Johnny Molloy - Best Easy Day Hikes Tampa Bay

Best Easy Day Hikes Series

Best Easy Day Hikes Tampa Bay

Johnny Molloy

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Every effort has been made by the author and editors to make this guide as accurate and useful as possible. However, many things can change after a guide is publishedtrails are rerouted, regulations change, facilities come under new management, etc.

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Thanks for your input, and happy trails!

Copyright 2009 Morris Book Publishing, LLC

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Project editor: Julie Marsh

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

ISBN 978-1-4930-0571-0

The author and The Globe Pequot Press assume no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book.

This book is for John Hamilton, a good man and a friend of my father.

Contents

The Hikes

Acknowledgments

Thanks to all the people who made this book possible. Thanks to Scott Adams for guiding me through this project. Pam Morgan helped all over the place. Nevin Sitler of www.PaddleandPath.com and Billy Reis gave invaluable information. Thanks to John Hamilton for his friendship.

Special thanks go to all the land managers of the area parks and preserves. A special thanks goes to all those who work at Lithia Springs Park. They befriended me and helped shape this book. Finally, thanks to all the hikers in the region, for without you these trails wouldnt have a reason to be, and I would have no reason to explore and enjoy the scenic trails of greater Tampa Bay.

Introduction

Leaning against the live oak, I looked out. Below, the dark stream coursed between palm-lined banks and over limestone rocks, splashing noisily as it followed gravitys orders. Behind me, lush woodland rose to a sun-splashed oak scrub. I considered the biodiversity contained within a stones throw of my position. It truly was amazing, howin the space of a few feetTampa Bays ecosystems could vary. I thought of another example on the coast at Honeymoon Island. There, mangrove trees rose from salt water, then sea oats found life above the mangrove. Still higher grew wind-pruned slash pines. I smiled, thinking how the hikes in this book reflect the areas biodiversity.

The greater Tampa Bay area is a watery region. Naturally, people think of aquatic sports when it comes to outdoor pursuits. However, the region is laced with trails that meander along the ample waters and beyond. A quick glance at a map reveals numerous state and county parks, most of which have hiking trails. Beyond that, still other areas have trails on them, particularly the ELAPP (Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program) lands of Hillsborough County. This county has aggressively pursued buying and preserving ecosystems special to the area.

With this book in handand willing feetyou can explore the greater Tampa Bay region. The Hillsborough River basin offers many hikes in a junglesque floodplain forest, as well as extensive vistas astride a tributary, Blackwater Creek. The Alafia River basin has hikes that travel along rocky streams and in rare oak and sand scrub environments. Little Manatee River State Park offers a remote watery loop. The urban areas of Pinellas County offer getaways, toonamely Sawgrass Park and Lake Seminole Park, where you can enjoy some lakeside hiking and traversing boardwalks that take you over the water. The coastline is well represented. You must take a ferry to reach Caladesi Island State Park, but it offers hiking directly on the Gulf and the palmy interior of the island. Bird-watchers flock to Honeymoon Island State Park, where you can hike and look for winged creatures simultaneously. Explore the past at Weedon Island. It has the benefit of being a good birding destination, too. Brooker Creek offers freshwater environments and a chance to enjoy some environmental education at its fancy nature center. Other destinations also have facilities for learning about nature, while still other areas, like Violet Cury Preserve, protect lands and have nothing more than a trailhead. No matter where you go, the trails in this book will enhance your outdoor experience and leave you appreciative of the natural splendors of the greater Tampa Bay area. Enjoy.

The Nature of Tampa Bay

Tampa Bays hiking grounds range from the coastal islands to the high pines and scrub of eastern Hillsborough, from narrow unimproved tracks to paved paths. Hikes in this guide cover the gamut. While by definition a best easy day hike is not strenuous and generally poses little danger to the traveler, knowing a few details about the nature of the Tampa Bay area will enhance your explorations.

Weather

The Tampa Bay area is blessed with a mild climate, with rainy and dry seasons. While overall the weather is inviting, each season poses unique challenges for hikers.

Winter is most conducive to hiking. Including winters shoulder months, the hiking season generally lasts from November to May, and it can be pleasant hiking weather indeed. Winter days average near 70 degrees, and nights cool down to the 50s. Freezing temperatures are rare, but strong winter winds can make nights chilly. This is the dry season, which usually lasts through May. As the days lengthen and temperatures rise, increasing heat and humidity result in afternoon thunderstorms. These storms become a regular feature in June and last through September. Of course, this is hurricane season also. Gulf breezes occasionally make humid summer days more tolerable. During summer or the shoulder seasons, try to hike early in the morning, when the temperatures are coolest, the sun is lowest in the sky, and thunderstorms havent had a chance to build.

This area is within the so-called lightning belt, which annually experiences more than ninety days of lightningwhen 45,000-amp bolts head from the sky toward the ground. By the time late fall comes, continental fronts are a welcome relief, as they clear the skies and cool the air, and the hiking season resumes again.