the lucky one... read more

See all

Years ago when visiting we used this trail - it was so long ago I think we actually rollerbladed on it! This time we rented some bikes in Tarpon Springs ad with some local friends we road south to just past Dunedin and back - almost 28 miles. We have ridden many rails-to-trails in the US and this is a great trail especially in an urban area. It can get congested in places like around Dunedin and I can image on weekends it could get crazy. The fact that this goes from St. Pete to well past Tarpon Springs is amazing. We were impressed that so many drivers actually stopped for the bikes on the smaller side streets that the path crossed. It felt like it was a valued resource to the neighborhoods. What a gem! read more

Great, scenic, wide trail meant for biking, walking, blading...I only walked about a mile north of Wall Springs park and back, so didn't see much of it. Unfortunately some of the more enthusiastic cyclists are a little possessive about this trail. There are sections that separate the walkers from the bikers, but when you're not separated, some cyclists get really close to you. I crossed the trail at one point for a bit due to all the bike traffic on the same side, and literally got screamed at by a cyclist for being on the wrong side, lol. Looks like a decent path for rollerblading. read more

What a gem. This walking, jogging, biking trail runs for miles through st Petersburg all the way to tarpon springs. It is safe and well maintained. There are numerous overpasses on the trail crossing over the bay as well as major roads. These can be a pretty good incline but easy to manage in low speed on the bike and coming down the other side is a blast. You can access neighborhoods, shopping churches etc. from the trail. Occassionly there is a port a can on the trail. It is well used and folks along the path are friendly. read more

See all

Great rails to trails biking, hiking, skating trail. Runs from downtown St Pete to north of Tarpon Springs. Paved, wide with signage to announce entering different towns. Mostly shaded, very flat (except pedestrian bridges over main roads). You will see wildlife from turtles, tortoise, sand hill cranes and more. Side trips available, such as Hammock Oaks in Dunedin, Various parks in Largo, Seminole, etc or picnic areas in Tarpon Springs. More picturesque north of downtown St Pete. Lots of opportunities to refuel on grub or water from Ferg's on Central Av St Pete to Tarpon Tavern in Tarpon Springs. Bike stands and tools situated along trail, as well as multiple bike shops in different towns. An all around great free trail. Love it read more

See all

PROS: there aren't places to ride in St Pete's without fearing for your life. The drivers here are NOT friendly to bicyclists. This is a lovely trail, it's really neat to ride behind the city and neighborhoods. Lots of pretty trees and other vegetation. Nice to feel like I can just ride and not have to worry about so much traffic. CONS: if you are a serious cyclist, this is not the trail for you. The fist 10 miles you have to stop for traffic every .5-.75 miles. And, if you do not stop and observe traffic from ALL directions, you risk getting murdered. Flashing lights in stop walks mean nothing to these people. BE CAREFUL out there. read more

It is possible to bike, walk or jog safely from downtown St. Pete all the way up to Tarpon Springs via The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail, and for that it gets 5 stars alone. The trail connects many city and state parks as well as cities along this now defunct railroad line. I think it was brilliant foresight by Pinellas County back in the late 80's because the trails popularity increases annually. I've read all the reviews on here, and yes this trail rolls thru many urban areas, so it does cross many intersections. Be mindful of the traffic, and you'll be alright. Though I will say, residents along the trail are very aware of it, and I find the drivers to be aware and extremely courtesy to folks crossing busy streets. I think there are a lot of redeeming qualities about the trail, but my favorite has to be the bar stops. There are a ton of watering holes along the trail that put signs in their back yards to entice trail users to come in and grab a cold one, and it works. When La Chica and I get to the terminus of our ride, there is almost always a cold beer waiting for us out there. Hell, some places even offer helmet discounts! I absolutely love this trail, and living 4 streets to the east of it makes me a new frequent trail blazer. Hopefully soon we will build up our endurance and make it all the way down to Vinoy. read more

