Wild Score: Explore Hillsborough County's Wild Side at Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve
This month, we’re beginning our journey to rate Hillsborough County’s conservation parks and nature preserves on a scale of 6 (tame) to 30 (wild)! A high score doesn’t mean that spot is “better,” just that it’s more wild- if you’re looking for a more developed, people-centered experience, you’ll want to look for parks and preserves with a lower Wild Score.
We’ll use 6 metrics for this rating system, scored from 1 (most developed, most tame, etc.) to 5 (most wild). We’ll break down each rating for you and explain exactly how the park or preserve got its score.
First up: beautiful Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve in Plant City! This 2,200 acre Hillsborough County preserve was purchased using funds from the Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP) and includes some of the best remaining longleaf pine habitat in the county. Over 6 miles of unpaved hiking trail wind through palmetto, pines, and fields of wildflowers, past oaks and cabbage palms, and down to Blackwater Creek. Find out more about Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve and view the trail map here.
Ecosystem Quality (5- excellent quality)
Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve contains some of the finest examples of pine flatwoods and pine savannah in Florida. Native plant biodiversity is high, and some threatened native animals like the southern fox squirrel, indigo snake, and gopher tortoise call this preserve home. Although parts of the preserve were somewhat disturbed by cattle grazing in the past, native plants continued to thrive and have flourished since this land was protected. The cypress domes and wetlands in this preserve help filter water that flows into Blackwater Creek and eventually into the Hillsborough River and Tampa Bay.
Wildlife Sightings (3- moderate)
This preserve’s high-quality native ecosystems provide excellent wildlife habitat- but if you hike as a group or in the middle of the day, you may not see much wildlife at all. Because the preserve is so large and includes so much great habitat, wild animals have lots of room to roam and often aren’t found next to the trail (unlike some smaller parks and preserves in urban areas, where animals don’t have many habitat options). However, if you go early in the morning and hike quietly or sit and observe for a while, you’re sure to spot some interesting wildlife here.
Trail Surface (4- challenging)
The trails at Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve, though very well maintained, are unpaved dirt, sand, and grass with occasional rocks and roots. More importantly, these wide trails are often wet even in the winter and early spring dry seasons, and during the summer they’re frequently flooded with calf- or knee-deep water. If you don’t want muddy, wet feet, we recommend waiting until winter or early spring to hike this preserve!
Trail Markings (4- primitive)
These trails are relatively well-marked with colored blazes on trees and trail marker posts. However, once you’re out on the trail, you won’t find any maps, signs, or other navigation aids. Make sure you follow the blazes and know which trail you’re on at all times. We highly recommend bringing a paper map or, even better, downloading the geo-referenced PDF map to your phone and following along as you hike using a mapping app like Avenza. That way you’ll always know exactly where you are!
Amenities (5- no amenities)
When you drive through the gate at Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve you’ll find a parking lot, kiosk, and walk-through to the trail - and that’s it! Nature preserves are here for the animals and plants that call them home and are much less developed than parks. Most Hillsborough County nature preserves have no restrooms or other facilities, although some may have picnic shelters or picnic tables available.
Solitude (4- not many people)
Although you’ll often see one or two other cars in the parking lot here, this preserve is rarely crowded. The 6 miles of trail provide lots of room to spread out- you might see one or two other hikers along the way, with occasionally a few more on the weekends. This is a great spot to visit if you’re interested in enjoying some quiet nature time without too much human distraction.
