The northern terminus of the Pinellas Trail sits a short walk from the Tarpon Springs sponge docks, where Greek immigrants built a working sponge-diving industry in the early 1900s that still operates today. After 47 miles in the saddle, finishing with a plate of pastitsio and a glass of retsina at one of the dockside tavernas is part of the ritual.
The trailhead itself is unceremonious — a small parking area and a sign. The route south from here is shaded and quiet for several miles before it threads into Palm Harbor and Dunedin. Most one-day riders use this end as a destination rather than a starting point, riding north out of Dunedin or Clearwater and turning around at the sponge docks.