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Dock edged by mangroves

Maximo Park

A tropical oasis in the middle of St. Petersburg’s Skyway District, Maximo Park is an excellent urban destination for a breezy walk or a paddle on Tampa Bay.

St. Petersburg      ( 27.708978, -82.679634 )      1.4 miles

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Overlooking the serene waters of Tampa Bay, Maximo Park can be a quiet escape or bustling outdoor space depending on the day of the week.

This site has been inhabited for thousands of years, and artifacts have been found among shell middens in the area.

The park offers two ramps for launching powered watercraft, a kayak launch, disk golf course, picnic shelters, and a large playground.

A one-mile ADA accessible paved trail meanders through the park in two loops, providing spectacular views of the coastal habitat.

Bayfront framed by cabbage palm Placid waterfront at Maximo Park


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: St. Petersburg
Length: 1.4 mile loop and round-trip
Trailhead: 27.710097, -82.682707
Address: Sunshine Skyway Ln. S and Pinellas Point Dr. S.
Fees: Free
Restrooms: Yes
Land manager: City of St. Petersburg
Phone: 727-893-7441

Open 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Dogs are allowed on a leash.

Waterfront bench on bayfront


Directions

 
From the interchange of Interstate 275 and the Pinellas Byway, head east on 54th Ave S for 0.2 miles, then turn right onto 31st St S. In 0.7 mi, turn right onto Pinellas Point Dr S, continuing under the I-275 overpass into the entrance to the park.

Hike

Starting at the beachside parking area near the playground, follow a paved walkway eastward along the bay, towards a deeply shaded stand of trees.

Clear, calm waters lap the shoreline as seagulls hover in currents of sea breeze, occasionally calling to one another.

View of bay with city on far shore and sailboats at anchor Overlooking the bay


Meandering through a subtropical jungle of cabbage palms and gnarled oak trees, the pathway passes a few picnic shelters.

Breaking into the open, it reveals an impressive waterside observation tower.

Gently rocking sailboats bob in the shallow waters of the bay, as various wading birds gather on Indian Key in the distance.

Approach to hexagonal observation tower Observation tower


From the tower, a lengthy boardwalk leads into a thick stand of palm trees.

Follow the boardwalk, turning left at a set of stairs before eventually joining the paved path again.

Staying to the right as the walkway leads up a small hill, continue on the trail while it crosses the main road.

Boardwalk through palm hammock Palm boardwalk


It opens to a wide, grassy field where disk golfers fling their disks towards targets situated along the course.

Pine trees become more prominent, with numerous branches extending outward into lush green domes of needles.

Large Pinellas County pine Pine in the disc golf course


Palmettos line the path as it continues to an intersection at 0.4 mile where a short loop begins on the north side of the park.

Traversing an open area dotted with large pines, the trail ventures towards a wide canal with dense tree cover along the shoreline.

At the water’s edge, trailside picnic tables offer a cool resting spot in the shade.

Picnic table in shade along the bayfront Shady picnic spot


The loop ends in 0.2 mile, joining the main trail as it leads southward and crosses back over the entrance road.

Immediately after crossing the road, make a right turn onto the south loop.

Curious squirrels linger near the abundant picnic areas as the trail crisscrosses the disk golf course, on the lookout for stray snacks.

Picnic table under the pines along paved path Squirrely pit stop


You reach the parking area at one mile, but can explore further by heading westward along the shoreline towards the boat ramps.

A paved path leads past the kayak launch and a covered pavilion, before ending at a small fishing dock nestled in a cluster of mangroves in 0.2 mile.

Adding the round-trip to this beauty spot results in a 1.4 mile hike.

Mangroves surround a wooden pier Fishing spot among the mangroves


Trail Map

Maximo Park Trail Map


Explore More!

Video

A walk through Maximo Park


Nearby Adventures

More worth exploring while you’re in this area.

Boardwalk at Clam Bayou

Clam Bayou Nature Preserve

Along an environmentally significant estuary of Boca Ciega Bay, Clam Bayou Nature Preserve offers well-established trails with several overlooks and a kayak launch

Path at Boyd Hill Park

Boyd Hill Nature Preserve

Once a zoo in St. Petersburg, Boyd Hill Park has 3 miles of trails looping through a mosaic of natural habitats and tropical landscapes along Lake Maggiore.

Palm Arboretum

Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum

A lush oasis on St. Petersburg’s Tampa Bay waterfront, the Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum features a bounty of palm species in a small space

Flamingo feeding at Sunken Gardens

Sunken Gardens

One of Florida’s oldest roadside attractions, Sunken Gardens is now a county park showing off more than a century’s worth of botanical bounty in St. Petersburg

Official Website

Category: Central Florida, Hikes, Launch Points, Nature Trails, Paddling, Parks, TrailsTag: Accessible, Birding, Dog-friendly, Family-Friendly, Fishing, Mangroves, Observation Towers, Picnic, St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay

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