The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail is a 47-mile paved rail-trail that runs the length of Pinellas County, from the Greek sponge docks of Tarpon Springs in the north to downtown St. Petersburg in the south. It follows the old Orange Belt Railway corridor, abandoned in the 1980s, and is now one of the longest urban trails in the southeastern United States.
The trail is flat, well-maintained, and almost entirely separated from traffic — a string of overpasses carry it above the busier intersections. It is popular with cyclists, joggers, and inline skaters, but also serves as a genuine commuter route in a county where most streets were never built for bikes. You will pass through deep glades of live oak trailing Spanish moss, alongside tidal creeks and mangrove flats, and through the heart of half a dozen small downtowns. Birdlife is constant: herons, ibises, ospreys, and the occasional roseate spoonbill.
Most riders sample a section rather than tackle the whole thing in one go. The northern stretch from Dunedin to Tarpon Springs is the most scenic — old Florida small towns, breweries, and finally the sponge docks at the end. The Clearwater-to-Dunedin segment passes through walkable downtowns with plenty of coffee and lunch stops. South of Seminole the trail enters denser suburbia and feels more utilitarian.
Bike rental shops cluster in Dunedin, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg. Bring water — Florida heat is real, and shade is intermittent. The trail is open dawn to dusk and is free.