Withlacoochee State Trail

Withlacoochee State Trail is a 46mi long paved, multi-use, non-motorized rail trail in Florida located in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties. It follows along the Withlacoochee River and passes through the Withlacoochee State Forest. It is the longest paved rail trail in Florida.HistoryThe original railroad line was formed sometime in the 1880s as the Inverness and Brooksville railway. It connected with the Florida Northern Railroad in Citrus Springs and with the South Florida Railroad (SFR) in Dade City.In 1892, the Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad (SSO&G) built an extension through Inverness and Hernando, and in 1893 the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) acquired the SFR as well as the SSO&G. In 1946 ACL built a bridge over the Seaboard Air Line Railroad tracks and the newly aligned US 301.In 1967, the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line Railroads merged to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. In 1987 CSX decided to abandon the 47 mile railroad. In 1989 the state bought the railroad for their "rail-to-trails" program.