Hillsborough River via Florida Trail is a 5.3 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Thonotosassa, Florida that features a river and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
dogs on leash
kid friendly
camping
fishing
hiking
mountain biking
trail running
walking
forest
river
wild flowers
wildlife
muddy
Directions from Zephyrhills, FL: Travel six mile south along U.S. Highway 301 to reach the park entrance. Follow the one-way loop park road to any of the three northern parking lots. Trails follow the river bluff.
Excellent trail! It was well-maintained and very scenic the entire way. I loved walking along the river, which gave some of the best scenery on the entire trail. Saw a few gators and lots of turtles and birds. Definitely a 5-Star trailand I highly recommend this along with the river rapids trail.
Well maintained narrow trail- beautiful path right up next to the river. Lot's of sawgrass. Saw some wildlife.
Almost 6 miles on the Barnard And Seminole portions of the Florida Trail. Great hiking and real nice Shots of the upper Hillsborough River. Tested the new hammock as well for my upcoming section hike on the AT. Trail is in good condition and very little mud.
Glad I had running shoes on for the longer, duller stretches through the woods. Beautiful stretch along the river and past the rapids. Take your shoes off and enjoy the river, just check for gators first.
This was my first solo hiking trail. I did the Seminole trail (moderate). i was a bit nervous whether i would be able to find the trail and follow it. i was very pleased. the trail was clearly marked. there are lots of roots on this trail so make sure you pay attention to where you're walking. I came across a whole nest of large birds (not sure exactly what they were) and spotted a small gator down by the end of the river! the part of the trail along the river is a beautiful hike, the part inland is a bit boring. most of the trail is well shaded. I'd definitely go again!
Loved this trail! So nice and easy and nature filled with a beautiful river!
Went recently. Seminole trail was a very enjoyable, moderate hike.
My favorite area hike. I go about once a month with my two dogs and they love it. Add it to the Rapids Trail and Baynard Trail for a full day. I have seen plenty of gators, turtles, fish, woodpeckers, an owl, tons of other birds, turkeys in the cattle field the trail borders, and even an otter in the small creek deep into the trail. Lots of rutting marks from pigs, but luckily I have not seen any yet. Please remember to pick up after dogs and keep them on leash!
great trail well marked
great trail nice area just to walk and unwind from a busy work week planning to go again
One of the nicest place to go for a walk in the Tampa Bay area. Park at the first parking area and walk towards the river. it is about a 1 mile walk between the parking and the suspended bridge. You follow the river and you can see some wildlife. Many gators live along that stretch. When you cross the bridge, you can choose between a roughly one or 3 mile loop. We did the longer loop. It follows the river for the first half. The second half is through the woods. A small stretch was a little soggy.
Hiking
Love this park! We have been here twice now and have done 2 different trails. Not very hard, but beautiful scenery. Nice facilities to have a pic nick. Playground is ok. Bathrooms are clean too. Want to go back with the kayaks.
Beautiful, hot, humid and fun. I'm visiting Florida. So glad I got a chance to visit some pretty hikes with my mom and cousins. We had a good time.
Definitely do NOT bring a stroller. Big mistake
One of my favorite trails in the Tampa area. Tends to be less crowded than the rapids loop, and offers plenty of opportunities to see amazing plants, fungi, and wildlife. Well maintained.
We love coming here. We've been twice so far and each time have done two trails. Have seen lots of fish and some alligators. I love being able to bring my dog. The water is beautiful.
Our best trail yet the river was a welcomed sight and we even saw a couple alligators drifting down the river. Lots of fish and plenty of shade along the way.
This was such a surprise! The river rapids were a nice treat, and the water was so clear!! It's honestly such a gorgeous place
We saw an otter and hundreds of fish... even a few alligators
This is a neat little gem east of Tampa. I hiked it on a Saturday morning with my dog. I saw three other people, each with dogs. I saw some baby alligators in a cypress bog just off the river(which the trail follows for the first mile or so) which were exceptionally adorable, lots of cool, colorful fungi, and even a small boar. Perfect two hour adventure.
All this- great. BUT the back half of the trail was underwater, I decided to chug along to make the FT loop, and the mosquitoes are very present. Fingers crossed I don't have Zika!
I will definitely go again, perhaps in winter once it dries out a little and the mosquitoes die off some.
This trail is my favorite hike in Florida. It gets soggy with a lot of rain but it's generally low traffic, shady, and variable. The red line on the map actually traces the Florida Trail, formerly the Seminole Trail, which is the large loop on the left side of the map, and the Baynard Trail which is the smaller loop on the right side of the map. They meet in the middle at a bridge which crosses the river. The Florida Trail features a primitive campsite - no water, power, or bathroom - located about one mile from the trailhead at the bridge.
It was awsome. There is little cabins out there and rural camp sights with water and electric. Theres grills and firepits. A couple bathrooms. Not outhouses. A fishing boating area. I saw a few turtles. And a gator at the fishing area. I got lost and walked out to the rode to find my car. Its only 2 dollars. If you're the type of person at the bugs love it is a little bit of mosquitoes back there but I'm just lucky mosquitoes don't seem to like me so they stay away what an awesome place I never saw anybody when I was back there and there's a cool observation tower that you can climb be careful I bang my head when I was walking upstairs I think a little dehydrated but all in all it was awesome
Hillsborough River State Park is great. This is our favorite hometown area. The River Trail is accessible for all. The Banyard Trail is nice and you can do a little cut through to make a loop if the bridge is out. The Florida Trail part is good, but watch for plenty of standing water during our rainy season!
Two hours hiking with my kids on the woods. We saw a lot of animals, also alligator and two baby armadillos . Beautiful Riverside, nice clean trails 100% sure I will be back . Absolutely great .
Easy hike mostly along the river. Beautiful canopy keeps you protected from the Florida sun. Lots of bugs, so don't stop for too long. Not very private, lots of kids running around, campground is close to the trails. Alligators are easily seen.
Best trail I've been on in awhile. We saw an alligator, crossed bridges, and enjoyed the view of the water. The rapids are especially exciting for Florida.
Wes R.
Stayed there and camped in the primitive campground and hiked all the trails twice. The wetlands trail was our favorite. But the 3.2 Florida trial has so much to offer and see. The last half is like taking a hike back in time. Untouched nature. The state park does a good job keeping this place nice and the Rangers were great.
Lovely park. Well maintained trails & nice bridges. Parts run along the Hillsborough River so very scenic. Several trails of various lengths to choose from. Good for hiking or mountain biking. It is an enjoyable hike but not overly challenging. Many amenities at the park. Canoeing also available. If you go near dusk, be sure to bring mosquito repellant. The ultrasonic bug repellant app also helps. There are many picnic areas & a playground for children - family friendly. Tends to be very busy on weekends.