15 Beautiful Hiking Trails in Tampa to Try

Are you looking for the best hiking trails in Tampa? You’ve come to the right place!

As a resident of the Tampa Bay area and a fan of hiking, I’ve got all the information you need to find hiking trails in Tampa that are perfect for you.

Hiking near Tampa gives everyone a chance to see local plants and animals, unique ecosystems, and a bit of history. The best hiking trails in Tampa offer something for every skill level – from one mile to several miles and easy to moderate difficulty. Check these out the next time you’re in Tampa.

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1. Brooker Creek Preserve

Brooker Creek Preserve in Tarpon Springs is the largest undeveloped natural area in Pinellas County. It covers 8,000 acres and protects the Brooker Creek watershed. Brooker Creek feeds Lake Tarpon, the largest lakes in Pinellas County.

Hiking at Brooker Creek can encompass miles upon miles of trails or just a short walk from the Environmental Education Center. Hiking trails at Brooker Creek Preserve stretch nearly 20 miles. These include:

• Friends Trail (aka Walk-Through Trail): 1.75 miles at Lora Lane
• Scenic Horse Trail: 9+ miles off Old Keystone Road
• Wildlands Trail: less than 1 mile to 4+ miles at 3940 Keystone Road

Those looking for a variety of ecosystems and distances, this Tampa hiking trail provides just that. The trails closer to the Education Center range from a half mile out and back to a mile or so looped and are the most popular. Here you’ll find lots of people using the trails, enjoying the outdoors. Further into the preserve, you’ll find lesser used trails. Despite the lack of people, I’ve never felt unsafe. Be aware, however, that there’s little to no cell service on some of the more remote trails.

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Brooker Creek Preserve

2. Sawgrass Lake Park

Sawgrass Lake Park in St. Petersburg provides an opportunity to experience one of the most unique hikes near Tampa. The 400 acre park only offers 1.5 miles of trails; however, the main boardwalk passes through one of the largest maple swamps on Florida’s Gulf Coast and ends at Sawgrass Lake. An observation tower at the lake enables visitors to get a bird’s-eye-view of the lake and surrounding wetlands. A half-mile dirt trail meanders through an oak hammock.

Thousands of birds migrate through the park each spring and autumn, attracting birdwatchers from around the state. Visitors who spend a morning at this park see birds, butterflies, animals, and plants in their natural settings.

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Sawgrass Lake Park

3. Flatwoods Loop Trail

The Flatwoods Loop Trail or Flatwoods Park Trail is a paved, multi-use trail in New Tampa. The entire loop measures in at 11 miles. Anyone who wants to walk, cycle, or skate a lesser distance should complete an out-and-back route with a distance of their choosing.

As a paved trail, the Flatwoods Loop offers accessible outdoor use for nearly everyone. Four handicap-accessible parking spaces in the main parking lot provide van accessibility to the trail. Several unpaved trails provide deeper access to nature and into the “woods”. Despite being paved, however, users of the main trail still report seeing an abundance of wildlife, including tortoises, deer, and bears.

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Flatwoods Loop Trail

4. Honeymoon Island State Park

Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin is best known for its public beach and pet beach. It’s over 2,000 acres of land and wetlands and offers many places for walking and watching wildlife. Though most people head straight to the beaches, the park also offers over two miles of trails.

A short 1/3-mile trail loops around from the Nature Center near the entrance to Honeymoon Island. The longer Osprey and Pelican Cove Trails loop out and back from the northern part of the island. These trails pass through pine flatwoods where osprey, bald eagles, and barred owls nest. Mornings find bird-watchers with binoculars or high-powered camera lens stalking nests, especially in the spring when the eggs hatch. This habitat, however, is also home to deadly Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes, so it’s best to wear appropriate hiking shoes and keep one eye down to the ground.

For those who prefer a beach walk, the walk from North Beach to the northern tip of Honeymoon Island is approximately 2.5 miles roundtrip. In April 2024, the north part of Honeymoon Island was split in half, creating a new inlet and a new island from the northernmost one mile of the original island. The new island is called Oystercatch Key.

