I sweared i wrote an update review about my last visit. O_o im going crazy. Lol just wanted to add a heads up. The last hurricane that beat our nuts off changed the landscape of the park a bit. Theres alot of trees and branches blocking the rivers but no problem. I did noticed that the asphalt is cracked and chunks are missing in some areas. I don't recommend a skateboard or roller blades without gear. It will be fine in some sections and then you'll see the damage show up in some sections. Totally safe for runners and bicycles. I went with my temporary wheel chair n i had a couple sections that i chose to walk it by. If you have like a pro chair with air wheels? You'll be ok. The wooded areas a bit slippery, although theres shade everywhere? This is the wrong season to ho there at the moment. It is freaking hot and humid even in the shade. Please bring a cooler with you. Local shops sell backpack coolers or even a small sling one is enough. There are fountains and bathroom every few miles though so no fear if you are fit or don't have disabilities. Bring a freaking camera theres tons of fish in the river that can be seen from the crystal clear water and you'll even see tortoises just walking around the property. Its totally ok to look at them. The only time i have intervened is when they walk into the parking lot or road and i just pray they don't pee on me. It is illegal to even do that but i rather risk a ticket over a dead turtle. Please me careful driving to either side of the parking lot cuz they even cross the main road and i have stop traffic to move em. I like dashing in this area cuz i can either stop here for nap on cooler days or if im lucky? Stop at ricks meat down the road. Its a local butcher, they also make these massive sandwiches at great price and they tend to have a bbq truck outside too. The parking? Is hella small n its always packed. Parking is self serve, they upgraded from the "hope" system to a booth. As in "i hope people are paying for parking" now its 100% you have to pay n put the ticket on the dashboard or else the tortoises will take your car away. Lol The lid park looked well kept, the first come first serve shelters look good too. They big enough to throw a party. They have their own water faucets and grill. The water access has like a tub, i am presuming its so your dog drinks water from it. I recommend you use a bowl though. Never know who uses those for other things. I also noticed theres more sitting areas. Theres a couple hidden spots that look safe to look closer i would be a bit cautious cuz i was stepping over a dirt bridge n then when i looked at it at another angle i was shocked that it was just roots. O_o like theres a ton of areas that got torn up by the last hurricane that hit us. Gators? Never seen them but its Florida i don't recommend going in the water unless using boat ramp. Boat ramp, when i was there, the water level was way too low and i didn't feel safe to go down the steep ramp. I was too exhausted for my walk i didn't trust i had the energy to climb out. Usually u can see the water from the top all i saw was grass. Sound, near the over pass is loud from cars but cool area for kickass pictures. The rest of the park is windy with nice river sound. Especially in the wooden loop. Its the closest it gets to the river. It is very beautiful how you can see bass and trout just swimming by. Space is tight it has a parking area for chairs and bikes. Plenty of places to sit and two shelters to nap. If you are an audiophile / AMSR sensitive like me? This is the area to just sit n record n let the beautiful sounds take you away. I think i recorded like a solid hour of just stereo ambience. I think i covered everything. Thanks for reading and please stay hydrated! read more

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Great park with paved pathways & a raised boardwalk. Map at location and different map online made navigating difficult as far as where the raised boardwalk side was. Would've been nice for a sign at entrance to paths. Scens and views were great. Need sign explaining the orange water. No sounds of birds in our 90 minutes there. No gators, no turtles. Guy on cart driving around but not saying hello or checking in. Never found bathrooms. Parking is a reasonable $2. Some beautiful play equipment and an exercise court of assistive equipment for working out. Boardwalk beginning to sound rickety! Hope they check it regularly. Would be nice if a few plants/trees were labeled/classified. Eg. are the purple berries edible?? Love this park. read more

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Beautiful new playground. Great "get out of the house for free" place for the kids. Lots of shaded benches for parents to sit. Nature trails for a walk. Even has a workout area for parents. read more

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I am embarrassed to admit that whenever I heard the name "Alderman's Ford" I thought someone was talking about a car dealership! Little did I know it was this beautiful park. I have a friend that lives near here and she was the one that recommended we take a power walk through this well maintained park. We went early on Sunday morning - it opens at 8:00 am, and we were there about 8:30 am. Because I buy a Hillsborough County Park pass for $50 every year, we did not have to pay at the guard house at the entrance. It was early, so there was plenty of parking available. All the specialty areas were cordoned off (picnic areas, playgrounds, etc.) so no one could use them during these infectious times. Which was fine by me, because we were there to walk. They have an awesome boardwalk path - two really, so you have lots of options as to which way to go. Fortunately, they all loop around back to the start, so someone who is directionally challenged like me can't get lost. We only passed about 10 people on our walk, so it was almost like having the park to ourselves. Plenty of shade combined with lots of peaceful, relaxing nature made this a fun park to walk in, and I can't wait to go back. read more

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Been going here since I was able to walk. Always a great place to walk or ride a bike. You never know what what you might see in the woods.

