DeBary recently earned the designation of Trail Town at a meeting of the Greenways and Trails Council.
DeBary is Florida’s 12th Trail Town since the program was established in 2018.
A Trail Town is a destination where people can enjoy revitalizing activities including hiking, biking, jogging, paddling and exploring.
Located in Central Florida between DeLand and Orlando, DeBary is a hub for three major Florida trails – the St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop, Coast-to-Coast Trail and the Heart of Florida Loop. They have a combined total of 600-plus miles of paved, accessible trails that meet in DeBary. While using the trails, guests have the opportunity to access a selection of local parks and activities, including Gemini Springs Park, numerous kayak launches, SunRail station and bicycle-friendly local businesses.
Designation as a Trail Town is an instrumental step in community development within DeBary and other towns earning the title. Trail Towns are based around the idea of taking pre-existing cycling, walking and running trails and making that a staple of the entire community, expanding the town into an all-encompassing bike-friendly destination.
Trail Towns have been proven vital in creating economic growth, creation of new jobs, compounding the trail’s economic potential, improving infrastructure in rural areas, and protecting the trails and nature existing in the area.
Other Florida Trail Towns include Dunedin, Titusville, Malabar, Vilano Beach, Clermont, Palatka, Inverness, Deltona, Everglades City, Winter Garden and Gainesville.
This article was published in the Real Florida ℠ Connection, the Florida State Parks e-newsletter. Sign-up to get updates and stories from your state parks every month.
