The Trailblazer

As you hike, you'll come to 11 numbered trail markers (shown on the map). At markers 1, 2, 3, 7, and 10,  stop and listen to (or read)  the short informational clip provided.  You can download each marker separately using the links provided OR download the entire audio file and pause it between trail markers. You can also download the text to read along instead of listening. Remember to  bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack  with you and tell someone where you're going.  Happy hiking!  >>Brooker Creek Trail Map This is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like  Avenza  on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the map as you hike.  Audio Links: >>Trail Marker 1 >>Trail Marker 2 >>Trail Marker 3 >>Trail Marker 7 >>Trail Marker 10

  As you hike, you'll come to posts marked with the letters A through G. At each trail marker,  stop and listen to (or read)  the short informational clip provided. You can download each marker separately using the links provided. You can also download the text to read along instead of listening. Remember to  bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack  with you and tell someone where you're going.  Happy hiking!  Trail Map and Text Links: >>Apollo Beach Trail Map This is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like  Avenza  on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the map as you hike.  >>Full Hike Text Only Audio Links: >>Trail Marker A >>Trail Marker B >>Trail Marker C >>Trail Marker D >>Trail Marker E >>Trail Marker F >>Trail Marker G

As you hike, you'll come to posts marked with the letters A through D (shown on the map). At each trail marker,  stop and listen to (or read)  the short informational clip provided.  You can download each marker separately using the links provided OR download the entire audio file and pause it between trail markers. You can also download the text to read along instead of listening. Remember to  bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack  with you and tell someone where you're going.  Happy hiking!  Trail Map and Text Links: >>Alafia Scrub Trail Map This is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like  Avenza  on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the map as you hike.  >>Full Hike - Text Only Audio Links: >>Full Hike Audio You only have to download one audio file, but you'll have to pause it between trail markers.  >>Introduct...

As you hike, you'll come to posts marked with the letters A through E. At each trail marker,  stop and listen to (or read)  the short informational clip provided.  You can download each marker separately using the links provided OR download the entire audio file and pause it between trail markers. You can also download the text to read along instead of listening. Remember to  bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack  with you and tell someone where you're going.  Happy hiking!  Trail Map and Text Links: >>Lake Dan Trail Map This is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like  Avenza  on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the map as you hike.  >>Full Hike - Text Only Audio Links: >>Full Hike Audio You only have to download one audio file, but you'll have to pause it between trail markers.  >>Introduction >>Trail Marke...

  As you hike, you'll come to posts marked with the letters A through G along the red and yellow trails. At each trail marker,  stop and listen to (or read)  the short informational clip provided. You can download each marker separately using the links provided OR download the entire audio file and pause it between trail markers. You can also download the text to read along instead of listening. Remember to  bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack  with you and tell someone where you're going.  Happy hiking!  Trail Map and Text Links: >>Blackwater Creek Trail Map This is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like  Avenza  on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the map as you hike.  >>Full Hike Text Only Audio Links: >>Full Hike Audio You only have to download one audio file, but you'll have to pause it between trail markers.  ...

As you hike, you'll come to posts marked with the letters A through F (shown on the trail map). At each trail marker,  stop and listen to (or read)  the short informational clip provided.  You can download each marker separately using the links provided OR download the entire audio file and pause it between trail markers. You can also download the text to read along instead of listening. Remember to  bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack  with you and tell someone where you're going.  Happy hiking!  Trail Map and Text Links: >>Bell Creek Trail Map This is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like  Avenza  on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the map as you hike.  >>Full Hike Text Only Audio Links: >>Full Hike Audio You only have to download one audio file, but you'll have to pause it between trail markers.  >>Introdu...

As you hike through the preserve, you'll come to 12 numbered trail markers (shown on the map). At each trail marker, stop and listen to (or read) the short informational clip provided.  You can download each file separately using the links provided OR download the entire audio file and pause it between trail markers. You can also download the text to read along instead of listening. Remember to bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack with you and tell someone where you're going. Happy hiking!  Trail Map and Text Links: >>Golden Aster Scrub Trail Map This is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like Avenza on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the map as you hike.  >>Full Hike - Text Only Audio Links: >>Full Hike Audio You only have to download one audio file, but you'll have to pause it between trail markers.   >>Introduction >>Trail Marker 1 ...

