Sawgrass Lake Park: A Beautiful Natural Spot in the Heart of St. Petersburg

Sawgrass Lake Park in St. Petersburg covers 400 acres, providing sanctuary to wildlife in an urban location. The Pinellas County park is bordered by I-275 to the east, residential neighborhoods to the south and west, and commercial development to the north. A series of canals connect the park’s namesake lake to other lakes in the area and to Riviera Bay which is part of Tampa Bay.

Sawgrass Lake Park is home to one of the largest maple swamps on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The boardwalks pass through this swamp to the observation tower and the dirt Hammock Trail.

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• Trail Distance: ~2 miles
• Trail Type: loop
• Elevation: flat
• Difficulty: easy
• Duration: 1-2 hours
• Park address: 7400 25th Street N, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
• Parking: free
• Pet-friendly: Yes, on leash and not allowed on the boardwalks

Sawgrass Lake Park is a popular spot for finding alligators, various bird species, and other local wildlife. Like most of the other county parks in Pinellas County, it’s a wonderful free thing to do near Tampa and St. Petersburg. I planned my morning to arrive shortly after the park opened at 7:00 AM.

It was a little after 8:00 when I pulled into the parking lot. To my surprise, eight or nine cars already sat in the parking lot. Several people from the surrounding neighborhood also walked their dogs into the park using the 3/4 mile sidewalk from entrance to boardwalk.

I grabbed my gear and immediately found a less-used dirt path alongside the canal. The mosquitoes reminded me that I, once again, forgot my bug spray.

Trails at Sawgrass Lake Park

Sawgrass Lake Park offers three trails and a sidewalk encircling the parking area. Their website measures the trails at 1.5 miles; however, AllTrails says it’s almost two miles. If one walks all the boardwalks, dirt trail, and sidewalks around the butterfly garden and Arrow Lake, the distance stretches to greater than two miles.

The boardwalk begins near the Anderson Environmental Education Center. Once it crosses the canal and enters the maple swamp, the boardwalk forks with the left side leading to the observation tower at Sawgrass Lake and the right side leading to the Maple Trail and Hammock Trail.

While dogs are allowed in the park, they are not allowed on the boardwalks, so are restricted to the grass and sidewalk areas around the parking lot. Signs along the boardwalks also remind visitors not to feed the wildlife.

Sawgrass Trail

The Sawgrass Trail passes through the maple swamp along an elevated boardwalk with a covered overlook at the canal and the two-story observation tower at the end of the trail.

Maple and cypress trees shade much of the boardwalk. A variety of ferns and flowering plants grow from the muddy ground beneath. One plant found abundantly throughout the park is the non-native primrose-willow. Its yellow flowers attracted tons of bees and wasps.

The observation tower at the end of the Sawgrass Trail provides stunning views of Sawgrass Lake. The elevated boardwalk allows visitors to look down into the ferns, water lilies, and water to see the wildlife which calls the park home. Baby alligators find shelter and protection among the ferns while moorhens look for food in the lily pads.

Maple Trail

The Maple Trail is also an elevated boardwalk. It leads towards I-275, heading deep into the maple swamp. Halfway along the trail, a spur leads to the Hammock Trail, a dirt trail that takes hikers through an oak hammock.

The Maple Trail loops around to the canal where it crosses the water back to the sidewalk encircling Arrow Lake and the parking lot. This trail truly showcases the wetlands ecosystem found in this swamp. Cypress and maple trees form a thick canopy overhead while ferns obscure much of the watery ground beneath.

Early in the morning, with night’s dew still on the wood, the boardwalk can be a little slippery. And small spiders still have webs strung up between trees and boardwalk or even across the boardwalk.

Hammock Trail

The Hammock Trail loops around a hardwood hammock habitat in the middle of the maple swamp. Hardwood hammocks provide areas of land which are high and dry. Hardwood trees, such as oak and magnolia, grow in these ecosystems. Understory plants include shrubs, such as American beauty berry and native coffee.

The Hammock Trail at Sawgrass Lake Park is all dirt except the brick path in front of the covered outdoor classroom pavilion. On this trail, I encountered a marsh rabbit munching on a beauty berry. My presence did not bother at all it. Spending several minutes watching it was a highlight of my short hike.

Other Features of Sawgrass Lake Park

Sawgrass Lake Park offers many other things to do than a couple miles of boardwalks and trails. The park is also home to the Anderson Environmental Education Center, an adjacent garden with bench seating, a picnic shelter for family picnics or other outdoor gatherings, and a butterfly garden.

Anderson Environmental Education Center

The Anderson Environmental Education Center (closed when I visited) provides indoor classrooms, labs, and exhibits to foster and encourage environmental stewardship among children and visitors to the area. Two Park Naturalists and a dedicated Environmental Education Resource Teacher offer nature tours and outdoor field trips for thousands of visitors and school students annually.

Butterfly Garden

The butterfly garden at Sawgrass Lake Park features two short lengths of amazing bushes. Pollinator-friendly plants such as ixora, pokeweed, and porterweed. Several swallowtails and a couple of cloudless sulphur butterflies flitted from flower to flower. The bumblebees and small wasps also enjoyed the flower buffet available to them.

More Information for Visiting Sawgrass Lake Park

Sawgrass Lake Park is a great place to visit for anyone spending a few days in St. Petersburg. Nature lovers visiting the area will love a stop at this park, especially if combined with a visit to nearby Weedon Island Preserve.

How to Get to Sawgrass Lake Park

From St. Petersburg, take I-275 north. Exit on 54th Avenue N and go left. Take 28th Street N to 62nd Avenue N. Turn right and go to 25th Street N. Turn left and take 25th Street N to the end.

Tips for Hiking at Sawgrass Lake Park

If you plan to go hiking at Sawgrass Lake Park, plan your day according to the season. From October/November to March, the weather will be cooler and the humidity less stifling. In April and May, the heat ramps up but the ground remains drier. These are typically our drought months.

From July to October, rains pour down nearly daily in the afternoon. The heat and humidity make hiking potentially dangerous and the boardwalks will be slippery. Additional general tips:

• Wear weatherproof shoes, especially in the summer when you might encounter water on the trails.
• Bring water with you. There are water fountains and restrooms at the Anderson Environmental Education Center but no water stations on the boardwalks.
• Wear a hat.
• Bring sunscreen and bug spray.
• Bring your camera or phone for pictures.
• Bring your phone for emergencies.

Learn more about Sawgrass Lake Park at the Pinellas County website.

FAQs About Sawgrass Lake Park

Hotels Near Sawgrass Lake Park

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Hiking Resources:

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Collapsible Water Bottle: This is a great water bottle to keep in a hiking pack and fill at home or keep in the car in case you forget your Swell bottle at home.

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Hotels: We use Booking.com for lodging when we’re ready to compare and book hotels.