Upper Hillsborough Hiking Trail

Created and maintained by the Florida Trail Association, the trail that traverses Upper Hillsborough Preserve was initially to be part of the statewide Florida Trail.

Although the Florida National Scenic Trail was later designated farther east in the Green Swamp, this riverside route remains a popular destination.

A primitive campsite is located a mile from the trailhead, providing relatively easy access for an overnight backpacking trip.

Formerly orange, this linear trail now sports yellow blazes

Resources

Resources for exploring the area

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: Zephyrhills
Length: 4.7 miles linear
North Trailhead: 28.259000, -82.114133
South Trailhead: 28.223017, -82.146133
Address: CR 535, Zephyrhills, FL
Fees: Free
Restrooms: No
Land managers: Southwest Florida Water Management District
Phone: 352-378-8823
Open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs permitted.

Be aware of seasonal hunting in the area. Check with FWC and wear blaze orange during hunt dates.

A free permit is required from Southwest Florida Water Management District for camping.

Directions

From US 301 in Zephyrhills, take CR 54 east. After 2.4 miles, you reach CR 535 (Chancey Rd). The northern trailhead is another 2.1 miles east on the right, across from CR 35. For the southern trailhead, turn right on CR 535 and drive 2 miles to the trailhead on the left.

Hike

From the southern trailhead, follow the yellow blazes into the woods. The sound of traffic quickly fades.

The trail is initially under a canopy of oaks. The landscape opens over the first half mile, bordered by paw paws, beautyberries, and grapevines.

Scrub oak hammock with draping spanish moss

Yellow blazes though the oaks

Reaching a half mile, the pathway emerges at a vast mesic flatwoods habitat. Tall golden grasses sway above saw palmetto in a savanna of pines.

As summer transitions to fall, blazing stars, Florida paintbrush, and goldenrod accent the landscape with vibrant purple and yellow flowers.

Pine flatwoods

This fire-dependent habitat is home to a variety of unique flora, including the scaleleaf aster, an interesting wildflower with tiny triangular leaves and lavender blooms.

These asters flower in early winter when shining sumac begins to take on a crimson sheen.

Scaleleaf aster

A side trail at 0.7 mile follows blue blazes for 0.3 mile to a primitive campsite nestled under a stand of oaks, complete with a fire pit and picnic table.

As the path weaves eastward through open areas between cypress domes, the forest gradually closes in.

Primitive campsite

Hidden from the direct sunlight, wild coffee sprouts from the forest floor alongside bog orchids and violets.

Cabbage palms take advantage of soggier conditions as the trail edges closer to the Hillsborough River floodplain.

Wild coffee

Frogs chirp in the distance while the path winds along the perimeter of primordial swamplands.

Majestic cypress trees rise from the dark tannic waters alongside red maples.

Turning northward out of the basin, the trail ascends to drier pine flatwoods.

Cypress swamp

Butterflies float above clusters of saw palmettos as bees zip from flower to flower, collecting nectar for their colonies.

Blueberries sport small white flowers resembling a bell alongside patches of fragrant Florida pennyroyal.

Florida pennyroyal and blueberries

At three miles, the trail crosses a raised bed of railroad tracks before dipping into a mixed forest of hardwood and pine.

The landscape is considerably different on the other side, where the forest is wedged between the river and a highway.

Some spots may have standing water certain times of the year as the trail navigates around wetlands for 2.4 miles before reaching the north trailhead.