I planned this route and the original name was Smithville Lake South Loop, which you may also find on RWGPS. I was going tog to start at Sailboat Cove in Paradise, but they wanted me to pay $7 to park, so instead drove to Anita Gorman trailhead in the Crows Creek area where parking is free. This actually was a relief to me at the end of the of my ride since winds were 10-12 mph from the north. Great ride! You could start at any point on the route, however I need to learn more about how to use the RWGPS app….i loaded the course in my Garmin 530 and it asked if I wanted to navigate to the beginning of the course, so I said yes. Once I arrived there (Sailboat Cove) it said course was completed. I then reloaded the course and continued. Two areas of concern on the route: The one mile stretch on W highway have a very rough shoulder. Traffic is usually light, but it’s 55 mph. You will veer off the highway and through grass to access the paved trail just west of the W Highway boat ramp. I did not consider riding across the dam as a concern due to the good visibility and rideable shoulder. At the far south end of this route there is a one mile gap in 5 Corners Road. This gap can be completed on a gravel bike, but it’s a horse trail and is not improved. I’ve done it a couple of times, but on yesterday’s ride it was very muddy due to recent rain. I was able to ride across the creek but my shoes and bike were muddy. It’s a great place to get ticks, so plan accordingly. The alternative is riding 92 Highway which is very dangerous with no shoulder, highway speeds, steep hills and limited visibility. One could find a safer route via roads to the south with extra mileage.

Also, this route could be shorter if you take shortcuts in the campground areas, eliminating some of the winding shoreline sections. Or by taking some streets in the area.