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St. Johns River in Astor via Emeralda Marsh
(about 80
miles roundtrip starting and ending in Leesburg)
Riding through
Emeralda Marsh, an area of wetlands adjacent to Lake Griffin, the
Oklawaha River, and Emeralda Island, is a relaxing, scenic way to start
your ride, as you make your way to the Ocala National Forest and on to
Astor. Once you arrive in Astor, enjoy the scenic beauty of the St.
Johns River from one of two restaurants located along the river. (Key:
US—Federal highway; SR—State Road; CR—County Road)
Depart Gator HD south
on US441 (get in far-left lane).
At 1st
traffic light (less than 1 mile from Gator HD) turn left on to SR44.
Travel east on SR44.
Several miles up the road you will go through a traffic light.
Just past the traffic
light, turn left off SR44 on to Emeralda Avenue (there is a BP service
station at the corner of Emeralda Avenue and SR44).
Go to the stop sign
and turn left on to Emeralda Island Road.
Continue on Emeralda
Island Road through the marsh and lakes (it winds around and includes
several hairpin curves).
At intersection of
Emeralda Island Road and CR452, continue straight across CR452.
Emeralda Island Road is now called Em-En-El Grove Road.
At stop sign
(intersection of Em-En-El Grove Road and Thomas Boat Landing Road)
turn left on to Thomas Boat Landing Road.
At the ‘Y’
intersection on Thomas Boat Landing Road, stay to the right.
At the stop sign turn
right on to CR450 and travel east to Umatilla.
Turn left on to SR19
at the traffic light and travel north on SR19 through Altoona.
Several miles on the
other side of Altoona, turn right on to CR445 toward Alexander
Springs.
At stop sign, turn
right on to CR445A.
At stop sign, turn
right on to SR40 and head east to Astor.
Stay on SR40 and just
before you cross the bridge over the St. Johns River turn right and
head down to the parking lot of the Blackwater Inn. There you can dine
outside overlooking the river or inside. The Blackwater Inn has been
one of our charity sponsors.
If you want to enjoy
the river from the other side, stay on SR40, cross the St. Johns River
and turn left on to Alice Drive immediately after crossing the bridge.
At the stop sign jog
left on to Ormond’s Jungle Den Road. It will make a ninety-degree turn
to the left and lead you into the parking lot of the Cactus Key Raw
Bar & Grill. There you can sit outside along the river and on
Saturdays enjoy half pound hamburgers for only $1 starting at 12 noon.
(NOTE: Cactus Key has not reopened since being flooded out by
during hurricane last year).
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