The Trailblazer

Always know before you go! We've introduced the Wild Score 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. A ruby-throated hummingbird sips nectar from firebush flowers at Lettuce Lake Conservation Park This month we rated Lettuce Lake Conservation Park in Tampa. This beautiful 240-acre park on the floodplain of the Hillsborough River is a favorite of walkers, joggers, families, wildlife photographers and paddlers. The 3,500 foot boardwalk runs through often-flooded riverine hardwood swamp, where (from a safe di...

WILD Score: Explore Hillsborough County's Wild Side Always know before you go! We've compiled all of the WILD score 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. New preserves will be added monthly - bookmark this page so you have a quick reference to plan your future hikes! Click on the image for a more in-depth breakdown for each Preserve or Park.

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 ...

  Here are some of the gorgeous native wildflowers you'll see when hiking through a Hillsborough County Conservation Park or Nature Preserve this month!  Water hemlock  This beautiful semi-aquatic plant ( Cicuta maculata ) produces masses of fluffy white flower umbels throughout the spring and summer. Growing in wet meadows, ditches, riverbanks, and even on floating mats of vegetation, water hemlock can be found throughout Florida. Be careful with children and pets around this plant- it’s extremely toxic, and ingesting a small bit of any part of the plant can easily be deadly. Water hemlock is in the carrot family and closely resembles some edible aquatic plants- never eat any plant that you aren’t 100% sure is safe to ingest!  Firebush More often seen in garden beds than out in the wild, firebush ( Hamelia patens ) is one of Florida’s most popular native plants. Drought- and heat-tolerant and able to grow anywhere from full sun to part shade, this attractive shrub b...

We love hiking all summer long, but we also love not being  dive-bombed by nature's most irritating (and itchy) little creatures  along the trail. Here are 5 simple tips to help you avoid becoming a mosquito's lunch while you hike the trails of    Hillsborough County's Nature Preserves and Conservation Parks this summer.

  Here are some of the gorgeous native wildflowers you'll see when hiking through a Hillsborough County Conservation Park or Nature Preserve this month!  Trumpet Creeper Found throughout the southeastern U.S., trumpet creeper ( Campsis radicans ) can be easily recognized by its showy red trumpet-shaped flowers. This beautiful and fast-growing vine is found in woodlands, hammock areas, and thickets and thrives in both sun and shade. Trumpet creeper's bright flowers attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. Look for these colorful blooms along the trails of Camp Bayou Nature Preserve in Ruskin and Cypress Creek Nature Preserve in Tampa. Alligator Lily Bob Peterson, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Alligator lily ( Hymenocallus palmeri ) is endemic to Florida, meaning it's found nowhere else in the world! This lovely lily can be found in ditches, wet roadsides and meadows, and the edges of cypress swamps and wetlands. Look for its delicate white blooms and spidery yello...

Recreation and Open Space Comprehensive Plan Update Sign Up to Receive More Info and Register for the Virtual Public Outreach Kickoff Meeting on June 2   Draft updates to the Recreation & Open Space Section of the Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan are coming soon! This is a long-range planning document that provides high-level policy direction for the future of recreation and conservation parks in Hillsborough County. The Hillsborough County Planning Commission is working collaboratively with the Conservation & Environmental Lands Department and Parks & Recreation Department to develop new language for the Section, which was last updated in 2008.    We want your input and feedback – please sign up here to receive email updates on the project and be notified when the draft is available. You can also register here to attend the June 2 virtual public outreach kickoff meeting to learn more about the update and make comments.