See all

So glad we heard about this nearly 50 mile, asphalt trail. We rode nearly 20 miles each way from Dunedin (we found a parking area at this end by checking out WAZE, but there is also a nearby supermarket that some folks park near) to Tarpon Springs and appreciated the overhanging, shady trees draped with Spanish moss, the open spaces, the division in the trail for walkers vs. bike riders, and the surprise find, right next to the trail (and you can certainly hear the apes and orangutans barking!) of a primate rescue center just south of Tarpon Springs. There are bathrooms at the trailside butterfly farm north of Dunedin, water fountains in numerous places, and even a place to put air in your tires. read more

See all

We entered the trail by the train tracks and KOA park via bike. This particular leg of trail was busy with bike and foot traffic for our entire trek. We didn't get to go the direction over the bridge, but I'd recommend that section because of the views. read more

We usually got on this trail at or near Tarpon Springs and then rode to Dunedin, because we included it as part of our visits to a friend in New Port Ritchie. Not so much now, as the friend moved to our area. We enjoyed that section of the paved trail for its variety of scenery, and we would have lunch in Dunedin, usually at the Irish Pub restaurant. We would go past a gorilla sanctuary, which was sort of neat. Depending on where you get on the trail, parking can be tricky, so research a little ahead. And be a little careful in the Tarpon Springs area, as there are some busy streets you will cross without the benefit of traffic calming. read more

I've only taken this trail From Tarpon Springs to Dunedin. There are many places along the way To stop for some eatin'! The trail is well maintained And even has stations with water. Sometimes I think to myself "Could it get any hotter?!" Some riders you'll see out there, Think they're training for Tour De France. They'll come up on you so fast, You just might crap your pants! The trail is almost 40 miles long With extensions planned to make it longer. One day I hope to ride it end to end. I'll need to work to make my legs stronger! read more

Fred E Marquis Pinellas Trail - Water station at NE corner of Curlew and Alt 19. - Parks Near Me - Largo, Florida

I love this trail! I've only biked and walked it in Dunedin, but it spans up and down Pinellas County. If you're driving to it, you can access it at Weaver Park. This is nice, because you can use the public restroom and refill your water bottle if needed before you go. I like to go south from Weaver Park, because there's so many cool places to see in downtown Dunedin. Plus there are a couple murals now. If you're hungry or thirsty, there are a ton of options: - 9th bar espresso - Cueni Brewing - Eli's BBQ - Everything in downtown Dunedin - Express Cafe - PhoEdin - Bauser's bar - Home Plate There are also a few places that are slightly off the trail, about a block away such as the Happy's Bayou Bites, the Dunedin Brewery, and the Dunedin Public library. People who live in walking distance to the trail are so lucky! read more

The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail is an incredible 37 mile rail trail in Pinellas County, Florida that stretches from Tarpon Springs in the north to St. Petersburg Downtown in the south. The trail passes through the towns of Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, South Pasadena, and Gulfport. It is utilized for walking, jogging, cycling, and inline skating. Free parking is available in several areas. This trail is in an urban trail that is interrupted by road traffic pretty often on the St Pete side. For less interruptions take the trail from Clearwater north. As an alternative, the Suncoast trail going through Lutz and Land O Lakes or the Upper Tampa Bay trail going through Gunn Highway to Memorial Highway which offer less interruptions. They recently extended the trail through the sunshine skyway bridge over to clam bayou. read more

See all

This review is for the section between Seminole and St. Petersburg - maybe it's different from Seminole northwards, but... I don't understand how the creators of this trail expect it to be pleasant, fun, or relaxing with ZERO goddam tree cover for so many miles in a row. If you love skin cancer and sweating under the punishing, direct heat of the sun, then this is your trail. I guess it's fine if you wake up at 5am to do your biking. read more

I love this trail! Whenever I want to go for a relaxing run or a long bike ride, I just walk down the street from my home to the trail. I love it. The trail has separate lanes for bikes and runners most of the way. There are pretty frequent water fountains, I spec about a mile apart. Most of the trail is shaded by lovely oak trees, but some is in the full sun. I like to ride from the Seminole area (there is a lot there but I live close) down to Tyrone. I usually stop at Wawa in Bay Pines. A longer ride from Seminole is up to Dunedin. There are nice cafes and stores on the trail. Everyone is courteous on the trail. It is nice and relaxing and there are no cars, except when you have to cross little streets. The bridges give you a workout too! Overall, this is a pleasant day to spend a nice day, taking in the sights. read more