I loved this park. Excellent for walking. Beautiful paved trail and boardwalk along the river. It was nicely shaded with a bit of a breeze, so very comfortable even in warmer weather. Even has a few geocaches to track down. This park has been my favorite find in the Tampa Bay Area. read more

Alderman's Ford Park - Beautiful trail along the river. - Parks Near Me - Lithia, Florida

Always a great time hiking or kayaking out here. Very family and pet friendly. Highly recommend for a weekend adventure

Great park for walking and/or biking. Very family orientated with a lot of shade. Get there early, it does get busy. Certain restrictions right now with parts closed due to COVID19 read more

Alderman's Ford Park - Wooden bridge over river. Beautiful view! - Parks Near Me - Lithia, Florida

I have been to just about all the parks in the area and this one is my favorite. The boardwalk is unique and beautiful and you can ride a bike or walk around a loop that is almost 2 miles long. You can also walk the trail through the woods that will also take you along the River's Edge. Has shelters and play area, and the only drawback from me is that I cannot take my dog on the boardwalk. Beautiful trail through the woods though. Shady throughout. Can't wait to go back and explore more. read more

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This place is incredible! One of the best nature conservation parks that I've been to close to/ around Riverview area. I am from a small town in the midwest and I grew up hiking on trails and fishing. Florida is known as the Sunshine State for a reason and all the other conservation parks I've been to around this area was mainly open field they call a trail. So the sun was literally beating on you as you are "hiking". HOWEVER, at Alderman's there is PLENTY of shade, which I LOVE and its clean! There is a $2 entrance fee which is cheap compared to others. It has a nice 1.8 mi paved trail around the conservation with beautiful scenery along the river. There is a board walk that adds 1/2 mi. , work out stations along the paved trail, and there are also unpaved trails for my fellow trekkers. Alderman Ford park is absolutely beautiful, peaceful, and serene. A good place to clear your mind and escape your hectic life to enjoy the beauty of nature. There is also shelters with grills by a big playground area for those BBQ Days with friends and family and also a designated piñata post. There are a couple big shelters that you can reserve for $75 for those get togethers or parties and the other shelters are first come first serve. What I like the most is paved trail, it gives accessibility for everyone to enjoy this beautiful park. read more

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What a nice place and until now I didn't even know about it or rather passed it without ever paying Attention to it. Thanks to my Family and some cooler weather we decided to drive there to go for a nice walk. Entry fee was 2$ which had to be put into an envelope and dropped into the box since nobody worked there. The second part of the envelope has to be torn off and put in your front window for it to be seen. Apperently there are a few paths to choose from so we started out with the one that looked like it would take us for the big tour (about 1.8 Miles if I remember right). We followed the signs and crossed bridges (most of them very well kept) and looked out for wildlife. It was absolutely beautiful though the bugs were a bit annoying. We did not see Alligators but we did get to see an owl that sat right above our heads and some birds and such. It is such a tranquil and beautiful place away from stress and hectic every day life offers. We did see Joggers and a couple of people on bikes so this apparently is a place to go for your daily dose of Sports too. The second time we went, a week later, we did get to see some smaller Alligators, some birds and due to the humidity a bunch more muskeetos. The facilities are clean and well kept and so are the paths. It is possible to have cook-outs, Family get togethers, lots of parking is available and the park rangers are very helpful too. I can only say try for yourself and see what a great place this is. Enjoy! read more

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Loved this park. Went for the first time yesterday with my husband and daughter. We walked the paved trail and did the boardwalk as well. The boardwalk is amazing. So beautiful and the views are awesome. read more

Alderman's Ford Park - Parks Near Me - Lithia, Florida

One of my favorite parks, been coming here since I was a kid. Beautiful, easy trails and a nice boardwalk. Very kid/ stroller friendly and the playground is nice too. Very well maintained. read more

$2 to get in. There are a bunch of picnic areas and a large open space for activities. I'll bet there are some trails too - saw a bunch of people in athleticwear walking into the woods. Many events are held here as well. Last time I was there, it was some fitness challenge, but everyone was wearing costumes. So getting to see a guy dressed as batman do kettlebells was fun I guess. Off 39, and the BBQ place nearby is pretty legit. read more

Beautiful park with paved walking trails. Tree lined so plenty of shade and benches. Clean restrooms. read more

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Quiet park and baseball fields just south of 60 (east of Valrico). Most of my experience here is with little league baseball, of which this is my fav Hillsborough location as it's not crowded and light in traffic (opposite of Fishhawk). Parking is more than adequate and driving out here makes me forget I'm minutes from Brandon/Bloomingdale. It's incredibly rural here, farms, large forested areas etc. Definitely recommended for a baseball game or just when needing to get away from the homogeneousness and sprawl of suburbia. read more

