This is a nice preserve on S.R. 52 east of the junction with 41. It is used by remote control…read moreaircraft operators and has a landing strip. There are some wide trails (ie. dirt roads) that get hot in summer. There are some blackberry bushes for foragers... Cypress Creek Preserve and Upper Pithlachascotee River Preserve are also in the area

Florida's natural habitat at it's finest Hope it never…read morechanges Animals wild & free & trees hundreds of years old Make this place a historical hidden treasure

Stumbled upon this park on a wander…read more It was well tender and cared for, and in use. Always good to see parks being used!

Just a short drive North out of Brooksville, in a historic locale you'll find this off the beaten…read morepath gem. I prefer to call it a hidden gem. You won't find tons of traffic, people, noise or banter. IF that's what ya want, head to the beach! Instead you will find solace. Serenity. Quiet. A place to relax and reflect. The park is 'anchored' by a small lake. No speed boats, just reflections of the clouds above. There are a few small trails to conquer. And a short rickety wooden bridge, not much higher than tall grass, and no longer than a moment. But it's all a portrait of simple pleasures. I will sometimes just sit at one of the rustic wooden picnic tables and wonder how that huge oak got uprooted but still thrives. For me that's a symbol of pure survival, and a reminder to us humans. If you let it, time can slow down or even stand still here. Leave the driving to Mother Nature, and relax. Enjoy!

This Spring Hill park was spared due to the noble efforts of then high school student Kayla Madril,…read morean IB student who made it her mission to revitalize this park so it could reopen. (It was closed in 2011.) Amity Trails Park is 8.5 acres of tree-covered open space that is surrounded by private homes & paved roads. It holds approximately five wooden, covered picnic tables (no grills), some wooden benches, a wooden bike rack, & some trash cans. There's a mulched walking trail, but perhaps the best feature is the large open area that makes this park great for a friendly game of football, soccer, kickball, & frisbee. Visitors can even toss a blanket on the ground for a picnic lunch. There is an area for parking; it is covered in small white rocks. As I exited my vehicle & walked into the park, I was almost immediately greeted by a large turtle who hurried into her underground home. What a lovely little park that brings nature into the heart of a busy town. If I lived closer, I would picnic here often.

Went on a wander and came across the Weeki Wachee preserve…read more Free parking and a nice long paved walking trail. I didnt go far, i was trying to get the sunset and I was too late. I still got some very nice shots.

I was looking for a local place to get a few steps in. I've been here now, three times in one…read moreweek. I've rarely seen other people. Beautiful place to walk, and watch the sun set. Plenty of parking. A picnic table here or there.

Very basic with several areas "under construction " including the tower. Quick stop the. We were…read moreback in the car.

Kids playground area is dirty, as well as right next to porta-potties that you can smell from the…read morepark. Worst is the back walk area has been closed and under construction for what 5 years now. Clearly they've given up on this park.

Lake Dan Preserve is a cool enough place to spend a bit of time. It gives us a glimpse of untamed…read moreFlorida and reminds us that before tourism and theme parks forever changed the landscape of the Sunshine State, Florida was wild and untamed. I enjoy seeking out these places when I am traveling for business. It is great to find these hidden gems. One of the great things about traveling for work are these discoveries. I seek them out and am better for finding them. I encourage you to check this place out and seek out these hidden gems whether in your travels or even right there in your community.

Lake Dan Preserve is hidden in the back of a neighborhood with no signs on Tarpon Springs Rd…read moreindicating it's existence. If I lived nearby I'd keep it that way because this Hillsborough county park was an unexpected find that I thought was a beaut. At first glance, a small parking lot, playground and pavilion isn't much. However, once on the hiking trail a nice boardwalk with benches goes over a large lake. I used a trail guide from a QR code that led me to a Hillsborough park website to help me navigate because most signs in the park are colored posts and colors on trees indicating the path the hiker is on. I didn't see any signs indicating where paths went or their distance once at the park When I visited Lake Dan Preserve, I went straight (over the bridge/boardwalk) and took the second left (the red trail) and a few feet down is a picturesque lake that would make a great back drop for photos or an amazing place to relax by a small pond. Turn right and go down the yellow trail and you can hike into neighbouring Lake Francis Preserve. I choose to vear off and hike the connecting blue trail. The blue trail goes down a gravel road into several large open pastures. I must've said this is gorgeous 15 times. A short time later the trail turns as the back side of Trinity starts to come into view in the distance. As the path continues, it leads to Lake Dan and a fishing pier. It's basically a shorter version of the park's entrance bridge looking out a vibrant and large lake. Birds, fish and some cows mooing in the distance makes the pier a nice place to relax. Although, I can't imagine hiking that distance to find it crowded. When I visited Lake Dan my car was the only one in the parking lot and I didn't see another person inside the park. I plan on visiting this preserve again as I thought some it's views we're nice enough to be back drops in movie scenes. It's wide open spaces and lack of people inside made it's trails an excellent place to enjoy a peaceful hike.

This location continues to be a beautiful little park that is perfect for bird watching or just…read morehiking in the woods. There are many gorgous Bluebirds everywhere.

My husband moved to Land O Lakes in August. Not having seen any alligators since moving here we…read morewent on a drive to the Starky Ranch area where we were told we would find some. While we were on our mission, we found this gem of a park. The signage says that the park is for residents and it seems that you can pay a fee to use the park but I couldn't find any information. We parked and walked around. It was beautiful. A paved trail around a lake and plenty of birds to see. I plan on returning and would be happy to pay a non resident fee if I have to.