01/27/2026
Club Scrub – Trail stewardship update.
To our Club Scrub community and the thousands of riders and supporters who follow,
I wanted to personally share an update on the ongoing efforts at the Camp Murphy mountain bike trail system at Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
Over the past several months, we have been working closely and diligently alongside park staff and park leadership to identify, test, and evaluate trail-surface materials that are suitable not only for the unique environmental conditions of this park, but also for the safety, durability, and long-term enjoyment of the riders who use these trails.
After many months of research, on-site evaluations, and discussions with the park, we have finally arrived at a material that has been approved for use on the trail. The park has selected what is referred to as a crushed granite material, which I’ve jokingly nicknamed “Black Gold” because of its cost, but which shows real promise as a long-term solution.
The primary goal with this material is to eliminate the loose sand that has increasingly taken over large portions of the trail system and has unfortunately led to a decline in both ridership and overall enjoyment. Anyone who rides Camp Murphy regularly knows how challenging and discouraging those sandy sections have become.
There is a lot of excitement and, honestly, a lot of anxiety in our community to see this trail returned to the joy and quality it once had. Many of us remember what Camp Murphy used to be before some very large changes within the park system affected the mountain bike trail more than almost any other part of the park. That is a story for another day, but the impact on the riding experience has been real and lasting.
This trail is very personal to me. Like so many others, I have spent countless hours out here riding, volunteering, building, maintaining, and sharing this place with friends and family. I’ve watched new riders fall in love with the sport on these trails, and I’ve seen how important this space has been to our community for decades. That’s a big part of why I’ve been so committed to getting this right. This trail deserves care, patience, and thoughtful solutions.
This trail was not created overnight. It was built through well over hundreds of thousands of hours of work by a few incredibly unselfish individuals, along with countless volunteers over many years. It is a trail that requires constant care and endless maintenance. While it may never return to what it once was in terms of jumps and thrills unless something changes in the future, the park has strongly encouraged us to help restore the trail to what it was originally intended to be: an enjoyable, sustainable ride through the natural scrub and beautiful South Florida outdoors.
This has not been a casual process. It has involved hands-on testing of proof-of-concept sections directly on the trail, careful consideration of environmental impact, and a close partnership with park management to ensure the solution meets both ecological and long-term maintenance standards.
We have now opened volunteer portals and are actively moving forward with a great deal of momentum. With the continued support of volunteers, donors, and the park, our current goal is to have a significant portion of this work completed by June, based on our best estimates.
While Club Scrub is no longer the primary maintenance organization for the trail system, we remain deeply committed as an advocacy and fundraising organization to supporting the park and helping ensure the long-term future of mountain biking in South Florida. Today our role is focused on advocacy, fundraising, and working cooperatively with the park to help identify and implement sustainable solutions that benefit both the land and the riding community.
These trails mean a great deal to all of us, and I believe strongly that any improvements made here must be done thoughtfully, transparently, and in full partnership with the park.
I’m proud of the collaborative relationship we continue to have with Jonathan Dickinson State Park, and I’m encouraged by the progress that is being made. More updates will be shared as work continues and additional milestones are reached.
Thank you to everyone who supports Club Scrub, the park, and the broader effort to protect, improve, and expand off-road cycling opportunities in our region.
Jeff Orr
