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Wooded path into a forest

Zephyrhills

You know the name from bottled water drawn from Crystal Springs. Founded in 1914, Zephyrhills edges up to the Hillsborough River basin southwest of the Green Swamp.

INTERACTIVE MAP

Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve

Grassy mowed trail in pines

Plant City      ( 28.128278, -82.154928 )      6.5 miles

A pair of loop trails provide access to wide-open pine flatwoods interspersed with a mosaic of prairie, cypress domes, oak hammocks, and a quiet spot alongside the namesake creek.

Colt Creek State Park

Fishing pier on lake

Lakeland      ( 28.303776,-82.055773 )      

Camping beneath the twinkling stars at Colt Creek State Park, enjoy a getaway from the busy bustle of the Interstate 4 corridor between Lakeland and Tampa

Cypress Creek Nature Preserve

Trail in tunnel of cabbage palms

Tampa      ( 28.14195, -82.38385 )      4.3 miles

A short drive from downtown Tampa, Cypress Creek Nature Preserve is an interesting window into a gradient of ecosystems along a tributary of the Hillsborough River.

Flatwoods Park

Cyclist on paved Flatwoods Loop

Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve  |  Tampa
( 28.1137, -82.3060 )      13.4 miles

In addition to the 6.9 mile paved bike path loop at its core, Flatwoods Park at Lower Hillsborough Wilderness provides many different routes for outdoor exploration

Florida Trail, Green Swamp West

Deeply shaded trail under sand live oaks

FT Western Corridor  |  Green Swamp West
( 28.314936, -82.056268 )      7.4 miles

Traversing scenic oak hammock, sandhills, and pine flatwood habitats, the southernmost six miles of the Florida Trail in Green Swamp West offers spectacular day hike and backpacking experiences.

Fort Foster State Historic Site

Inside the reconstructed Fort Foster

Thonotosassa      ( 28.144518,-82.224331 )      

Part of Hillsborough River State Park, Fort Foster State Historic Site takes you back to the era of Florida’s earliest pioneer settlers and their clashes with the native Seminoles.

Gator Creek Reserve

Gator Creek Preserve

Lakeland      ( 28.178883, -81.990050 )      2.5 miles

A dip into a corner of the Green Swamp, Gator Creek Preserve north of Lakeland offers 2.5 miles of easy loop trails for the whole family to explore

Hiking Tampa’s Oak Ridge

Hikers in the Oak Ridge Tract

February 6, 2014    Sandra Friend

The Oak Ridge Tract of Lower Hillsborough River Wilderness Area is a beautiful area for a hike. We joined the Suncoast Chapter of the FTA for an exploration while in the region for a talk

Hillsborough River Hiking Trails

Hillsborough River State Park

Hillsborough River State Park  |  Tampa
( 28.1491, -82.2273 )      5.8 miles

One of Tampa’s oldest parks, Hillsborough River State Park has a 5.8-mile trail system as its centerpiece, through old-growth forest and along river rapids.

Hillsborough River State Park

Hillsborough River State Park

Thonotosassa      ( 28.144716,-82.224621 )      

Water in motion: the Hillsborough rapids foam and froth over limestone boulders beneath grand cypress trees in Class II rapids. One of Florida’s oldest state parks, Hillsborough River State Park showcases this masterpiece of nature from an overlook and trail system built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Lake Conservation Park

Grassy path through pine flatwoods

Tampa      ( 28.11891, -82.50300 )      3.9 miles

A forested escape north of Tampa, Lake Conservation Park features a network of trails where you can loop nearly four miles around a series of small lakes.

Lower Green Swamp Preserve

Open marshy plain with blue skies

Plant City      ( 28.080805, -82.076424 )      5.9 miles

Miles of mixed-use trail loops traverses riverine forests and pine savanna, offering views of vast wet prairies and cypress swamps.

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