Upper Tampa Bay Park

"Absolutely loved this park, it's a real jewel. We hiked the three trails: Bobcat, Otter, and Eagle. Each trail is different and enjoyable. The Bobcat Trail meanders through a salt barren, very pleasant.The Otter Trail skirts a salt marsh. The Eagle Trail passes through slash pines and palmettos. All of the trails feature well maintained boardwalks. On each trail you will find placards describing the wildlife: Black Vulture, Eastern Coral Snake, Oppossum, Armadillo, Cotton Mouth Snakes, Gopher Tortoise, and others. All of the trails are well maintained and very walkable, kudos to the park staff. Near the Otter Trailhead there is a nature center and canoe and kayak rentals. The park features many attractive shelters, a volleyball court, and playgtounds. The hiking trails are suitable for anyone in average shape. There is a $2.00 fee to enter the park, which seems fair when one considers all this beautiful park offers. We found parking to be no problem. I would love to visit this gem again, it's excellent! Highly reccomend!"

"This is a nice, smaller park to explore right on the bay. The trails were wide and well maintained and the playground was fun for the kids. The nature center was a surprise and had native fish and reptiles to see which helped explain the ecology of the area. Views of the bay from the trails were nice, but brief except along the boardwalk on the trail closest to the nature center. Definitely worth the $2 entrance fee. If you plan on walking the three trails and seeing the nature center, then 1.5 hours -2 hours is plenty of time. There is canoe and kayak rental, that would be fun with all the mangroves in the area."

"Good park but bad management. My 10 years old nephew can draw a better map than what they have. I had to go in to see which shelter is close to the play ground. It looks like shelter 1, 2 and 3 are close by. Shelter 7 is far away from kid's playground. lot of nets were biting us, so bring bug Spray no matter when you come."

"One of our favorite parks. On a nice day we walk the trails. You can drop your canoe and explore the mangroves and inner bay. Always see cool things while we are here. You can rent canoes and kayaks. They have a little nature center that shows a lot of native species. Bring your dog and enjoy the space. Worth the $2."

"What a beautiful litte place. If you like to explore nature trails, there are three of them, all well below a mile. So this is not the place for hours of "hiking"/walking. Perfect for families with small children, with short trails, a playground and an educational nature center. Great launch pad for your own kayak, as well as available rentals. The ranger offers maps for on land as well as on water excursions. As previously mentioned by others, there is a $2 admission fee. Consider it a very small donation to preserve a beautiful piece of nature."