Driving home from a guest appearance on the Florida Folk Music show to talk about the nine misguided plans to develop our state parks, it made sense to stop and explore Hillsborough River State Park (HRSP). Established in 1938, this park is northeast of Tampa, providing the real Florida experience with an extensive trail system, various habitats, and a scenic river with Class II rapids.
Acquiring the land for HSRP began in 1934 with the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) doing the groundwork building the caretaker’s cottage, fire tower, and support buildings.
In 1935, the park became part of the Florida State Park system. From 1935 to the park’s opening in 1938, the CCC built recreation facilities. Additional frame and native stone residences were constructed by the state before 1941.
HRSP covers nearly 3,000 acres featuring swamps, pine flatwoods, and floodplains. Those floodplains lived up to their name this past August. While I was there, the trails and bridges leading to and over the river were closed due to significant storm impacts. When Hurricane Debbie came through on August 5, the Hillsborough River swelled to 32 feet, raising the river well into and past the natural floodplain.
Another trail bridge crossing the river, has been closed since 2017 when Hurricane Irma came through. Seeing the bridge and trail still closed seven years later was frustrating, especially with the proposed plans to add pickle ball courts and a frisbee golf course. Let’s fix what we already have.
One of the highlights at HRSP is the river and its Class II rapids. It is a rare sight in Florida to see rapids. The river was still very high and due to the trail closures, I didn’t get a chance to see it. I will have to make a plan to come back.
Photo by Florida State Parks
The park has an extensive trail system ranging from an easy 1 mile to a full day 7.3 mile trail along the historic Fort King Military Road. With over half the day gone, I made my way to the Wetlands Restoration trail to hike. The 1.6 mile trail wanders through the restored wetlands on accessible terrain for many levels of hikers. A mid–afternoon, 95 degree hike didn’t deliver on the wildlife viewing. I bet grabbing a campsite to spend a few days and get out on the trails at dawn would showcase an immense array of wildlife activity. Another reason to come back!
I highly recommend a trip to visit HSRP. It is a quiet escape into the real Florida, reminding us why we all value our state parks as wild havens for wildlife and people amid urban and suburban development.
How to visit:
Hillsborough River State Park is located at 15402 US-301 near Thonotosassa and Zephyrhills in the Tampa Bay area. The park is open daily from 8:00 AM to sunset.
We have a family house in Belleview, between Ocana and The Villages, Over the years we have canoed
5 rivers in Florida State Parks within an hour of our house. All of them, and other state & county parks, rate above similar places in some other states we have visited.
But there should be a warning that though other rivers are placid, Juniper Creek should be considered for younger, more experienced paddlers with electronics in watertight containers not required elsewhere. I have paddled or rafted some white-water rivers in MI, ME, WY, IL with only one canoe spill. My second was on the wilderness twists of Juniper Creek without even any white water. It is a constant push to the inside of each twist to keep out of the overhanding brush on the outside. A low tree limb caused the spill into 6-8″ of water and 6-8″ of muck bottom. And cost the replacement of 2 cameras and cell phones.
At 90, I now only paddle the lake in front of my daughter’s house near us in Maine.
Our 1926 house in Belleview, which my in-laws bought in the 1970s, may be up for sale in the next couple of years due to lack of family interest, the change in traffic, insurance costs and the long drive from ME.