5.7 miles (Asphalt/Concrete)
Rating: 9 (out of 10)
28 Road/Driveway Crossings (1-way)
8 People Encountered (Both Ways)
Pros: The average number of driveway/road crossings is almost 5 per mile which is relatively low. The average number of people encountered on the trail is less than 1 per mile which means no people congestion. The trail starts off as a regular 4' wide sidewalk but in 2/3rds of a mile at Hill Lane, the trail widens to a smooth 10-12 feet wide asphalt trail. There is also a dedicated bike lane on US 319 for those who don't want to ride on sidewalks. Unlike most trails which have narrow right-of-ways, the Capital Circle Trail which connects to the St. Marks Rails-To-Trails has a wide right-of-way which is maintained like a beautiful landscaped botanical garden. There are trailside benches to rest on and garbage cans to dump those banana peels or power bar wrappers in. Despite the trail following along a busy highway, I don't remember seeing any roadside litter. There is even lighting along the trail.
Cons: Capital Circle Trail is not a rails-to-trails. This trail follows the ups and downs of US Hwy 319 which has several hills with up to 5 percent grades that might cause a little huffing and puffing. This trail lacks a restroom on the trail itself. However there are gas stations at the beginning and end of the SE Connector Trail and at the nearby Tallahassee-St. Marks Trail Head. Due to the heavy traffic on Capital Circle, there is a lot of traffic noise on this trail.
Viewpoint: In a nutshell, yes, I would ride this trail again. It is beautiful. There is a reason why they call this a "Connector" trail. Just off Shumard Oak Blvd is the South Wood Nature Trail around a beautiful lake. Not far north of Apalachee Parkway and Capital Circle is the Lafayette Heritage Trail. Then on the south end of the SE Connector Trail is the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail which is about 20 miles long. The only reason why I don't give this trail a rating of 10 is because the first 2/3rds of a mile is merely a 4' wide sidewalk.
The downloadable GPS track of the Capital Circle SE Connector Trail can be found here:
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=2452979
Click on any thumbnail below to bring up a larger view photo gallery with commentary.