There is a $2 fee that you pay at a machine in the parking lot. Went here to fish and birdwatch but…read moredidnt catch anything since it was the wrong time of day. Saw plenty of other wildlife though such as gators, turtles, and several species of birds. There was very nice scenery of huge cypress trees and palmettos from the boardwalk and there were several places to fish from it without being in the way of walkers. At the fishing spots there were places to put your unusable fishing line so it doesn't accidentally blow into the river. The regular bathrooms were closed but they provided porta-potties which were stocked and of typical cleanliness for a park toilet. The trails were a bit confusing with many options leading to the same places.

I thought I had explored almost all of the Hillsborough County parks so I was quite surprised when…read moreI discovered that Trout Creek Conservation Park existed. I don't know how I missed this one. Once you pull off of Fletcher you continue to drive for way longer than I expected. It's nice that you can be so secluded when you're really not that far from residential and business areas. Unlike several of the other Hillsborough parks you have to pay (two dollars) to make use of this one. I'm assuming that's because it has a full bathroom available? No park is going to have a "nice" restroom and this one certainly didn't BUT it was fully stocked and you didn't have to touch anything to wash your hands. That's a big plus in my book. There are also several picnic pavilions and a launch for canoes. Canoes and gators are a "hell no" for me but you do you. The signage is minimal. Because I had done my homework I knew that there was a boardwalk somewhere here. If I didn't know that we would have easily missed it. The boardwalk isn't particularly long, but it gives you some very nice views of the river. The maps are honestly atrocious. It was hard to decipher where the heck the walking trails were. We eventually found a sign past one of the picnic pavilions that said "nature trail" and started exploring. We encountered several forks in the trail and because there were no signs indicating what was in each direction we were completely guessing at our route. Some of the path was pretty overgrown and also the densely packed tree roots you had to walk over could make tripping pretty easy. If I come back I'm just going to stick to walking on the bike route instead.

Cool riverside park walk along the park and river. This Hillsborough River flow along the location…read moremake the strolling or jogging very desirable. The scenery ever changes along the river make this prime location. The house along the park has clear view toward the river and the park. We were here because live orchestra music in the park. Because it close to holiday, they play the Christmas and holiday music. Very pleasant. The park also is a home for canoeing and rolling boat area. There was boat parade when we visited the park. Children are roaming like not limit. There plenty tree cover for open air concert. The gazebo serve as a stage for the presentation. Love the Santa make available to the kid and old kid like me. It was great to see old friends from Yelp in a surprise meeting in the park.

Located along the Hillsborough River, this is a relatively small, free neighborhood park, which is…read moreperfect if you want to exercise or take a walk with no hassles. There is a paved asphalt track that circles along the exterior of the park which runs a little over half a mile. I do wish there were more trees along the path - much of the path is in full sun, which can get brutal in the summer. There are plenty of cool, huge old oak trees in the center of the park, though, so it's a perfect place to bring a chair or blanket to just hang out. There also seems to be a yoga class most weekends held right next to the river, which is pretty neat. It does have a few amenities - one picnic shelter, a volleyball area, a great little playground, and restrooms. Plenty of parking - in the lot, or along the street. Great spot to bring your dog!

Very nice trail! Plenty of parking lots along the trail. The trail is a mixture of shade and sun,…read morewhich was nice. There were a few water refill stations, but I didn't check if they had water. The trail round trip was I believe 14-15 miles if my watch tracked right.

This is a good starter walking path. I liked all the trees for the shade. It has good paved walking…read morepaths. I saw a few bunnies, turtles and squirrels. Nice facility of restrooms.

Four stars because the park is great, but make sure you park in the designated parking area and not…read moreany space for the office park. Tow company "too late towing" has guys sitting by the bathrooms and as soon as you're out of site they run to get their trucks and tow you. $220. If you return to your vehicle while it is still in the process of being towed, the tow truck driver must agree to lower the vehicle and can only charge you up to one-half of the posted rate for the towing or removal service. Fla. Stat. § 715.07(2)(a)(3). If the tow truck operator does not agree to do this, your vehicle may have been illegally towed.

