Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail — Attraction in Tallahassee

The Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail runs 16 miles from Florida's capital city to the coastal community of St. Marks.

Through the early 1900s, this historic railroad corridor carried cotton from the plantation belt to the coast for shipment to textile mills in England and New England.

Officially part of Florida's Greenways and Trails System, this state trail also has been designated as a National Recreation Trail. This was the first rail-trail in Florida's system of greenways and trails to be paved, providing a scenic experience for running, walking, bicycling and skating. Horseback riding is available on the adjacent unpaved trail.

Here, outdoor enthusiasts can hike a portion of the Florida National Scenic Trail, which joins the trail at U.S. 98 and continues south. At the main trailhead, there is access to the Munson Hills/Twilight Mountain Bike Trails in the Apalachicola National Forest.

At the southern terminus of the trail, the coastal city of St. Marks welcomes trail users to enjoy seafood dining, fishing and entertainment and to learn about the history of the area at San Marcos de Apalache Historical State Park.

The Tallahassee-St. Marks State Trail is a completed section of the developing, 120-mile Capital City to the Sea Loop corridor and is a destination along the Big Bend...

Biking the St. Marks Trail is always a good thing, whether it's just riding the first few miles or taking it all the way to the end. It can be a little busy on the weekends, particularly near the Tallahassee trail head. But if you persist, the crowds fade away wilderness intrudes the further you ride. The trail is flat so anyone can ride it or walk or roller blade. The only challenge is when your hands start to go numb because you're not changing gears or position and you have to force yourself to sit up or shake it off or take a break. The trail is scenic but it also cuts through an occupied rural stretch and for people living along the trail, it is their way of getting to the store or to church and it means there is sometimes a very diverse group of users on the trail. It is not just your weekend exercisers or families on a trek. And it also means that in the early hours, you might see deer or hear the roosters...

Beautiful and well maintained trail. Paved, approximately ten feet wide. Very clean, I did not see any trash whatsoever. Trail passes through residential and rural areas with benches about every mile. There were full service bathrooms at the trailhead and several bathrooms with pit tiolets along the route. All, were very clean. Nice cafe at the St Marks trailhead. There are also benches and picnic tables by the river in St Marks. I believe this area is owned by the cafe, but we took a break and ate our lunch we had packed at one of the tables. We enjoyed the view of the river and watched numerous boats and kayaks pass as we ate our lunch. The trail close at sunset. We enjoyed the 32 mile round trip and look forward to riding this...