Explore Walton Ranch Preserve - Hike, Bike or Both plus Lunch?

Let's explore Walton Ranch Preserve together! Ideally, we want to combine a hike (5.6 miles) with a bike ride (10+ miles) but feel free to sign up for any of the activities, just let us know which one you would like to do!

With its 3,760 acres of land and more than 19 miles of trails, Walton Ranch acts as an ecological corridor between large conservation areas like Myakka River State Park, Carlton Preserve and the R.V. Griffin Reserve. The land was acquired by Sarasota county in 2010 but a grazing agreement with a local ranch family is in place in exchange for land management services. Means we will encounter some curious if not shy cattle along the way.

07:55 AM:
Let's meet at the parking lot 0.3 miles in from the main entrance. Leave your bikes on the rack or in the car as we will start with a hike.

08:00 AM:
We will start on time and hike the "Scenic loop", a 5.6 mile long trail that leads us back to the parking lot.

11:00 AM:
We will ready our bikes and ride along the Maintenance Road to the end of the property and maybe even hit some of the side roads, depending on the condition they are in.
The main road is unpaved but should be hard packed and easy to ride on. Total distance for the bike ride will be around 10 miles.

01:00 PM:
We should be back by then, load our bikes and drive 4 miles to have lunch at Pink Tequila (1163 N Toledo Blvd, North Port), a popular Mexican restaurant with a fair amount of vegetarian options.
Food and service were excellent last time we were there with the group.

Please come prepared. Wear comfortable shoes for the hike, check your bike before the ride, bring plenty of water (ideally with electrolytes), a snack, wear sunscreen and allow for traffic on the way to Walton Ranch.

Don't schedule anything right after the event as it might take longer than expected. We will stop for wildlife or cattle and likely take a few pictures.

As always, if you have questions or need directions, you can reach us at (917) 774-0941.