Hillsborough River State Park

The Hillsborough River State Park is one of the Florida State Parks. It is located on U.S. Highway 301 in Zephyrhills, 11 kilometers northeast of Tampa. It is divided by the River Hillsborough River into two parts and covers 13.7 square kilometers.

Nature

The special feature of the park is in the rapids that occur at the site of the park in the Hillsborough River. They are caused by limestone in the bottom of the river. Characteristic of the flora in the park are cypress family and pine forests. Gopher tortoises, woodpeckers, owls, bobcats, and deer can be observed here.

History

Opened in 1938, he is considered one of the first state parks in Florida and was created by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Many parts of the park are examples of the rustic architecture of the CCC. The Fort Foster in the park is a replica of a military fort from the Second Seminole War, the only one in the United States. Guided tours at the Fort will take place on the weekend.

Activities

The park offers nature trails for hiking over 11 kilometers in length. You can drive in the park canoeing, cycling and fishing. There is a campground, two children's playgrounds, a swimming pool and the Woods cafe.