There's a fee to enter the park, but it's worth it to take a few trails and spend a lot of time…read moreoutdoors. The trails are easy to navigate and are good for people of all levels. The nature center has a bathroom and a bit of information, but all the displays were empty, including the outdoor one that allegedly used to have a tortoise. There are canoes to rent if you're into that. Overall, it was a nice, uncrowded park to spend some time outdoors.

We visited this park as part of the 2020-2021 Hillsborough Hiking Spree. I was very impressed by…read moreit. We arrived and parked in the parking lot nearest the nature center. The center is currently closed due to Covid but the bathrooms are open. From what I could tell, on our mad dash to the bathroom and distance viewing, the displays are informative and well done. I'd love to return when it is safe to and take a look. The park has three trails that are part of the spree. We hiked the Bobcat Trail since it includes the boardwalk. The trail travels for about a half mile through trees and over dusty shells. Then it connects to the boardwalk. This was by far the best part. We walked along the beautiful, tree lined water, getting up close and personal with a bunch of small black crabs. We scanned the water for manatees but were not lucky to find any. The trail ends back at the nature center. We climbed the back steps to the top level and caught a great view of the river and the distant city. After the hike we hit up the playground for a few minutes. This is always my kids' favorite part. We also stopped off at the butterfly garden which was pretty active on this day. The park was in great shape, the bathrooms were clean, there were lots of people around doing various park things. Canoeing, kayaking, hiking, nature hunting and playing on the playground are just some of the things available at your fingertips here. So glad we visited! Can't wait to return to check out the other trails.

We love the outdoors and exploring new places. The park is still recovering from a fire, but it…read morewas still beautiful and we did see wildlife, which is always a joy. Saw a few birds, tortoise tracks, a dolphin, fish and different types of birds. The trails were easy to spot and navigate, but not recommended for someone with disabilities due to uneven and sandy trails.

We love to be outdoors. We are visiting Tarpon Springs and decided to go for a nature walk. This…read morecame up on a few different sites as being a good place to begin. I cannot tell you the amount of wildlife we saw. It was absolutely amazing. We saw Osprey and Ibis and tricolor Heron. The list goes on and on. We also saw a pair of osprey in a nest. We also saw a black vulture, a ring, neck, snake and various ducks not to mention a bald eagle juvenile. The water is beautiful. You can walk out on the dock and get a Birdseye view of the golf. They have clean bathrooms and plenty of parking. Bring your sunblock.

Revisiting this park after a few years, while in the area again. Sad to see the many tree stumps,…read moreremnants of trees that didn't survive the hurricane a couple years ago. For that reason there's less shade in the park, but otherwise it is well maintained and restored as much as possible. There is the historic spring, that was once a paid attraction in the area, but now the park is totally free. Usually there is an abundance of fishes near the circular spring. We enjoy walking along the trail. There's an observation tower that gives a nice view of the area, plus seveal decks to admire the Gulf. To the right side of the entrance there's a other trail, longer and more for bicycles, that takes you along the paved road to another observation deck. As walker I prefer the other trail, more natural, better shades, and less hot than walking on asphalt. There is a butterfly garden, and a little free library as well, near the parking lot.

What an incredible park. No fee. Plenty of parking. Great trails, boardwalks and a magnificent…read moretower about four stores high. There is a spring and plenty of wildlife. We were fascinated by numerous jumping fish launching themselves out of the water over and over again. They do close a few minutes after sunset so it is difficult to watch this from the tower and get back to the car before they close for the night. A park ranger was coming out to clear people out before the sunset. Not sure this is a daily occurrence but was on the Sunday night we were there. Park is pretty clean. Trash cans are emptied. Need some more signs showing where the trails are located. When you park by the main bathroom there is nothing telling you where to go for trails. Cute butterfly garden that could use a tiny bit of care and surprisingly had no live butterflies around it. The spring has several signs around it that explain it's history and made this more interesting. Look for the female silhouette in the bottom of the spring. There is a sign that helps you see it. Numerous picnic areas. They are rolling out a new reservation system but it was down for a week. The Pinellas Trail connects right to the park and several spots had bike racks. Only thing that was frustrating was numerous visitors not following signs for "no dogs" especially in the tower where leashes get in the way on small walkways. The sign right on the boardwalk leading to the tower clearly indicates no dogs so why do you feel entitled to walk your dogs up and down the tower? Hopefully no dogs peeing through wood slats down on people below. Definitely be back to this park when in the Sponge Docks area. The beauty is so evident here... There are some sections that smell like sulfur probably due to decaying swamp material but this is nature!

