While Tampa is an urban center along the north shore of Tampa Bay, it has many natural lands protecting the water supply of the region, including linear areas along the Hillsborough, Little Manatee, and Alafia Rivers, all of which have hiking trails along them.
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Trails and Parks in Tampa
Alafia River State Park- One of the few saving graces of former phosphate mines is that they provide awesome air for mountain bikers in Florida, and Alafia River State Park is one of the rare places where you can launch on a Florida downhill. 
Alderman’s Ford Park- An easy loop at Alderman’s Ford Park, the Nature Trail slips behind the nature center for a walk in under ancient trees along the river’s floodplain corridor 
Alderman’s Ford Preserve- Alderman's Ford Nature Preserve offers a surprising treat for a Central Florida hike: whitewater, showcasing the Alafia River churning as it winds through a deeply eroded channel
Caladesi Island State Park- A windswept sentinel off the coast of Dunedin at the edge of Clearwater Harbor, Caladesi Island enthralls visitors with its remoteness, its quiet beaches, its extensive forests and mangrove swamps. 
Caladesi Island Trail- Protecting a windswept shoreline and a variety of habitats on a barrier island, Caladesi Island State Park is one of the gems of the Florida State Parks system
E.G. Simmons Park- E.G. Simmons Park in Ruskin offers a campground along with its beaches and mazy mangrove-lined waterways for paddlers and anglers along Tampa Bay.
Eagle Lake Park- In the heart of Pinellas County, Eagle Lake Park is the legacy of the Taylor family, who helped to found Largo. This urban forest is an excellent wildlife watching destination.
Eureka Springs- Eureka Springs Park includes what remains of a tropical botanical garden established in 1938 around springs that fed a lush floodplain forest along Six Mile Creek.
Fort Foster State Historic Site- 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.
Hillsborough River Hiking Trails- 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- 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.
Honeymoon Island State Park- An offshore getaway accessible by car, bike, or paddle, Honeymoon Island State Park offers white sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico, which keeps it busy on weekends. The northern portion of the island, upland pine forests fringed with mangroves, hosts colonies of ospreys and pelicans nesting. 
John B Sargeant Park- At the scenic confluence of Flint Creek with the Hillsborough River, John B Sargeant Park provides access to the Hillsborough River State Canoe Trail amid a lush cypress floodplain, with a boardwalk and footpath showcasing the views. 
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.
Lettuce Lake Park- At the north edge of Tampa, Lettuce Lake Park protects 240 acres along the Hillsborough River, with a loop trail and boardwalk that shows off cypress swamps and uplands.
Little Manatee River State Park- With sandy shores around every bend and a canopy of trees overhead, Little Manatee River State Park provides a place for a pretty paddling trip for families.
Little Manatee River Trail- Scenery, rugged landscape, and botanical diversity are all important factors for a great Florida hike. You'll find that on the 6.5-mile Little Manatee River Hiking Trail, one of our long-time favorites. 
Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve- Providing plenty of recreation opportunities, Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve protects 16,000 acres of floodplain forests and uplands along the river's sinuous flow south from the Green Swamp to the edge of Tampa.
Moccasin Lake Nature Park- Moccasin Lake Nature Park preserves a lush patch of native forest and a stream for the public to enjoy. Centered on a popular nature center which cares for rehabilitated raptors, it's an ideal place to take the kids for a gentle nature adventure.
Morris Bridge Park- Immersing you in the floodplain forest of the Hillsborough River, Morris Bridge Park has a short but beautiful boardwalk amid the deep shade of tall cypresses and oaks. Each twist and turn presents a different panorama of the swamp. 
Oak Ridge Equestrian Area- A mosaic of cypress floodplains, pine flatwoods, and sandhills, the Oak Ridge Equestrian Area is a thousand-acre woodland with 18 miles of trails burrowing deep into the forest.
Osprey Trail- On this barrier island just north of Clearwater Beach, the Osprey Trail at Honeymoon Island State Park offers a close-up look at a rookery of “sea eagles,” the noble osprey
Pinellas Trail- A paved ribbon stretching the length of Pinellas County from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs, the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail provides cyclists with more than 32 miles of low-stress cruising
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.
Trout Creek Nature Park- Under a tight-knit canopy of live oaks, Trout Creek Nature Park provides a pleasant place for a family picnic and a nature walk along the floodplain of the Hillsborough River.
Upper Tampa Bay County Park- Three short nature trails - the Eagle Trail, the Otter Trail, and the Bobcat Trail - explore different aspects of Upper Tampa Bay County Park's ecosystems, including the mangrove-lined estuary.
Ybor City Museum State Park- In the heart of old Ybor City, Ybor City Museum State Park presents the story of this tight-knit community of cigar workers and their families by immersing you into the past