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Mountain Bike Trails – Miami, FL

Mountain biking near Miami, Florida offers a unique outdoor adventure for those seeking an adrenaline rush. Located just outside the city limits, Oleta River State Park boasts over 14 miles of trails that cater to mountain bikers of all levels. The trails wind through mangrove swamps, hardwood hammocks, and along the picturesque Biscayne Bay, offering stunning views of the area's natural beauty. Other popular trails in the area include Virginia Key North Point Trails, which offer a challenging, technical ride with jumps and drops, and Markham Park, which features over 10 miles of beginner to advanced-level trails. With year-round warm weather and beautiful natural scenery, mountain biking near Miami is a thrilling and unforgettable experience. Check out these and more below as we cover some of our favorite Miami area off-road rides.

Markham Park
Miami, Florida | Intermediate | 6.0 mi
 
Biking is allowed throughout the park, but if you want to use the Mountain Bike Trails you have to buy a pass, sign a waiver, and watch a short safety video about the trails. If you’re into mountain biking…this is well worth it! Over 10 miles of various bike trails await you at Markham Park. They vary wildly in degree of difficulty so you will never run out of fun or a challenge. Helmets are required on all Markham Park mountain bike trails of course and there’s a $5 fee to use the trails. You can also get an annual pass, call the park or visit the park office for more details.
 
These trails are built and maintained by volunteers and you can find out more about helping out or donating to the bike trails’ upkeep at the Markham Park Trail Building Fund site. The Markham Park bike trails are absolutely amazing and they can’t be maintained without your support, so get out there and volunteer! Markham Park trail maintenance is the first Saturday of each month 8:30am. Meet at the front gate of the trails.

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Virginia Key North Point
Miami, Florida | Intermediate | 6.0 mi

Virginia Key Beach North Point Park, just north of Key Biscayne may be considered one of the best biking trail options in Miami. It is home to the Virginia Key Outdoor Center (VKOC), a full-service outdoor recreation center that offers visitors a chance to experience Miami’s only mountain bike trails. The mountain trails are situated on the north end of the key and were built to allow all levels of cyclists to enjoy the thrills of mountain biking, while being surrounded by nature and water.

There are three distinct levels of trails at Virginia Key Beach North Point Park - novice, intermediate, and advanced.  Each trail has a qualifier, which basically means if you can maneuver your way through the first 20 feet of a trail, you should not have any problems with the rest of it.
The novice trail is flat and perfect for practice riding. The intermediate trail has climbs, drops and moderate elevation changes with beamed corners meant to test your balance. However, if what you want is to test your skills, then the advanced course offers technical climbs with fast descents. You’ll encounter bridges, exposed rocks and hairpin turns to satisfy your addiction. The Purple Haze bike trail, has 0.6 miles of an adrenaline rush! A wooden wall, rock garden, overpass with obstacles, drops and bumpy terrain, are sure to challenge even the most expert rider.

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Amelia Earhart Park
Miami, Florida | Intermediate | 7.0 mi

Amelia Earhart Park is bursting with activities for the outdoor enthusiast, including miles of cycling trails. Named after the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, Amelia Earhart Park offers a bit of everything including fun bike trails for both beginners and advanced riders. Located in Hialeah, the park offers eight miles of heavily trafficked loop pathways. This is a great park for beginners and the perfect place to get a feel for mountain biking.

The trails include single track, preferred by serious mountain bikers, as they’re usually designed specifically for the sport with climbs, downhills, and banked corners. You’ll also find fire road trails which are double-track and wide enough for four-wheeled off-road vehicles. These roads are smooth and flowing, with a nice lake view to enjoy along the way. Amelia Earhart’s cycling trails are considered moderate for the beginner to intermediate rider.

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Oleta River State Park
Miami, Florida | Intermediate | 14.0 mi

An oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, Oleta River State Park is located on Biscayne Bay in North Miami Beach. It is Florida’s largest urban park with 1,000 acres of land. Renowned for its 15 miles of off-road cycling trails, from smooth terrain to rocky grounds with plenty of tree roots, you will certainly get your sweat on!

Most routes provide a nicely shaded area and take you either along a path with glittering bay views or urban city views. For the more experienced cyclist, the challenging, Gilligan’s Trail, offers rough grounds to put your skills to the test. This trail can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on your expertise. These trails are for adventure seekers experiencing what Miami looked like before all the skyscrapers and luxury condos.

Oh, and don’t be surprised if you see native wildlife along your path. Oleta Park is home to cottontail rabbits, squirrels, tortoises, white-tailed deer, and even some snakes—it’s all part of the rich wildlife scenery. It’s also a popular spot for kayaking and canoeing, and with nature trails overlooking the shoreline, it’s perfect for a sunrise or sunset hike.

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East Everglades Levee Trail
Southwest Ranches, Florida | Easiest | 68.0 mi

This is probably the most beautiful trail in south Florida. You will see more wildlife that any other trail in Florida. You will see alligators, many types of birds, snakes, and turtles; you may see deer, bear, and occasional riders. The trail runs over the tops of the levees that control the water flow of the Everglades. And while the top-of-levee trail is flat, sandy and rocky, they are many cutting on and off the main trail.

The trails are maintained by South Florida Water Management and are entirely within County and National parks. There are several trailhead entrances in Everglades Holiday Park, along Krome Avenue, and Tamiami Trail (US41). The trail traverses many Everglades habitats and the Tamiami segment and the Everglades Holiday Park trailheads have camping facilities. There are also many drops and rocky areas along the trail for technical riders. The trail can be done as a 68-mile loop or in segments. There are many bypasses that will be included on a map to be produced later but be careful, get a map of the levee or study Google Earth many of the side levee do not cross canals and you my take a ten-mile short cut and find that you must either go back or swim with the gators and snapping turtles to go across. All canals are too deep to ford on bike.

There is water all around you, but it must be purified. Potable water is available on the Everglades Holiday Park Trailheads and Tamiami segment at the camp. The trail is most comfortable to ride from December thru April (temps in the 70-80 degree range). Summer is demanding for the rain, high temps in the 90s and bugs. The trail is challenging all year round for technical and advanced riders. Any of the accessible segments can be done in a few hours.

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Ocean View
Hollywood North Beach Park, Florida | Intermediate | 1.0 mi

The trail is very fun, and it’s not an easy trail but there is a lot of hills and 10 foot drops, and you can’t see it but it’s there, just ride through the front patch of woods and you’re in there for at least 10 min.

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These mountain bike trails near Miami offer a great mix of challenging terrain, scenic views and a variety of difficulty levels. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced rider, you're sure to find a trail that suits your skill level and interests. So grab your bike, hit the trails and enjoy the beautiful scenery that Miami has to offer.