Best of Balm Boyette

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

Built on old phosphate mining land, come see what Florida has to offer when we talk about "Florida Flow." This route starts with an easy warm up, hits all of the intermediate trails that are fun, fast, and flowy, and throws in some of the most fun expert trails in Florida including North Abyss, South Abyss, and the infmous Ridgeline before hitting a little more flow before a cooldown on another green trail.

Bring plenty of water and a map! It's easy to get lost and everything looks the same. If you can, tag up with a local to help show you around. There are also plenty of opportunities to repeat trails such as Ridgeline, Spider Berm (Lower) and the Abyss trails. There is another expert trail not labeled on this loop called Pandemonium. I chose not to hit it simply because it causes some backtracking.

Start from the lot and ride north on the doubletrack across the field. Once in the woods, continue on the doubletrack eastward and take your first left. Go past the frist entrance into Southwest and continue til you see the entrance to Northwest on your left. There is also a sign that says "Trail In."

On the trail, there are a couple of forks that you hit. Both times, you'll turn right. Once out of the trail, go straight on a small bit of doubletrack to the entrance of Nemesis and drop in!

Continue left, down the hill and around the corner. Stay to the right and onto West Meadow.

Go straight onto Randy's Trail.

Stay right onto Spider Berm (Lower) around the lake. There is a small expert option near the beginning of the trail called Chaos. Stay to the right if you want to hit it and left if you want to skip. On the far side of the lake the trail will split. Stay to the left to continue on Spider Berm (Lower) on the opposite side of the lake.

Once out of the trail, stay to the right down the little dip (be careful of sugar sand right here) and follow the signs to Gator Pit and Golf Cart. Continue Straight down the hill to start Gator Pit. Once back at the beginning of the small loop, continue straight onto Golf Cart.

Take a left to start Canyon and Mt. Boyettte.

Once out of Canyon, continue straight onto North Abyss for your first real expert trail at Balm-Boyette! Be aware there are a couple of ledges that sneak up on you. There is signage to warn of the upcoming expert features.

Continue straight onto Serpentine and pop out next to a small wooden bridge. Cross the bridge and follow the trail to the doubletrack ahead. Take a left and follow that doubletrack up the hill to the right and enter Sidewinder.

Sidewinder will end at the exit of Ridgeline. There are some picnic tables, a trail map and generally a good place to hangout and talk with the locals. Once your breath is caught, dive back into Sidewinder and split to the left up the big climb. There are now expert and intermediate sections on the remainder of this trail. Pick whichever you would like as they both end up in the same places.

Stay to the right to do Garry's Loop, a small expert loop before continuing on Sidewinder to the entrance of Ridgeline.

Ridgeline! 1.5 miles of the best flow in Florida! There are some higher drops/climbs on this trail such as the Plunge, Max G's, and OMG for a little extra work and fun!

Once out of Ridgeline, take the doubletrack to the left and follow it down the hill and to the left again. Follow the signs to do South Abyss. After the rock climb out of South Abyss, stay on the doubletrack and take your first left at marker 5 and go back into Spider Berm (Lower).

This time, upon exiting Spider Berm (Lower), stay to the left onto Randy's Trail.

After crossing the bridge, continue straight onto Upper Loch Ness. Be sure to take a right into Baby Nessie on your right for the last little bit of expert trails before warming down.

Once out of Baby Nessie, continue straight on the doubletrack up the big hill and into Vista Ridge.

Once out of Vista Ridge continue left on the doubletrack to enter back into Inception. Each of the two forks on this trail, stay to the left hit up all of Southwest and the rest of Inception. Once out, take a right on the doubletrack and continue to the right once again. Follow the doubletrack for another mile back out to the field and parking lot!

There you go! Just about 14.5 miles of some of the best trails in Florida!

Once a phosphate mine and now a protected scrub preserve in Hillsborough County