The state allowed much of Honeymoon Island to return to a more natural condition so the beach here is not always beach-like. In August 2024, Tropical Storm Debby passed by offshore and pulled much of the sand off the beach, leaving behind a rocky shore line.

LOCAL TIP: Take the ferry from Honeymoon Island to sister park, Caladesi Island State Park. Here, one can explore another shady nature trail through pines or walk the beach to discover warm Gulf waters and unique seashells. Caladesi is also a favorite destination for kayaking.

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Honeymoon Island State Park

5. Cypress Creek Preserve

Cypress Creek Preserve covers almost 10,000 acres in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties. Southwest Florida Water Management District purchased the land to provide flood protection and a public water supply.

Four trails throughout the preserve add up to nearly 20 miles of hiking for longer hikes near Tampa. The trails take hikers through hardwood forests, wetlands, and flatwoods. Trails are a combination of unpaved sand paths, dirt roads, and paved multi-use trails.

• Cypress Creek Preserve Loop from Parkway Blvd: 4.1 miles
• Cypress Creek Preserve Lower Loop from Parkway Blvd: 2.3 miles
• Cypress Creek Preserve Loop via Pump Station Rd: 5.7 miles
• Lizards Tail Red, Yellow, and Blue Loops: 6.4 miles

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Honeymoon Island State Park

6. Weedon Island Preserve

Weedon Island Preserve in St. Petersburg gives visitors an opportunity to explore a variety of ecosystems and vistas. The Preserve covers over 3,000 acres of water and land. More than six miles of trails include over two miles of handicap-accessible boardwalks and paved trails.

Weedon Island also boasts one of the most popular kayaking trails in the Tampa Bay area. Visitors to the nature trails see a bit of history (Weedon Island has a lot of that!) as well as mangroves, an observation tower, wetlands, and dry uplands. Trails at Weedon Island Preserve include:

• Boyscout Lake Loop Trail: 1.9 miles
• Lookout Point Trail: 1.9 miles
• Riviera Trail: 0.4 miles
• Tower Boardwalk: 0.8 miles
• Bay Boardwalk: 0.9 miles
• Upland Trail: 0.5 miles

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Weedon Island Preserve

7. Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve

The Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve covers 16,000 acres and provides flood protection and a public water supply for this part of Tampa. This preserve has six parks and two equestrian recreational areas providing plenty of hiking trails in Tampa.

Due to the preserve’s purpose and location, trails can be muddy or flooded during the rainy season. They are also some of the longest trails for hiking near Tampa. The most popular trails include:

• Morris Bridge Park Loop: 14.4 miles
• Wilderness Park Main Loop: 1.5 miles
• Dead River Trail: 4.9 miles
• Flatwoods Park Trail to Morris Bridge Park Loop: 14.9 miles
• Jefferson Equestrian and Hiking Trail: 10.2 miles
• Oakridge Equestrian Trail: 6.6 miles

8. Hillsborough River State Park

This beautiful and unique state park offers nearly twenty miles of hiking trails near Tampa to explore. Visitors to Hillsborough River State Park might choose the shorter mile-long trails or longer trails with more moderate difficulties. While the shorter trails follow the path of the river for amazing views, the longer ones allow hikers to get some serious miles under their shoes.

Hiking in Hillsborough River State Park takes one through hydric hammocks, which can be muddy during the rainy season, as well as through pine flatwoods with more sandy soil. Trails in the park include:

• River Rapids Trail: 1.3 miles
• Baynard Trail: 1.1 miles
• Seminole Trail Loop: 3.4 miles
• Wetlands Restoration Trail: 1.6 miles
• Fort King Trail (not within the park): 13.1 miles

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Hillsborough River State Park

9. Bell Creek Nature Preserve

Bell Creek Preserve protects 477 acres near Riverview, southeast of Tampa. It also preserves a wildlife corridor and extends an existing greenway. These hiking trails near Tampa pass through various terrain, including mature trees and open fields. Most of the trails are open and sunny. They are divided into three loops – red, blue, and yellow – totaling eight miles. The most popular route is called Snaggy Run and totals 4.5 miles.

