What is the Collier to Polk Regional Trail?
The vision for the Collier to Polk Regional Trail is to provide a continuous multi-use trail that traverses Collier, Hendry, Glades, Highlands, Hardee, and Polk counties. The trail will connect small towns, natural areas, and working lands to help users experience the region’s culture, environment, and history. When completed, the Collier to Polk Regional Trail is expected to be over 200 miles and will connect to other regional trail systems such as the Florida Coast to Coast Trail and Florida Gulf Coast Trail.
The purpose of the Collier to Polk Regional Trail
The Collier to Polk Regional Trail will include multiple existing trails such as the Van Fleet State Trail, Auburndale-TECO Trail, Fort Fraser Trail, Rich King Memorial Greenway, and Gordon River Greenway. It also provides future opportunity to connect with nearby trails such as the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail and Florida National Scenic Trail.
Connect and provide access to small towns, cultural & heritage sites, parks, preserves, wildlife corridors, and working landscapes
Provide walking and bicycling opportunities for healthy recreation
Enhance local economies through nature-based tourism opportunities
Why the Collier to Polk Regional Trail?
The Collier to Polk Regional Trail has the potential to bring a range of economic, health, recreation, and transportation benefits. Existing long-distance regional trail systems provide evidence of the impact of trails.
For the Region surrounding the 46-mile Northwest Arkansas Razorback Greenway (2018)
From the estimated ten-year Gross Domestic Product of the 250-mile Florida Coast to Coast Trail (2017)
From the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage Trail
(Pennsylvania/Maryland in 2019)