5 stars for a small piece of Florida left as mother nature intended. Pulling into the main entrance there is a $2 per vehicle fee to get in which is very affordable for anyones budget. When you first enter into this park it looks small but looks can be deceiving. At first glance you will notice there is not a lot of parking but there is a large playground and several picnic pavillions. As you venture into the park, you realize there is a lot more to its story. Take a walk to the back of the park and find there are several choices of walking trails and a Canoe rental. The largest walking trail starts in the far right corner and is marked with a small post. A few minutes into your walk the voices of the playground fade away and you find yourself a serene environment. There is a paved trail for bike riders and dog walkers and those who just wish to take a stroll along the mighty Alafai River. Along the paved trail there are excercise stations and restrooms but the real magic starts when you abandon the pavement. Follow the hiking trails or make your own way for miles and miles of fun. Walk quietly and you may stumble upon wildlife. Walk carefully because you are in the Florida swamp and may possibly encounter poisonous snakes and will most definitely encounter poison ivy! There are not many places left in Florida where you can hike through the woods without tresspassing. Here you can lose yourself in the real Florida. Don't worry you won't stay lost, there are arrows posted everywhere to show you the way back to the paved trail. Anyone who wants to get to know the original Florida, should come spend a day with her here. read more

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Enjoyed a nice Saturday stroll in one of Hillsborough county's nature trails. Went out there around 10am. Pretty much had the trail to myself, which was nice. Plenty of scenic areas for taking photos. Spotted some wildlife as well. There is also a bike trail as well. By the time I got back to my car around 12, parking lot was full. Also, dog are allowed with a leash. read more

Alderman's Ford Park - Parks Near Me - Lithia, Florida

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Whoever is in charge of the parks in Hillsborouogh County does a great job. I have been to at least 3 of our parks and they are so well maintained. This park is the closest to the house. We go often to take the dogs. I don't see any garbage on any of the trails. People seem to pick up their dog waste as we do. Its nice to see that people are respectful of our beautiful parks. I always see maintenance peope driving around in their carts. The garbage cans are empied and maintained. I never see any garbage in any of the water areas, they are crystal clear and clean. The bathrooms are always so clean and there are no funky smells. There are lots of places to sit down by one of many picnic tables or seats around the park. You can bring some hot dogs or hamburgers and cook on the grills which alway looks reasonably clean. There is lots of parking. The park cost $2 per vehicle.If you like to go to the park often you can buy a yearly pass. For one person it is $50 for the whole year. My friend takes her dogs 3 times a week so at $2 a visit, she would be spending $24 a MONTH without the pass. So the pass is a great deal. A pass for 2 or more is $100 a year. Its such a great place to take the kids to run around and play games, have a picnic, fish, ride their bike, play on the playground, go for a walk on the boardwalk, etc. Its nice to walk around and see families outside with kids laughing and having fun instead of in the house playing video games, on cell phones and TV and getting some fresh air and having family time !!! read more

Are you kidding this place has some of the best casual hiking paths in Hillsborough county! Worth getting an annual pass. So relaxing.

Just found this and I'm glad I did. There are trails through nature both paved and un-paved. Great exercise or just to walk around and enjoy the sights and weather (when it's cool). Great views along Alafia River. There are also tons of places to picnic, gazebos, hammock hooks to put portable hammock, and camping. Didn't use all that, but it's there. Really enjoyed. read more

I really wish I lived closer to this area so that I could visit this park again. We had a work field day here and I didn't really know what to expect. When we pulled up, I was shocked at the size of the area that we were having our event in. Upon entering the nice inside area, I was happy to see a nice spacious room with a fridge to store our cold goods. If you step outside of the room, there is a huge swamp. It is beautiful and truly "Florida". The picnic shelter areas are well kept and the park is very clean. I didn't get a chance to go on the trails, but I have a feeling they are very nice. This is a true treasure of a park. read more

We love this park! Excellent place for nature, cookouts, family get togethers, bike rides, horseback riding, walking trails, MULBERRY TREES!!! read more

Being a north Tampa resident, I was aghast when I learned where we would be having a team building work outing and how far I would have to venture to get here. I will say my frustrations with driving the hour plus to find this place was alleviated when I drove in and saw the serene and peaceful background of this park. One of the positives was the decent sized, air conditioned room fully equipped with a fridge and plenty of seating to allow for food and indoor time away from the heat of the day. The largely shaded and open park area was pretty decent in my book as well as there were plenty of pavilions and space to spread out. Although the boardwalk area overlooked a stagnant swamp, I was impressed with the trails that this park had. In addition, if you drive up the road a bit there is also a canoe launch where you can rent kayaks/canoes to take a jaunt up the stream. Bring $2 as it will cost that much per car to enter. You won't be disappointed if you are trying to escape the urban jungle and find yourself here. read more

