Alafia River State Park offers spot for mountain biking enthusiasts in Florida

Here's where you can mountain bike in Florida

The Alafia River State Park is situated just outside of Tampa and is a premier destination for mountain biking enthusiasts who are looking for trails with breathtaking scenery.

LITHIA, Fla. - The Alafia River State Park is situated just outside of Tampa and is a premier destination for mountain biking enthusiasts who are looking for trails with breathtaking scenery. 

The park offers a diverse set of trails for those biking at all different skill levels. 

Cody Peters, the park manager at Alafia's River State Park, said it offers a very unique experience for cyclists in the area. From switchbacks to the mountain-like experience, he said it brings radical elevation changes. 

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"It's not like the traditional, which you think of Florida-style flat ground," Peters said. "So, we have a lot of inclines and descents that create a very cool feeling, as well as very scenic views, and wandering through the landscape and getting to learn about the park’s ecosystem."

Visitors to the park can also find a full-service bike shop right outside the trail. Park officials said the shop offers bike servicing, rentals and safety gear. 

The full-service shop makes it easy to rent mountain biking gear ahead of adventures on the park's trails.