West Orange Trail

The West Orange Trail has been named one of the nation's Great Public Spaces by the Project for Public Spaces.

Over 50,000 people a month enjoy the West Orange Trail, a 20 mile (32 kilometer) long multi-purpose recreational greenway following an old railroad grade from Oakland to Apopka.  The Trail contains a 12 foot (3 meter) wide paved surface for hikers, walkers, joggers, bikers, skaters and horseback riders.  

Bicycle and rollerblade rental is available at the County Line Station, the trailhead two miles (three kilometers) west of Old Town. 

Motorized vehicles are prohibited on the trail.

 

Uniquely designed signs at the entrance to each community give trail users a sense that they have entered a new community and a new place. Some trailheads, such as the Oakland trailhead at the Orange-Lake County line, are large facilities incorporating full parking, picnic areas, concessions with wrap around porches, air and water stations and playgrounds. Others function as local neighborhood parks, with picnic and playground facilities, and as a place to hold children's birthday parties.

Undertaken by the Orange County Parks and Recreation Department, the West Orange Trail was funded with a combination of state funds (Preservation 2000) for the acquisition and preservation of the land. The county made an outlay of funds for the project development, which was subsequently reimbursed by Federal ISTEA funds. Five communities were involved in the planning in order to ensure that residents felt comfortable with such details as the trail's alignment with private property, and the preservation of favorite trees.

(West Orange Trail map from Orange County Parks and Recreation)