Do NOT drive here!!! And if you are physically disabled, avoid this park. This Pasco County Spring…read moreHill park is also known as Upper Pithlachascotoo River Preserve. And this review was written from the perspective of a lone, unarmed female who drives a Toyota SUV. In other words, take it from whence it comes... No park is worth RUINING my vehicle. Expect about 1/2 miles of pothole after pothole, broken gravel, & one crater that would truly be hazardous if a tire fell into it. No vehicle should travel this road to the county park, although there are homes & mobile homes along the drive. Truly one of the worst roads I've ever experienced! There was no one in the park upon my visit-- at least no other vehicle was parked in the designated lot. Had I screamed, NO ONE would have heard me but the animals. I did not feel safe being there alone. And NO DOGS are allowed. I didn't take many pics; I was too busy looking around to see if Freddy Krueger, Patrick Bateman, Norman Bates, Candyman, Leatherface, Ghostface, Hannibal Lecter, Michael Myers, Scarecrow, Negan, Reaper, Jason Vorhee, Chucky, & others of that ilk were following me! I highly suggest you read KEN K's review; he covered the park beautifully w/ words & pics. I also suggest you follow his bug spray recommendation. Will I return to hike this park? ONLY if I have a rugged companion & he drives us there:-) Seriously! It's just not worth it.

This is a newer preserve established in 2007 along the Pithlachascotee River and one of its…read moretributaries. There's a playground, picnic area, benches and a meeting house that's locked when not in use. There is also a garden with some labeled wildflowers in it as well as a plaque commemorating Robert J. Tietz who worked for Pasco county for more than two decades and helped establish it's land acquisition and preservation program. Signage discusses some of the wildlife and a map is posted. The preserve is good for hiking. There are a couple of looping trails off to the right (I think they go about 1.5 miles) and an elevated boardwalk trail over cypress swamp off to the left including a branch trail to a giant cypress tree. Fun area to explore if you enjoy nature. The roads to the park area in are unpaved and bumpy with some moon craters to avoid. The park is also known as the Upper Cotee Preserve. Trail map: http://www.pascocountyfl.net/DocumentCenter/View/11039

Came here the day after thanksgiving to check out this 46 mile trail and it was definitely worth…read morebiking due to the beauty you encounter. It took us about 3-4 hours with a 20 min stop in Floral City in the middle. We saw the occasional tortoise roaming along the trail side and pretty trees with Spanish Moss. This state trail also makes its way through areas where hunting is allowed so be warned and careful around hunting season. We noticed a park attendant in a truck which had a blower mounted on it driving down the trail and leaf blowing. That explained how pristine it was to ride it. Really enjoyed this area and finding some local wineries to sample from nearby. Floral City had a bike rental shop and noticed a number of people riding recumbent bikes on the trail.

As best I can tell, and I haven't been to all of them, there are several fun natural areas in…read moreWithlacoochee State Forest. Richloam offers ATV or dirt bike riding opportunities. There's a Withlacoochee River something or other part. And there are at least two other access roads to State Forest areas off S.R. 50. The Van Fleet Trail, a 29.3 mile rail-to-trail linear park, is toward the eastern part. WSF offers some good opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to explore and adventure. So get outside and 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.

Extremely disappointing experience…read more We arrived about 15 minutes late and expected that, at worst, our tour would simply start without us or that we would be offered a reasonable solution. Instead, we were refused completely. What made the situation even worse was that there were six of us (three couples), and each couple was given a different explanation for why we couldn't go. The stories kept changing, making it feel like the staff were simply making up excuses instead of being honest. Good customer service isn't about never having problems--it's about how you treat people when something goes wrong. Unfortunately, this place chose excuses over professionalism. We wasted our time driving there, made plans around this activity, and left feeling frustrated and disrespected. Based on our experience, I would not recommend this business.

Easy to find, very peaceful and secluded. Almost all the other amenities were closed (water park,…read morebeach, food) and the mermaid show wasn't for 2 more hours so we left after our kayak trip.

Great little park a nice walk on the trail from there can even see the withlacoochee river.read more

Lake Townsen Preserve is a 375 acre park by Istachatta that offers 2.5 miles of hiking / running /…read morebiking / horseback riding trails. The area includes Lake Townsen Regional Park (fishing pier, boat ramp on the Withlacoochee River, Playground/Tot Lot, sand volleyball court, basketball court, horseshoe pits, horse trailer parking, water trough, hitching rails, and a network of riding/hiking trails; and Withlacoochee Trail segment., lighted picnic pavilions and picnic tables, barbecue grills, restrooms, historical signs and baseball field ) and Nobleton Wayside Park (including picnic tables, a one-half court for basketball and a boat ramp.) The area is divided into four management sections and includes longleaf pine, cypress, and sandhill ecosystems. Management plan: http://www.hernandocounty.us/plan/esl/preserves/LakeTownsen/LAKE%20TOWNSEN%20MGMT%20PLAN%20FINAL.pdf Here's the county website: http://www.hernandocounty.us/plan/esl/preserves/

On our quests to find new places to walk/home we found Fickett. It's a nice, dirt path with a few…read moresigns about every half mile. There are a couple little bridges also. It is a completely dirt path so expect lots of bugs, dress appropriately and bring bug spray. However, it's completely shaded the whole path, so while it does get hot and humid, at least you don't have the actual sun beating down on you! Our only complaint was no benches or picnic tables to sit down and snack afterwards. Not a horrible complaint as out car works just fine, we just enjoy having a snack after we walk and eating it outside. We will definitely be returning to this oayh more often!

Fickett Hammock is about 148 acres and a one mile hiking trail loop located northwest of…read moreBrooksville on Centralia Road. The address is: 15482 Centralia Road, Brooksville, FL 34614. According to the county website the hardwood forest hammock includes seasonally flowing streams and saw palmetto thickets with tree species including hickory, dogwood, longleaf pine, hophornbeam, ironwood, American holly, and swamp chestnut oak. Ecosystems include oak hammocks, hickory groves, sparkleberry thickets, and flatwoods. A second trail was supposed to be in the works.. I will investigate!!! More info and a link to a map and photos at http://www.hernandocounty.us/plan/esl/preserves/

Been coming here for 15+ years and glad much hasnt changed even after everything they have been…read morethrough with hurricanes and everything. The people that work here and the people on the water are great had a euphoric day!

This place is ABSOLUTELY TRASH now. I would not suggest that anyone go here anymore. Nothing but a…read moremajor money grab now. They got rid of their Jon Boats and they are expensive now!!! $35 for a kayak and $45 for a two seater kayak. Definitely not a place you can bring family to anymore.

Probably one of the better trailhead location along the Withlacoochee Trail. There are 2 restrooms…read more(not porta potties) with water. There is a single filtered water drinking fountain. Across from it is a pavilion with picnic tables. Parking on most days is ample, however, during large events you might find it to be a challenge. The trail is well maintained to include the trail surface. There are many benches along the trail. The trail is maintained by the park service and they do come out to check on the facilities. A lot of the trail is shaded which makes a pleasant ride experience.