Less of a park and more a tiny patch of land too small to accommodate a house. If you're walking by…read moreand want to get a view of the water this is a charming little spot to do it. Nothing flashy or grand but a swampy little bit of earth. Beware, you may see a gator.

This is a cool little community park along the Hillsborough River. It's pretty small and I wouldnt2…read morego out of my way for it when there are bigtime parks in the area like Lettuce Lake, Robles, Lowry, Al Lopez, and Julian Lane in the area, but this is a chill spot with river views, a lil bridge, some sort of cement pool (spring?) and short paths to places to sit and ponder life in a nice residential area. The river runs by it and there are always reflections, water sounds, and some wildlife such as neighbors, birds, and watercraft in the area. Peaceful parking, the good kind.

A nice little park if you want a quiet place to go birdwatching. The 1/3 mile loop trail goes all…read morethrough the historic Boy Scout Preserve.

This 2010 sunrise to sunset park includes a 1/3 mile loop trail thru 18 acres of protected land;…read morefive historic Boy Scout fire rings; & one covered shelter above a lone picnic table. (At least one additional table could fit in the shelter.) This park once was an official Boy Scouts of America camping ground. At the entrance, there's parking for a handful of vehicles. The park includes a coastal hammock, salt marsh, & a mangrove swamp. Animals you're likely to find here include rattlesnakes, fiddler crabs, the white ibis, reddish egret, marsh wren, clapper rail, blue crab, seaside sparrow, swamp sparrow, & the roseate spoonbill. NO bikes, no motorized vehicles, no dogs/pets, no alcohol, no fires, & no hunting are allowed. Due to the marshy areas, I highly recommend bug repellent. The mosquitos were numerous & large. My partner in crime grabbed my keys & ran the rest of the trail; the mosquitos were THAT bad. From some of the trail conditions, it is obvious people have used motorized vehicles in this park, which unfortunately have created some deeply grooved & rough areas. I wouldn't recommend anyone physically handicapped visit this park. We heard some birds today, but saw absolutely NO wildlife (unless mosquitos count). It's an interesting trail, but one visit shall suffice.

What an amazing, huge park, with varied environments for a friendly nature walk with friends! We…read moresaw dozens of different species of birds including migrating ones, 3 types of woodpeckers, several types of hawks, warblers, many butterflies, a turtle, dragonflies, a rabbit, flowers galore - mostly native, native plants, bees including one stinger who unfortunately got someone in our friend group, and more, and more! We spent over 3 hours walking around, taking our time, identifying everything we saw as much as possible! The free park includes mangrove swamps, dry pine woods, forests and shrubbery so there are many opportunities to see nature enjoying time in its native natural environment! Just keep your eyes open and observe! Binoculars help sometimes! Life is good when I'm finally healthy enough to take a slow, long walk with friends. Progress! I will keep working out and eating healthy until I get all my strength and stamina back. Never give up! Never give in!

A beautiful state park to explore. We only went to do some…read moretrail walking and found it pleasant and peaceful. You can walk along a tree lined trail by a canal and from there branch off onto other loops. Beautiful Florida fora and fauna!

Homeless people. Not the crowd I'd want around myself or my family. Better alternatives.read more

Is so beautiful and so peaceful , clean and beautiful again , my kids love this placeread more

Cooper's Bayou Park is a smaller park. I honestly spend more time walking past this park than in…read moreit. It has a small lake with a paved trail around it. The lake has a fountain that doesn't always operate. There is also a larger grass field. The lake is pretty, but the bay that is not that far up the Ream Wilson Trail is stunning. The park does have some outdoor exercise equipment and a water fountain. It does not have a restroom. If parking is available, it can be a great place to park (it's free) and explore elsewhere. If you head south a tiny bit and cross the road following the Ream Wilson Trail, you will come to a really beautiful section of Del Oro Park and the blue trail bridge that crosses McMullen Booth. If you head north, you can walk to Safety Harbor and there are many beautiful areas along the trail. Overall, it is a nice little spot. However, I would not stop my exploration at just this park when you visit.

Happy Earth Day! Looking for a great little park to walk your pup or launch your kayak? Check out…read moreCooper's Bayou in Safety Harbor. It's small but rubs along the Bayshore trail and has good parking. You can walk all the way down to the pier and Main Street, it's about 1.2 miles. The kayak launch is small but usually pretty quiet so no jockeying with big groups to launch.