Hikes near Tampa?

[dudeijuststarted]

I just moved from the north to Tampa. I know I'm not going to get the mountain range here, but am looking for good dayhikes within an hour or so's drive.

Hillsborough River State Park looks like a good pick, thoughts?

Boy I miss the AT!

[Sickmont]

Here, i live 40 minutes south of you and i use the Southwest Florida water managment district's preserve lands to hike around on here.

http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/map.php

For a start, go to the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness area. Lots of trails to stroll around on.
http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/lowerhillsborough.html

[Old Hiker]

Alafia River park on 39, south of 60, east of Tampa. Has some great hills to try.

[Sickmont]

And you can also do some good hiking at Alafia State park and the Balm-Boyette wilderness preserve too. Just watch out for the mountain bikers. We tend to fly down those trails a lot.

[zeus307]

Lake Wales Ridge State Forest is and AWESOME place. Day or over night hikes are available and very good. contact me if you would like more information and I will hook you up. Also Myakka State Park is another good place to hike.

[dudeijuststarted]

Thanks everyone. I can always count on WhiteBlaze!!!!

[Sailor (The other one)]

We're not far from you, in Bartow. Here ae some stories about nearby places we've hiked.
http://www.brownkatzoutdoors.com/lifeanddeathinmyakka.htm
http://www.brownkatzoutdoors.com/lucky.htm
http://www.brownkatzoutdoors.com/notagain.htm

Here's a terrific resource:
http://www.floridahikes.com/

Have fun.

[healthymom]

My absolute, hand-down favorite is the D loop at the Citrus tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest. 14 miles if you park off one of the fire roads and do it as a loop. Some nice elevation changes.
If you want a challenging hike, although not within an hour of you, try the Suwanee River section of the Florida Trail. If you hit it at the right time, you will hear music for about a day and a half. I usually do Ellaville to White Springs in 4 days.

[jbwood5]

Citrus, Croom, and Richloam are great sections this time of the year and are about 1 hour north of Tampa. Citrus may be a little further but as mentioned it is one of the nicer places with limestone caves and quite a diversity of follage and terrain. There are usually maps at locations where the trailhead comes out to a camping area. At Citrus you have Holder mine and Mutual mine where you can pick up maps. The trails are well marked and there are primative backpacking campgrounds (but no water). At Croom, the trailhead starts from Tucker Hill where you can pick up trail maps.
For further info, contact the Florida Trail Association. They have a web page.

[Walkintom]

You might enjoy JB Starkey as well. I have found that a lot of the SWFWMD locations don't have a ton of hikers out on the trails. Browse the SWFWMD site for several places east of you like Green Swamp.

If you don't mind driving across the bay, you can get in a bit over 4 miles if you do all of the boardwalks and trail at Whedon island. It is not only free but has a lot of nice scenery on the boardwalks.

A few miles further south you could hit Fort Desoto. Trail there is really more like bike path but it is again near interesting scenery and you can hit the beach or go fishing.

Myakka river (probably close to 2 hour drive for you) has almost 40 miles of trail and several campsites situated at decent distances from the trailhead.

Going north there is Ocala Nat Forest, which I have never done but intend.


http://www.myakkariver.org/

http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/starkey-park.html

[dudeijuststarted]

You guys are the best! I went from no ideas to tons in days. Thanks alot!

[Old Hiker]

Don't forget to check out geocaching.com and download the waypoints if you want to double up the fun on your hikes. Lots of geocaches around ALL these parks.

[Hammbone]

Alafia River trail system, as mentioned above, is a desiganted "EPIC TRAIL" certified mountain biking system. And trust me, it is. The hiking would be just as good. Watch out for the booming pig population in florida. ;)

[DBRIGGS9]

It's more than an hour away, more like two hours, but the Florida Trail through Ocala National Forrest is beautiful and has TONS of wildlife. I'm 2 two-for-two on Florida Black Bear encounters on my trips there. Lots of deer, rabbits, woodpeckers, bears, etc...
Definitely worth the drive.

[chiefiepoo]

My absolute, hand-down favorite is the D loop at the Citrus tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest. 14 miles if you park off one of the fire roads and do it as a loop. Some nice elevation changes.
If you want a challenging hike, although not within an hour of you, try the Suwanee River section of the Florida Trail. If you hit it at the right time, you will hear music for about a day and a half. I usually do Ellaville to White Springs in 4 days.
Agree with mom as above about WSF. Three tracts, Citrus, Richloam and Croom. Croom tract is closest to north Tampa, north on 75 to the Webster / Florida Nat. Cemetary exit and go west on cr476. There are two develpoed campgrpounds, Hog Island and River Junction taht have drive in sites, bath house, and water. A good 7 mile trail connects the two campgrounds for an overnight backpack experience. Withlacochee river runs thru the tract and has day or overnight canoe trip possibilities with riverside sites. Careful, the river is is subject to be low water during drought conditions and you could be in for a slog rather then a paddle. The river is prolific gator habitat so swim at your own risk, but on a hot day in june, who can resist? Also in Croom tract is a series of loops so you can build mileage as you want. There is a forest road grid system in Croom and Citrus so you can cache water in hot weather. PM me if you have any questions.

[DavidNH]

I had to chuckle.. hiking near Tampa Florida. That's a good one.


i guess though where there's woods there's hiking. Or you could always walk the roads.

[chiefiepoo]

I had to chuckle.. hiking near Tampa Florida. That's a good one.


i guess though where there's woods there's hiking. Or you could always walk the roads.
It is a stretch to think Tampa / St Pete in the same sentence as hiking, much less wilderness. Somewhere i read that >90% of Florida population lives within 10 miles of the coast. That leaves a some real empty spots here and there. I have a 90 min drive to get out of the population center and make it to a sort of remote trailhead. Remote isn't what it used to be here 30 years ago.

[Gray Blazer]

We used to hike from Camp Seoul, Safety Harbor to Sand Pine Ridge and camp when I was in the Boy Scouts. It's all Country Side Mall and High School now. Where we used to have the BSA Jamboree east of Lake Tarpon near Boot Ranch is all suburbia now.

Brooksville and Croom and all those other places mentioned above are less than an hour N of Tampa on the Suncoast Parkway or I-75.

[jnanagardener]

Myakka River State Park is southwest of you. It is excellent. Closer you also should try Brooker Creek Preserve in north Pinellas County and J.B. Starkey Wilderness area in Pasco.

[skooch]

We love Mayakka River State Park :) They have 6 primative campsites (reservations required) the farthest being 14miles in. You can hike for over 35miles there but bring plenty of water. It should be only 1hr or so from you. Will be hiking out there this weekend training with a fully loaded pack if anyone would like to join us.

[Ladytrekker]

I have hiked Croom and and all the tracts at Citrus they are a good hike, but it is dry hiking at Citrus so take plenty of water.

My favorite is Swift Creek to US 129 along the Suwannee River really beautiful and fairly challenging with ravines, creeks one has a 100 ft climb up a hill holding onto a cable alot of fun. However any hiking along the Suwannee is great I have hiked the entire Ellaville Trail and the Suwannee is my favorite river.

I just hiked Torreya State Park near Tallahasse this is stunning and is the closet to hiking the AT you will find in Florida.

Hopkins Prairie to Juniper Springs in the Ocala National Forest is also a good hike you can day hike it (10 miles) or break it in two and camp at Hidden Pond we had a lot of fun there.

www.meetup.com/florida-trekkers (http://www.meetup.com/florida-trekkers)