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This was taken from the north end of the Auburndale trail, looking north toward the Van Fleet trailhead in Polk city, a mile away. Hwy 33 is about 10 yards to the right, and there are open fields to the left for about 1/2 mile, then residential neighborhoods until the parking lot at the trailhead. There seems to be no reason to cut down all the foliage, but stranger things have happened.

Looks like the paving is done, but there are those annoying cones at the ends. I'm trying to decide if they mean "no cars" or "no traffic". I'll check it out later today. No work yet on the parking lot at the south end of the Van Fleet, but that's a State job and nobody seems to know their schedule. Last I heard, the trail will go around the perimeter of the parking lot (on the west side) and link up the 2 segments. It's possible but not comfortable to ride across the parking lot now.

Not a very imaginative name, but that's what the sign says. I started from home, rode to the Van Fleet Trail trailhead in Polk City, turned around and paid attention coming back. Most of the cones are either gone or crushed.

Here's the map:
0.00 At the Van Fleet Trail 0 marker. Crossing the parking lot is not pleasant, but a good place to exercise your granny gear on flat ground.
0.14 Entering the Van Fleet Trail Extension. Great junkyard on the right, with what looks like a '53 Buick convertible rotting away among the other highway debris.
0.46 Nice little park bench and trashcan rest spot on the west side
0.74 Crosses Honey Bee Lane
0.94 Another park bench and trashcan on the east side of the trail
1.08 End of the Van Fleet Trail Extension at Daniels Way. Exit here for Chéz Mikey, continue southward to the Auburndale TECO Trail. Not sure if the stretch from here to the Auburndale TECO Trail has a name or not, but it's pretty bleak -- ain't going to be any high bidders for naming rights.

It's a joy to ride -- very smooth except for the berries and nuts that pop as you roll over them. Heavily shaded on both sides for the most part, and those clever railroad engineers managed to hide the fact that there's a nice uphill grade (going south) shortly after the beginning. Lots of trash of all kinds on both side of the trail, left there by many years of casual hikers and, apparently, drinkers. Might be a fun day to organize a cleanup ride if somebody's got a trailer that would hold a couple of large trash bags.

It's more like 7 miles, but by the time you get that far, one mile, more or less, won't matter.