Hillsborough River State Park
Thonotosassa, FL · Tampa Bay
One of Florida's original state parks, carved out by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, this is one of the few places in the state where the river actually has rapids. The Hillsborough drops over a limestone ledge into a frothing Class II run, and a 1936 CCC wire suspension footbridge still sways across the water above it. Beyond the rapids you get more than seven miles of shaded trails through cypress and oak hammock, canoe and kayak rentals on calmer stretches, and a weekend-staffed replica of Fort Foster from the Second Seminole War.