Beautiful place to relax and enjoy the sunset. The views were amazing, the atmosphere was peaceful,…read moreand it was a great spot to spend some time outdoors. "

I've driven past Lake Francis Preserve many times and never knew it existed…read more After traveling down the main road, I parked in the open field parking lot and walked the rest of the way into the park through the pedestrian gate. Almost immediately after entering the park, I seen cows not far away from where I was standing. The rest of my walk consisted of me walking toward them (further into the park) and them turning around every few feet. Eventually we reached a large group of cows at the end of the road near a gate. At this point, most of the cows moved out of my way but a few bulls stared me down. I yelled at one that I thought was going to come toward me and it swung it's head and backed away. It turns out Lake Francis leases it's land to a cattle rancher and he/she left their gate open probably on purpose so the cows can roam freely. Essentially where all the cows ended up congregating and eat at is where hikers turn to continue on a primitive trail that connects to Lake Dan Preserve. I didn't see any signs indicating a turn and kept going straight over a fence and a wild boar saw me and took off into the woods, and snarled at me as I passed by. When I reached the cattle rancher's out post I realized I wasn't where I was supposed to be and ended up walking back. So you don't make the same mistake I did, click the QR code on the trail guide sign at the pedestrian gate when you walk into the park because signage is poorly marked after entry. The QR code populates a website that displays several trails, and explains how they differ by showing photos. The scenery of Lake Francis is very pretty but there isn't much to do besides stare at the cows and use the deteriorating road as a jogging path. Be mindful there isn't much shade and there lots or cow poop everywhere. When I return I'd like to hike the primitive trail that leads to Lake Dan Preserve to see what that's all about. If you haven't visited Lake Francis give it a try and experience this park for yourself and take in the quiet setting of it's pastures and animals. It's very different from other nearby parks and all the busyness of Tarpon Springs Road is non-existent.

I was excited when I found Lake Frances Nature Preserve as I hadn't noticed it before, so I decided…read moreto investigate it. What I found was a Horse park, mostly. The parking area is for trailer parking, and there is a 1.5 mile road, but no shade. You can hike, but be aware of the local wildlife as this is as primative as you'll get.

Natural Spring coming up from mama earth. A peaceful place and very cool water. Bring bug spray for…read morethe mosquitoes. Bring a picnic lunch too. Respect the natural beauty

Beautiful area but nowhere to park, limited parking. Nice drive. It is unusual with the location…read moreoff a main street, beautiful homes on the river but nowhere to go with a dog or to walk as limited parking by the side of the road. Perhaps I missed something, let me know.

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.

My first time on the trail. Rode my bike several miles on the west end from East Lake Oaks…read moresubdivision. LOVED IT! Will be going further east in a day or so. Beautiful trail, lots of shade, bridges, and wide in most parts to pass walkers, etc.

This is a great trail to ride and explore from park to park. There is definitely some work to do as…read morefar as signage for this trail, but hopefully the map I posted helps people navigate it. There are various parks where you can access it. And the trail includes paved, wooden bridge, crushed shell \ gravel and on-road sections. I rode from Bicentennial Park to Mobbly Beach Park. There is a short dead end offshoot by the water body but if you go back to the right and around the back you go over some bridges and are eventually dumped on Dunkirk (a trail map is posted here which is helpful but there is no street sign). Go right, you're on Dunkirk. Then go left on Country Club. You will see a connection back to the next section of trail on your left. This was my favorite part. In late May there were beautiful wildflowers and natural vistas. There are also signs about different plants and animals spaced along the trail as well as workout stations. It ends at Mobbly Beach Park which is gorgeous and a nice place to swim except late in summer when it gets a bit algaefied. Looking forward to exploring the rest of the trail. See you out there.