LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A paved trail in Lake County will offer connections all across the area to cyclists, runners, walkers and equestrians.

Cyclist Doug Quara’s always in search of a new place to ride. So he says the official opening of the Neighborhood Lakes Trail is a big deal.

“It’s much more local to us, so that’s an attraction,” Quara said.

The Mount Dora resident is part of the COVID Cruisers, a group of about 20 cyclists that formed at the beginning of the pandemic. He rides with them for fun, and also to lower his cholesterol.

“I had a goal to do it without medication and I was able between riding and diet, drop it from really high to just barely above minimum per my doctor,” he said.

The trail in Mount Plymouth has 2.8 miles for hikers, equestrians and cyclists to enjoy.

“The hills that it has isn’t going to challenge a really serious biker,” Quara said. “However, for the group that we ride with and the age group we’re in, it has enough of a challenge.”

Quara says another benefit will be the ability to do longer rides.

“We have some in our group that like to do 30 and 40 miles at a time, so when this gets connected, it’s going to afford them the ability to do that and not have to drive an hour and a half to get there,” Quara said.

Lake County Commissioner Leslie Campione, District 4, highlighted that the Neighborhood Lakes is the crossroad between the West Orange Trail and the Seminole County Trail System and will also go to Sumter County.

“We’re linking several counties in the Central Florida area, but the incredible thing that this actually does is it connects us to each of the coasts. This will be a connection to the Coast To Coast trail,” Campione said.

Campione believes this trail system will have a big economic impact throughout Lake County.

“It provides an opportunity for visitors to come, spend money in your community, stay overnight. So it really bolsters your restaurants, your retail opportunities. It’s about bringing dollars into your community and it’s also about your own residents being able to enjoy it,” Campione said.

And Quara looks forward to patronizing local businesses on his rides soon.

“We almost always hit a local restaurant, and we’ve been taking our business elsewhere in Central Florida. Now that this is open, we’ll probably be doing more things in Tavares and Mount Dora and Eustis,” Quara said.

The Lake County trail head has vehicle and horse trailer parking, a restroom facility and a covered picnic area.