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Tunnel of trees above trail

Brooker Creek Headwaters

With nearly 4 miles of footpaths adjoining the paved Upper Tampa Bay Trail, Brooker Creek Headwaters explores the rise of a waterway that nourishes Lake Tarpon.

Brooker Creek  |  Tarpon Springs
( 28.136793, -82.555810 )      3.9 miles

202 shares

Covering over 1,100 acres, Brooker Creek Headwaters Preserve provides a habitat for numerous native plant and animal species, some of which are endangered.

Multiple points of entry lead to an array of hiking trails that cross the property, presenting plenty of options to explore the immersive natural landscapes within.

Trail corridor in dense understory Trail winding through the preserve


Resources

Resources for exploring the area

50 Hikes in Central Florida Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: Odessa
Length: 3.9 mile loop
Trailhead: 28.136793, -82.555810
Address: 18102 Ramblewood Rd, Odessa, FL 33556
Fees: Free
Restrooms: No
Land manager: Hillsborough County
Phone: 813-264-8513

Open sunrise to sunset. Dogs are allowed on a leash.

Trail in floodplain forest


Directions

 
From Interstate 275, head west on E Bearss Ave for 3.1 miles, then turn right onto SR 597. In 3 miles, turn left onto Van Dyke Rd. Continue straight for 3.2 miles, before turning right onto Ramblewood Rd. In 0.6 mile, the parking area is located on the left side of the road.

Hike

Beginning at the parking area, be sure to check out the kiosk for important information regarding the preserve and a trail map.

Passing through a gap in the fence, follow the trail westward on an access road under a canopy of oak and pine trees.

Trailhead with fence Preserve trailhead


Initially, muddy spots along the path are easy to avoid while threading through a low-laying area with water on both sides.

Yellow blazes indicate the trail as it ascends slightly, and the canopy becomes sparser, allowing an understory of grasses, shrubs, and ferns to flourish.

Open understory in forest Open understory


Reaching a half mile, the trail enters an open area historically used for agriculture.

As the land is allowed to progress towards a more natural state, pine saplings and sumac sprout among swaths of saw palmettos, shinyberries, and blackberry brambles.

Trailside blackberry bushes Trailside blackberries


After turning to the right and crossing an old canal, the trail enters a forest of dense pines.

An avenue of bright green grasses leads the way, bordered by auburn heaps of fallen pine needles.

Trail thru pine forest Pine forest


Heading further east, the environment gradually transitions to swamp, and sections of the trail might be seasonally flooded, especially at the crossing of Brooker Creek.

Pond cypresses extend high above the canopy, covered in green needles that turn rusty brown in the autumn before eventually falling. The branches stay bare until the following spring.

Floodplain with cypresses Cypress trees in Brooker Creek


At the eastern edge of the property, the trail turns northward to follow along the edge of a neighborhood.

Prominent live oaks stretch overhead while clusters of lichen cling to the forest floor.

Reindeer lichen on forest floor Reindeer lichen


A loop begins at 1.6 miles, bisected by a cross trail to provide a few hiking options. To complete the loop, follow the yellow blazes northward.

They pass through an open mixed woodland of pine and oak for a half mile to a post marked with the number six.

Yellow blazed post along footpath Yellow blazed post


Turning left at the post will continue back to the other side of the loop, passing a section of the trail that is under water as it crosses through a small cypress dome.

Continuing southward, the trail is bordered by bay and cypress trees as it slices through a swamp before finishing the loop at 2.4 miles.

Follow the yellow blazes southward, returning to the trailhead in 1.5 miles.

Trail under water Swamp trail


Trail Map

Brooker Creek Headwaters Trail Map


Explore More!

Video


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Brooker Creek Preserve

The largest nature preserve in Pinellas County, Brooker Creek Preserve protects a mosaic of vanishing habitats while interpreting their value along more than 4 miles of trails.

Brooker Creek Preserve Friends Trail

The Friends Trail

Looping through pine flatwoods in the middle of suburbia, the Friends Trail at Brooker Creek Preserve offers a 1.8-mile hike in a lush forest.

John Chesnut Park

John Chesnut Sr. Park

With its extensive waterfront on Lake Tarpon and Brooker Creek in Oldsmar, John Chesnut Sr. Park has always been a popular natural getaway near Tampa Bay.

Blue lake with blue skies

Lake Rogers Park

A 2.4-mile loop trail circling Lake Rogers weaves through oak hammocks, shrubs, pine flatwoods, and scenic vistas along the water’s edge.

Trail Map (PDF) Official Website

Category: Central Florida, County Parks, Day Hikes, Hikes, Loop Hikes, Natural Lands, TrailsTag: Birding, Brooker Creek, Dog-friendly, Lutz, Tampa, Tarpon Springs

Have an update? Contact us.

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Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Lengthy boardwalk heading towards mangrove flats

John R. Bonner Nature Park

John R. Bonner Nature Park
Boardwalk framed by live oaks and saw palmetto

George McGough Nature Park

George McGough Nature Park
Leaning sand pines in scrub

Balm Boyette Nature Preserve

Balm Boyette Nature Preserve
Dock edged by mangroves

Maximo Park

Maximo Park

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