Bell Creek Preserve also serves as one of two administrative offices for the Conservation and Environmental Lands Management department. This office serves administration purposes and sells park and boat ramp passes for Hillsborough County facilities.

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Bell Creek Nature Preserve

10. Boyd Hill Nature Preserve

Boyd Hill Nature Preserve is one of St. Petersburg’s gems. Originally a zoo and garden for exotic plants, preserve caretakers work daily to return and keep the 245 acres in a natural state. Over six miles of nature trails pass through a variety of ecosystems, including hardwood hammocks filled with graceful oaks, sandy scrub, and pine flatwoods.

Boyd Hill is on the south shore of Lake Maggiore and one of the most popular hikes in Tampa. The St. Petersburg skyline can be seen from a bridge to a small island in the lake and from various vantage points along the Lakeside Trail.

Boyd Hill Nature Preserve underwent additions and upgrades to include expanded, a campground, and a hall to use for rental space. The park also offers Pinellas Pioneer Settlement, a living history museum, and Lake Maggiore Environmental Center which offers nature camps and educational programs

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Boyd Hill Nature Preserve

11. Alafia River State Park

Alafia River State Park in Lithia calls out to all outdoor enthusiasts, especially mountain bikers, hikers, and horseback riders. Once a phosphate mine, it has some of the most extreme elevation changes in Florida, perfect for mountain biking.

Hikers get a little of that challenge as well on some trails. Twenty miles of multi-use trails give hikers plenty of opportunities to experience hilly terrain through forests and pine flatwoods. Lakeside rest areas provide beautiful places to catch your breath or just take a quick look at one of the park’s pristine lakes. Trails criss-cross and loop back to each other Alafia River State Park, so it’s suitable for hikers of all skill and stamina levels.

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Alafia River State Park

12. John Chesnut Park

John Chesnut Park in Palm Harbor covers over 250 acres next to Lake Tarpon. It features a variety of trails – paved, unpaved, and boardwalks – for hikers, walkers, and joggers. The Chesnut Loop Trail on the north side of the park includes fishing docks and an observation tower. At 2.70 miles, it’s the most popular trail in the park. The less used Peggy Park Trail runs through hydric hammock and along Brooker Creek to Lake Tarpon before it loops back to the parking area. It’s just over a mile. Combine both trails and the walking distance between them for a longer hike between four and miles..

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near John Chesnut Park

14. Hammock Park

Ask residents of Dunedin to name their favorite park, and Hammock Park often springs from their lips. Offering 90 acres of nature in the heart of the city, visitors to this park enjoy five miles of unpaved trails and boardwalks, three picnic pavilions, an observation platform, a disc golf course, and a butterfly garden. Abundant wildlife can be found in the park, including many bird species, small mammals, and coyotes. Native plants thrive in the many ecosystems found in this small preserve. The shaded trails draw runners, dog walkers, and families intent on exploring.

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Hammock Park

15. Lettuce Lake Park

Lettuce Lake Park provides the last of our top day hikes near Tampa. One of Tampa’s most-visited parks, Lettuce Lake Park features views of the Hillsborough River’s untamed waters, picnic pavilions, a playground, and a little over 3 miles of trails and boardwalks. The 3/4-mile boardwalk follows the river to end at an observation tower. Elsewhere in the park, the Hammock trail and hiking trail offer over two miles of trails to enjoy the area’s nature. More than half of Lettuce Lake Park lies in the river’s natural floodplain, a hardwood swamp forest. Visitors can also rent canoes or kayaks at the park to explore the Hillsborough River.

➡️ Hotel Recommendation near Lettuce Lake Park

Final Thoughts on Hiking Trails on Tampa

If you’re in the Tampa Bay area and need a nature break from business, sports, or family, try one of these 15 beautiful day hikes near Tampa. With trails that pass through the area’s many ecosystems and show off the natural flora and fauna, these parks and preserves are the best places for hiking in Tampa. Looking for hiking trails in another part of the sunshine state? Check out this article about the best hiking trails in Florida.