Explore Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park by foot or water
TAMPA, Fla. - With just under 600 acres of preserved land for recreational use in Hillsborough County, the Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park is a nature-lovers paradise.
The park has a lot of amenities including a nature center, kayak and canoe rentals, a boardwalk, and nature trails.
"The thing I love most about the park is how different it is. It’s on a peninsula on the water so you have the creek on one side, which is great for fishing and kayaking and you have the bay on the other side, which is still great for fishing and kayaking, but a wider opportunity there. You’re kind of in between both of these water features, so it’s kind of its own special little place," stated Ashley Martin, the program coordinator with Hillsborough County conservation parks.
Martin says there is a lot of wildlife in the park including snakes, birds, bobcats and deer.
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"It’s just a really cool park," Martin said.
The Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park has just under 600 acres of preserved land for recreational use.
In the park’s nature center you can learn about the history of Tampa Bay, the area in general and some of the area’s wildlife.
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"We’ve got fish species that a lot of people go after when they’re fishing here. We have some of our threatened diamondback terrapins, some local reptiles and a lot of other things to see," Martin shared.
A turtle swims at the Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park nature center.
Martin recommends the Bobcat Trail, which starts right behind the nature center. It starts off as a boardwalk, which is great for fishing and seeing wildlife such as manatees, crabs and eagles.
It also has two other trails off of the boardwalk.
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The Otter Trail is just under one mile long and goes along the water. The Eagle Trail is a straight shot to the bay and back. Martin says it is shady and great for bird watching.
The Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park has a creek on one side and the bay on the other.
"Whether you’ve been here before or never been here before, we’d love to have you out to Upper Tampa Bay Park and see all the things we have for you to explore, see and do," Martin said.
LINK: Click here for more information on the park.