Marco Island and Naples, Florida are filled with plenty of activities to participate in. Bicycling is a cherished pastime for both visitors and locals alike. The two cities are home to plenty of bike trails and tours, whether it be on the streets or through nature. In this list, The Wave presents some of Naples and Marco Island’s finest bike trails.

 

4.)  Indian Hill, Marco Island

Indian Hill area is home to the Island’s signature Gopher Tortoises and Burrowing Owls. Similarly, you can find the shell mounds in Otter Mound Preserve. In the 106,700 square foot preserve lie the Calusa Otter Mounds. The area is filled with hills, which are not a typical Florida landscape. Indian Hill is also easy access for people on Marco Island. It isn’t out of the way and can be accessed by foot, car, or bike. For those looking for a challenging ride up these hills, the Indian Hill area is perfect, but for a simple, leisurely ride, other areas have a better fit.

 

3) Key Marco

Key Marco, once called Horr’s Island, is one of Marco Island’s two gated communities. The neighborhood is filled with trees and gorgeous homes, and is almost always empty, save the sparse residents. Key Marco is also home to a Marco Island monument: Captain Horr’s Pineapple Plantation, a State Historic SIte. The ruins of Marco Island’s first resident’s house lies deep inside Key Marco’s walls. The wildlife in Key Marco is just as spectacular. Captain Horr’s house and Horr’s Island are home to gopher tortoises, raccoons, and other native Floridian animals. Similar to the Indian Hill area, there are plenty of hills made from Marco’s shell mounds. Just make sure to bring your driver’s license, the guard will let you in if you say that you’re going to Captain Horr’s Plantation.

 

2) Shell Island Road

Not far from Marco Island lies Shell Island Road, which leads to an offshoot of Rookery Bay. At the entrance to the site there is a parking lot for you to unload bikes and leave the car. As you ride down the road, you’ll come across Briggs Boardwalk, a trail through the salt marsh, and may even get a glimpse of rare Florida Scrub Jays. Past the boardwalk, the road winds through the cypress and mangrove trees to a kayak launch. By the kayak launch lies a trail leading to a time capsule monument on a natural waterway. The trail isn’t paved and can be a bit muddy after heavy rains. Shell Island Road is a great place to go biking to see native Florida wildlife.

 

1) Gordon River Greenway

Though it requires a drive up into Naples, it boasts a smooth blacktop trail, as well as boardwalks through a cypress and mangrove swamp. The greenway begins between the Naples Zoo and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, and travels through a nature preserve in the middle of the city to finish near the Naples Airport. The chance of seeing wildlife at the greenway is large. Unlike the other bike trails in our area, the Gordon River Greenway also has restrooms and a playground for younger visitors. With 1.7 miles through the marsh, a good ride can be made great with scenic views of native wildlife and the Gordon River. Even with the drive to Naples, the Gordon River Greenway is worth a visit.