Hillsborough River State Park

Convenient camping for Tampa Bay

The Hillsborough River State Park is located northeast of Tampa, just outside Thonotosassa. It has lots to offer…camping, kayaking, bike trails, hiking trails.

The Hillsborough River runs right through the park, hence the park’s name. The river is one of the few spots in Florida where you can find rapids. There is a small Class 2 rapid and an even smaller Class 1.

I’m a tent camper and found the campground to be in good shape. The sites are fairly private with wooded buffers. As with most state parks, the sites tend to be packed closely together.

But it was quiet at night, leading to a good night’s sleep. All of the sites have water and power.

There is a primitive campground, located off the Seminole Trail. There is also a youth campground off Parking Lot 3. It is used primarily for youth groups and scouting troops.

If Glamping is your thing, there is a concessionaire who will set up an air-conditioned tent for you, complete with a comfy bed.

The restrooms need some attention. We camped in Loop 1 and the showers were exposed, flimsy PVC plumbing, with no shelves to hold your soap and shampoo.  It’s hard to keep restroom floors clean in a campground but the staff did the best they could.

Reservations for camping are necessary, especially for the weekends. As with many Florida State Parks, campgrounds tend to book up quickly during the winter season, mainly with Snowbirds and their RV’s. We camped during the week in October, and there were plenty of open spaces.

We did our hiking along the Rapid Trail, about 2.5 miles round trip. It naturally leads you to the rapids, and then along the river to a suspension bridge, which connects you to the Baynard Trail, which is in a forest area and runs a little over a mile. There is also a stationary bridge, but it was closed for repairs. These trails are rated easy.

A note of caution for pet owners. There are alligators in the river and they can be seen sunning themselves along the banks.

The Seminole Trail leads through the woods, north of the river, and runs for 3.2 miles. It is rated moderate. The easy Wetlands Trail starts near the Ranger station and runs through wetlands (during the wet season) for about 3.5 miles round trip. The longer Fort King Trail branches off the Wetlands Trail. Fort King is rated as strenuous because it runs for nearly 7 miles.

There are lots of amenities in the area by the trail and at Parking Lot 3. The pool and playground area were closed during our visit. The pool is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends. There is also a Recreation Hall that can be rented for events, a stage for entertainment programs and lectures.

You can rent kayaks and bicycles, or bring your own. There are two spots to launch your boats in the river…one by the rental shop, and another near the campground loop.

Fishing is permitted in the river, but you have to have a fishing license.

RATING

Overall, I give Hillsborough River State Park a B+. They need to improve the restrooms.