balm-boyette scrub & triple creek nature preserves

Really enjoy going there. There are trails for beginners through highly technical stuff. Pick and choose you level and have fun. Well groomed and clean.

taken my kids here for many years its a lot of fun there are many trails that go past a lot of lakes. also fun trails in a wooded area to get out of the florida heat during the summer months

My son and I go there quite often and enjoy it each and every time. This is a primitive location so as mentioned bring water and anything you would need to eat. We go for just a few hours each time so water is all we need and we both keep a "special" drink in the car for when we're finished. A word of caution here, if you go during the summer months water is a must and it's hot out there.This is a place that was designed specifically for mountain biking so trail are numerous and go from beginner to advanced, and I suggest you strongly look at you skill level before trying the advance one's since the hill are steep and turn sharp, believe me I know. Given it's location it's an easy drive from Plant City, Brandon area, and the Lithia area.

There are a wide variety of trails at this park. I am a beginner and enjoy the North/South trails. They are flat but wind back and forth through both wide and narrow patches of trees and palmettos. My husband is a more advanced rider and enjoys Spider Berm, Loch Ness, and Ridgeline. SWAMP club does an amazing job of maintaining and creating trails at this park. Their website has directions to the park at http://www.swampclub.org/boyette/ and a map of the trails can be found at http://www.brandonbikeworks.com/images/balm_boyette_bike_trail_map_02-2009.pdf

I'm lucky enough to live less than an hour away from this former phosphate mine turned mountian bike park. You must come prepared. The parking is scarce, so you may end up parking on the side of the road. There are NO facilities except for a pimped out port-a-john by the parking lot. Oh yeah, there are no stores of any kind nearby. Bring water (preferably a full hydration pack) & stuff to eat.The trails are about 2 miles from the parking lot through some soft sand (so watch out). Once you get to the trails, there are many to chose from for every level of rider. Make sure you bring a map of the place because it is easy to get lost your first few times there.The scenary is great. The wildlife abundant, gators, turtles, falcons, vultures, huge banana spiders, and wild boars (you will never see them but you can smell them or see there handy work after tearing up a trail).You should bring a cell phone because if something happens to you out here (like a broken leg) there is no way you can make it back to your car on your own. Bring a camera so you can get capture the wildlife.My favorite trail is the Ridgeline. It's a Black Diamond trail that is very challenging but can be conquered by someone with moderate skill level like myself. If you're too scared for some drops ... just walk it down.The park is maintained by the local Mountain Bike Club SWAMP. There is a link to the website. You just have to look it up.If you are into MTbiking & in the Tampa area, don't miss out on this park. Oh yeah, you may wanna leave a first aid kit in the car, just in case you gotta tend to any battle scars you get in the park.