Relax with the family at this developed county park within Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, which offers an easy nature trail and boardwalk with its picnic area.
Resources
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: Tampa
Length: 0.8 mile loop
Trailhead: 28.087064, -82.348201
Address: 12550 Morris Bridge Rd, Thonotosassa FL 33592
Fees: $2 per person day use fee
Restroom: near the picnic area
Land manager: Hillsborough County
Phone: 813-987-6200
Open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome but do not take them on the boardwalk. Picnic area provided.
Paddlers are welcome to hand-launch to enjoy the Hillsborough River Canoe Trail. Trout Creek itself is a little ways upriver from the launch, and is often too shallow to paddle.
The trail system here connects to the Wilderness Park Off Road Trails System, singletrack trails for off-road cycling running between Morris Bridge Park and a trailhead just south of this park.
Directions
From Interstate 75 exit 266, follow Morris Bridge Rd (CR 579) north 1 mile to the park entrance on the left.
Hike
Start your walk near the restrooms to follow the river to a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk that provides nice views and a place for anglers to cast a line.
As the boardwalk ends, turn left to follow a footpath paralleling the parking lot to the “Nature Trail” sign behind the first picnic pavilion on your left.
The 0.7 mile loop rambles through a shady oak hammock with an open understory of saw palmetto.
It continues through pine flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, and along the edge of the floodplain forest.
There are numerous connectors to the other side of the loop. To stay on the main loop, watch for the nature trail signs.
Explore More!
Slideshow
See our photos of Trout Creek Park
Nearby Adventures
More worth exploring while you’re in this area.
Morris Bridge Park
While the gentle loop boardwalk at Morris Bridge Park is a major reason to stop and savor the Hillsborough River, the park also provides cyclists a trailhead to off-road adventure
Oak Ridge Tract
A mosaic of cypress swamps, pine flatwoods, and sandhills, the Oak Ridge Tract of Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve offers an immersive day hike destination with many hiking options