The Hillsborough River State Park — just a short drive south of Zephyrhills — is one of Florida’s first state parks.
It’s a place where nature lovers can explore trails, where fishing enthusiasts can cast their lines, where families and friends can host special gatherings, and where campers can call the place home — for up to 14 days at a time.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
The park opened in 1938, as one of the nation’s original Civilian Conservation Corps parks.
The Hillsborough River — the park’s namesake — was named in the late 1700s for Wills Hills, the British Colonial Secretary and Lord Earl of Hillsborough, according to the park’s website.
The Civilian Conservation Corps established the area surrounding the river rapids as a public park during the 1930s.
The 3,600-acre park is divided by the Hillsborough River.
It features seven miles of nature trails and boasts 15 ecosystems, said Brian Pinson, park manager.
Nature enthusiasts have a chance to explore Florida’s wild side, with its ever-changing seasonal shows of wildflowers. They can also see wildlife such as deer, raccoons and rabbits, and birds such as owls, wood storks, woodpeckers, roseate spoonbills, and painted bunting.
(Courtesy of Florida State Parks)
Alligators are a common sight, as they sun themselves along the banks of the Hillsborough River.
Those who enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool can take advantage of the park’s fully accessible pool, which is open seasonally.
The park also has 117 campsites, which are extremely popular with northern visitors during the winter, Pinson said.
The campsites are also a popular draw on weekends during other parts of the year, he said.
The park draws roughly 250,000 visitors a year, and they come from all over.
During a recent campground coffee, there were visitors from as far away as Switzerland and Nova Scotia, and others from Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Pinson said.
The park also includes the Fort Foster State Historic Site, which is not widely known — even to visitors at the park, Pinson said.
The fort is on the east side of U.S. 301, and is only opened for guided tours on weekends and special events.
Fort Foster is a reconstructed fort from the Second Seminole War. Rangers lead tours of the site on the weekends, for $2 per person.
Despite its long-time presence at the park, Fort Foster is little-known, said Brian Pinson, park manager.
“Our annual attendance is about 250,000 people a year. Of that 250,000 a year, I’ll bet 240,000 of them have never heard of Fort Foster,” he said.
But, he’s trying to change that.
“We’re trying to get the word out on Fort Foster,” he said.
“What we’ve recently started doing is a dinner at the fort. We do it once a month. We sell tickets online. It’s like a four-star dining experience. We light the entire fort up with candles. We have re-enactors that come over, on the Seminole side, as well as the military side. And, you sit at a picnic table with a couple of strangers, but you get to sit down with somebody who is playing the part of a military lieutenant from 1835. It’s $25 per person.
“We do it the third Saturday of every month through the winter. (November through April).
The dinners are limited to 25 people.
People who want to learn more about Fort Foster and the Second Seminole War also can visit the Interpretive Center, which was the park’s original ranger station. There, visitors can see more than 100 artifacts from the Fort Foster site.
Pinson, who became the park manager just months ago, is working to increase the number of reasons for people to come to the park, and to help visitors take full advantage of what it has to offer.
For instance, every other Wednesday at 6 p.m., the park holds a potluck supper.
“It’s like loaves and fishes. We just eat and eat, and there’s always enough food,” Pinson said. “We’ve got meals from all over the country, sometimes all over the world.”
On March 19, the park is having a community yard sale. Anyone who wants to sell their items can rent out a table for $10, he said.
Pinson also plans to add a stage, to accommodate music in the park.
While there’s plenty to do, the park also is a great place to unplug, relax and recharge, Pinson said.
For some, the park is a sanctuary; for others, a meditation room, he said.
“This is an outlet for people to just do nothing,” Pinson said.
What: Hillsborough River State Park, a state park with nature trails, campsites, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, picnicking, fishing and special events.
Where: 15402 US 301 N., Thonotosassa, FL 33592
How much: Admission is $6 per vehicle (2 to 8 people); $4 for single occupant; $2 for pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers. Separate charges for camping, equipment rentals and event rentals.
More information: (813) 987-6771, or visit FloridaStateParks.org.
Published March 2, 2016