I love this trail for biking but there are a few tricks you should keep in mind. The trail is good for serious riders and casual riders. My favorite place to pick up the trail is Dunedin. I like the shaded areas of the trail, good options to stop for food and beer, and enjoy riding it through Palm Harbor to Tarpon Springs. You will pass the Primate Sanctuary and can see the adorable orangutans climbing about. And then there's some awesome state parks too - like Wall Springs Park! A must see! The trail in Pinellas Park / Tyrone has some nice areas but some are very shady/scary. Ladies, don't go alone or at night (trail closes at sundown anyway). A section of the trail of Clearwater is closed which forces you to go on the sidewalk near a busy road. read more

I started a ride in Tarpon and had a blast. There are a lot of road crossings in this area but the locals are used to it and seemed to be extra cautious. I had a hard time figuring out where I was going until I was a ways in, though. Signage is lacking towards the trail end. While it backs up to residential areas for a bit, if you are paying attention to surroundings, there are lots of paths and steps to take you off the trail and into areas with shops, restaurants and parks. I have a trail guide book that's extra handy and can be ordered online. (I got it from the holiday inn that backs up to the trail in Dunedin). I am a less experienced rider and found that the "serious" bikers were very polite. I was also riding alone this week and stopped to take a pic of the Primate Sanctuary and two super sweet riders were concerned - asking if I was ok or needed help. Since I only had a few hours and wanted to explore along the way, I stopped in Dunedin and my hubby picked me up there. You can use the bus/trolleys to get back to your starting point though. Overall, a very nice, shaded, fun and paved trail chock full of super nice like-minded folks! read more

See all

Nice paved rail-to-trail running the length of Pinellas County. There are fairly steep ramps going up over some of the bigger roads, and for large busy roads or confusing intersections there are buttons to push (that work!) so you gain the right-of-way and can safely cross. You don't have to rely on the goodwill of motorists or play "car chicken". If you are looking for a trail that has VERY few road crossings and is not an URBAN trail, I suggest the Suncoast Trail. The Pinellas Trail is not in a rural area and there are lots of roads, businesses, users on it. Like nearly all paved multi-use trails that I've been on, a good chunk of this former railroad runs through an old industrial area. Because you know...TRAINS RUN THROUGH INDUSTRY TO MOVE GOODS. However, I enjoyed the ride because I like to see all parts of a city, not just the polished parts. An old train station is now dedicated to clay. There's a glass arts workshop with a mobile lab to bring to schools. The view from some of the overpasses is pretty great too! We rode from Campbell Park (other side of Tropicana Field) out/up north of St. Petersburg College and back. The trail closes at night! The crimes that have taken place on the trail have pretty much all happened when NOBODY was supposed to be on it anyway. Obey the law. Stay safe. I can't wait to explore more of this trail as it is more than 40 miles long, stretching all the way from St. Pete to Tarpon Springs, and there are many offshoots as well...and restaurants and shops! Here's a link to a map: http://www.traillink.com/trail-maps/fred-marquis-pinellas-trail.aspx read more

How sad is it that the hilliest part of Pinellas county is a concrete trail and its overpasses built across the major roads? It's long and flat (save for the pseudo-stepped ramps) and the scenery is a blend of mixed-use commercial, residential, and an occasional body of water. Some of the meanders are hard to follow (pay close attention in down town Clearwater or else you'll get lost and run into Scientologists), and the ending is a complete anti-climax (esp. when they could've finished it in down town Tarpon Springs). If you are in it for the long haul starting from the south, check out Toula's Trailside Cafe (http://www.centralavefitness.com/yoga_energy_studio.html) for a mid-journey sojourn. Also, take lots of water because the water fountains are sparse and underpowered. read more

