52,165 feet or 9.879 miles is how long the Courtney Campbell Causeway is. The Courtney Campbell Trail is just under 9 miles if you only count the wide and more comfortable starting points. Sidewalks after all are not trails. At least so said my GPS the day I rode it.
The Causeway Trail begins on the west end where Bayshore Blvd intersects with Gulf to Bay Blvd and on the south side of the highway. After just a short distance headed eastward you will come to the Courtney Campbell Causeway Beach which believe it or not has paid parking even though it is on the sand.
The trail continues finally exiting Pinellas County and entering Hillsborough County Florida as you begin to take in the wonderful views of the two bridges. The Clearwater side is disappearing behind you as you approach the mid point of the main bridge. It is not as high as it first seems and the incline is manageable for most walkers or cyclists. Still there are great water views just be aware of the commitment if you are planning on making the entire trip.
I wanted to include a hundred photos showing everything from the boat ramp to the wildlife and even the areas for free parking. However it is better to go and get the experience and photos yourself. I would even advise you to take the service road on the east end and then visit the boat ramp. You can walk out onto the ramp and it is huge. There are always a wide variety of birds there and this is another place to possibly view the dolphins. You can park cars here just be cordial and park out of the way of the boat trailers.
At the Ben T Davis Beach you can park your cars but it is not free parking. However, as you will find out free things here in the Tampa Bay area go quickly. If a bathroom break is needed while you taking that very pleasant ride along the trail then this beach is where you should stop. Think of it as a safety harbor for bathrooms as the other locations are porta-pottys. You can even eat a meal here at one of the restaurants.
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