BEST PLACE TO MOUNTAIN BIKE

BEST PLACE TO MOUNTAIN BIKEMarkham Park16001 W. State Road 84

Sunrise

954-389-2000 The words mountain and Florida rarely come up in the same sentence -- unless you're an upwardly mobile biker who has found the next best thing to an actual mountain range: Markham Park. It may not be the Rockies, but Markham provides intense trails for serious riders. Amateurs beware: If you're not the type who can find an upside to falling down, stick to Oleta River State Recreation Area. "I don't recommend Markham for beginning riders," says Carlos Yulee, who leads group treks at several South Florida parks. He says Oleta is great for a workout and is safer, but for a real challenge he'll take Markham. The park has long steep climbs and even better drops, the latter branded with names like Big Gulp and the oddly (mis)spelled Fred's Foly (which riders have also dubbed Fudge Brownie because it's all dirt the color of bittersweet chocolate). Rider John Sabatier says he likes Markham's variety, adding, "Oleta is technical, Markham is fast and technical."