I rented a bike in the middle of the trail and cycled the 19 northern most miles and turned around and went back to the bike shop. Pros: Dedicated bike lane, minimal street interruptions, well marked trail Cons: My mistake, but I was *hoping* to have a nice view of the water, but the trail wanders through boring neighborhoods and streets and there is no interesting scenery to see. read more

We ride the Pinellas Trail at least 30 miles, twice a week and always enjoy the ride. The trail is well maintained. There are benches here and there as well as bicycle repair stations and bathrooms along the route. There is varied scenery and plenty of wildlife to see. A variety of birds, tortoises and squirrels. Fun for the whole family, the casual rider or the serious cyclist. Highly recommended! read more

Took a 20 mile bike ride, starting in downtown Clearwater. Venti coffee from Starbucks, head out. North of Clearwater is my fav part. Woodpeckers, Mockingbirds, Blue Jays. Osprey fishing everywhere. Stop in Cafe Alfresco for great salad & ice water. L I V I N G ! ! ! l read more

How can you not love the Pinellas Trail? This is nothing short of 5 stars for me. My friends and I set off on quite a ride. We put in at Brauns in Dunedin. We did use their parking lot but when we arrived back we had a note on our car. You must register with the bartender upon arriving and Atleast order 1 drink. Duly noted and will remember for next time. We decided we would just ride until or hearts content then turn back towards our car. To my surprise we made it all the way to Tarpon Springs which was right at 11 miles. The trail had lots of other bicyclist, roller bladers and families strolling. Everyone was cordial and the ride was great. We had an awesome lunch and headed back, stopping at De Bine Brewery right on the path. I can't wait to also check out the southern end of the trail, although I've heard it isn't quite as nice. It's a great afternoon activity and I can't wait to do it again. read more

Fred E Marquis Pinellas Trail - We did it! 24 miles - Parks Near Me - Largo, Florida

See all

I had been researching things to do upon my trip to Clearwater. As an avid runner, I was excited to check out the Pinellas Trail. It was okay. Nothing special. Just a paved road along some busy streets. I was hoping for more of a scenic route, but I only ran around 3 miles through Palm Harbor. Maybe other areas of the trail have more of a view... Definitely better for biking read more

North half is nice, from about Clearwater northward. Anywhere south of that there are road crossings constantly making it hard to ride very far without stopping. There are also some areas on south end that have vandalism (broken glass on trail) and areas one might not feel very safe in. read more

I love the trail. You can trek just about all of Pinellas county here. It is more congested going through Clearwater, and more open north and south. There are plenty of places to pull over and get food and drinks along the way. I have had fun riding my bike and roller blading here.. read more

5 stars because Pinellas County rocks with expanding our bike and pedestrian trails! Serious kudos to the county and city employees for writing those grants and working with businesses to gain right of way access. I recently rode the trail from the Tyrone area to downtown, stopped at Ceviche for lunch, and rode back. What a beautiful way to spend a day in our sunny Florida locale! I just heard they opened a new section of the trail on the Skyway Bridge that takes you over to Clam Bayou. I can't wait to try out that section. They say you will be transported to another time - a natural Florida! read more

I really enjoyed biking this trail between Dunedin and Palm Harbor. There are long stretches through residential and park areas and just enough commercial areas to stop and get a bite to eat or something to drink. read more

The trail is really nice and maintained. However, the bikers are rude and ignorant. I took my two children out for a nice stroll and received unnecessary comments to my children. One lady said Jesus F**kin Christ cause she was moving too slow for her liking, and had one of the Pinellas county people threaten me with a ticket for running along side of my daughter who was on a bike in the bike lane. He advised me to take my daughter who was on the bike to ride in the pedestrian lane as if that was more appropriate than me running next to her while she rides her bike in the bike lane. Either way it was the same concept. These people are a little too serious and need to slow down and enjoy the fresh air because they are nasty. read more

I love the trail! It's beautiful and has just enough fun places to stop that a long ride doesn't get boring! Highly recommend the trail for getting so great outdoor activity in! read more