Hillsborough River State Park

About

Florida almost never gets rapids, and here the Hillsborough River drops over a limestone ledge into a frothing Class II run, with a wire suspension footbridge from 1936 still swaying above it. The Civilian Conservation Corps built that bridge, and the park around it, in the 1930s. It is one of the state's original parks, and downtown Tampa is only minutes away. Rent a canoe or kayak for the calmer water away from the ledge. Four trails add up to 7.3 miles through cypress and oak hammock, and since the park closes at sundown, start a long walk early. About a quarter of the park is low ground that can flood, unpredictably, in spring and summer. Across US 301 stands a wood-picket replica of Fort Foster, the Second Seminole War post that guarded the river bridge. It opens only for guided tours (10 a.m. on the third Saturday, mid-January through April) and for the Fort Foster Rendezvous each January and the Candlelight Experience each December.

Highlights

Getting there