It's rainy season in Hillsborough County. That means slogging wet roads and  lots of mosquitoes on many of our Hillsborough County Nature Preserves.  However, don’t put away your boots and binoculars yet – check out this list of  dry and shady county hikes, and you won’t miss the spectacular wildflowers and wildlife! Top 7 Shady Hikes Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve - North  9256 South County Rd. 39,  Plant City, 33567 Map The Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve is a 4,070 acre preserve encompassing lands along the Alafia River east of the Bell Shoals Bridge, extending upstream along the North Prong into Polk County, and along the South Prong to Jameson Road.  The preserve contains many different habitat types and also includes areas that were formerly mined for phosphate. The site is home to some listed species including gopher tortoises, eastern indigo snake, American alligator as well as many others. Hike the red trail to take advantage of the sh...

Are you stuck at home with kids who need some entertainment? Try one of these fun, natural crafts that you can make with items you have at home- no shopping trip required! Each craft can be made with only items that you probably have at home and in your backyard or neighborhood park. We've included work-around options in case you don't have some of these supplies and don't want to make a special trip to the store! If you do gather natural materials from a public area, remember to practice social distancing, even outdoors, with those who don't live in your household. Be mindful of nature and don't take too much of anything- and remember, if you're on a Hillsborough County Nature Preserve or at a county or state park, all plants and animals are protected and shouldn't be disturbed.  Pine Cone Bird Feeder Peanutbutter pine cone bird feeder, Bradley West, CC BY 2.0 Over 500 species of birds can be found in Florida. Some migrate here from the tropics or the north...

As you hike, you'll come to 6 numbered trail markers (shown on the map)- the first two in Stephen J. Wortham Park and the next four in Rhodine Scrub Preserve. At each trail marker,  stop and listen to (or read)  the short informational clip provided. You can download each file separately using the links provided OR download the entire audio file and pause it between trail markers. You can also download the text to read along instead of listening. Remember to  bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack  with you and tell someone where you're going.  Happy hiking!  Trail Map and Text Links The parking lot for Rhodine Scrub is located in Stephen J. Wortham park; download the trail map to see where the park and preserve connect.  >>Rhodine Scrub Trail Map this is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like  Avenza  on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the...

Enjoy these wildlife scavenger hunts that you can do on your own or with friends and family! As of Saturday, May 2nd, almost all of our Hillsborough County Nature Preserves are open again (except for Apollo Beach Nature Preserve, which remains closed to the public). It's time to get back outside and explore! These scavenger hunts are a great addition to your routine while hiking, bird watching, or simply enjoying the outdoors. Just remember to continue social distancing with those outside of your household and give other hikers plenty of space. These printable scavenger hunts feature species that you can find in nature preserves or parks, but you may have to visit multiple preserves to complete each one, and some species are much harder to find than others. Just click on the link under each section to open that particular scavenger hunt. Then you can either print the file and bring it with you or download it and follow along on your phone or tablet as you hike. Find a preserve near...

As you hike, you'll come to trail markers labeled A through E (shown on the map). At each trail marker, stop and listen to (or read)  the short informational clip provided.  Download each file separately using the links provided OR download the entire audio file and pause it between trail markers.  Remember to  bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack  with you and tell someone where you're going.  Happy hiking!  Map and text links: >>Cypress Creek Trail Map this is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like  Avenza  on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the map as you hike.  >>Full Hike Text Only Audio links: >>Full Hike Audio you only have to download one file, but you'll have to pause it between trail markers.  >>Introduction >>Trail Marker A >>Trail Marker B >>Trail Marker C >>Trail Marker D ...

As you hike, you'll come to 13 numbered trail markers (shown on the map). At each trail marker, and at the top of the mound,  stop and listen to (or read)  the short informational clip provided.  You can download each file separately using the links provided OR download the entire audio file and pause it between trail markers. You can also download the text to read along instead of listening. Remember to  bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack  with you and tell someone where you're going.  Happy hiking!  Trail Map and Text Links: >>Lower Green Swamp Trail Map this is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like  Avenza  on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the map as you hike.  >>Full Hike - Text Only Audio Links: >>Full Hike you only have to download one file, but you'll have to pause it between trail markers.  >>Intro...

As you hike, you'll come to 5 numbered trail markers (shown on the map). At each trail marker, and at the top of the mound, stop and listen to (or read) the short informational clip provided.  You can download each file separately using the links provided OR download the entire audio file and pause it between trail markers. You can also download  the text to read along instead of listening. Remember to bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack with you and tell someone where you're going. Happy hiking!  Trail Map and Text Links >>Cockroach Bay Trail Map this is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like Avenza on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the map as you hike.  >>Full Hike - Text Only Audio Links >>Full Hike you only have to download one file, but you'll have to pause it between trail markers.  >>Introduction >>Trail Marker 1 >>T...