Beautiful park for really everyone!! Playgrounds for kids, trials to run, bike, walk the dog and really nice hiking trails but don't forget your Mosquito repellent!!! A perfect place for a family to go and enjoy a beautiful day :) read more

Alderman's Ford Park - Parks Near Me - Lithia, Florida

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Another jewel in the Hillsborough County Park System. We have many issues in this county, but the park system is the best in all of the places I have lived. Today was cloudy and very humid but the beauty, the boardwalk, the grounds were immaculate. We enjoyed the hike and the facilities and it got very busy as the day went on. Lots of parties and families under the pavillions. This always makes me smile. I like seeing kids in the outdoors. The path was very well maintained and a nice walk. For 2 bucks grab your self and see the wonderful nature of the Alafia river. read more

Exactly what I was looking for! Beautiful scenery on a shaded, paved, trail. Great for pushing a stroller! It really doesn't get any better. Workout stations throughout the trail make it fun and keep the whole family interested. Bathrooms, playground, pavilions, picnic tables. This park is my new favorite place! read more

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This is a very nice park to take the family to. I came on a weekday, early afternoon, with my parents and brother. We walked the full paved trail and boardwalk. It was wonderful to walk through such a serene area. There isn't much that is scenic per say (mostly just brush and a brownish river), but it was still nice nonetheless. My family and I enjoyed testing ourselves on the exercise equipment that is spread throughout the trail. We really had a wonderful afternoon here. read more

This park has so many activities, a paved bike/walking trail with different exercise activity's all along the path, bridges and beautiful views of the river. There is also walking trails off the paved areas that are perfect to explore they have a bike rack so you can lock your bikes in, bathrooms with water fountains all along the path. They also have an air conditioned room you can rent for events and a play grounds at the entrance. This park really has so much to offer. It's a great place for the entire family, even the puppies! read more

My family and I enjoyed a very nice bike ride on the trails here. It is such a beautiful state park. Always very clean when I have gone. It is very scenic. I take the same dang pictures here every time I go, but it is so nice to whip out a camera here, how could I not? I wish the trails were a bit longer since we like to bike for distance, but I am happy that this gem has trails. There are plenty of shelters for parties, the park nice for kids, and you can bring your dog(s). The $2 for everyone to park has been and is being well used here. A great place to go for a fun day with fam and friends. read more

Very cute and well kept. It's $2 to park. Lots of rental shelters near the kids playground. There are large grills and garbage cans ready for use. We rented the shelter we were in for the day, did it online. It was fairly easy. I was a bit peeved that it was occupied when we got there. We let them stay as there was plenty of room; however, that should be monitored as we paid to reserve it. They have a long walking trail for those that enjoy that. Also dogs are allowed but must be kept leashed at all times. read more

Gorgeous spot for hiking and nature walking with lovely access to the Alafia River. We will try our hand at kayaking here eventually and would love to camp here at some point. Very beautiful. read more

I went for a work function so did not get to explore the whole park. There were pavilions, a play area, bathrooms and a good amount of shade where we were. There was also a nice paved path and a canoe launch as well. For $2 you could spend the entire day here with the fam. Great place for an outdoorsy day! read more

Beautiful park with lovely walking paths. The boardwalk was closed but not well marked as this time. The park is impeccably maintained and clean. Obvious pride in the environment. The hike was refreshing and easy as all on paved paths. Bike paths are available and easy to access. The park is a refreshing surprise to all who visit. read more

This is a one of the great Hillsborough County Parks in the area. It has a short, but very nice paved trail going through the woods, and some off road trails that give you a taste of the woods. There is also a well maintained canoe launch. The playground and picnic area is large and has enough room for kids to get their energy out. It's only $2 per car. read more

Great place to bring your kids and bikes. 2 mile trail has some bridges that can be difficult for beginners, but mine just walk their bikes up and down those parts. Great playgrounds and picnic areas read more

I enjoy this park very much. You get to enjoy the great outdoors while you're doing a workout. Whether you're walking, running, or riding your bike. They also have a kids playing ground for both toddlers and the older kids. They just recently open a canoeing side too and have a map to guide you. read more

Ranger Paul is a force to be reckoned with. He will harass you ever second he gets unless you are a boy scout camp. He will check on your campsite randomly and try to find things wrong with it just for the hell of it. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that we paid money to essentially camp in his backyard. Ranger Paul will do anything in his power to intimidate you and flex his power over you and your group. I would not recommend the group camp sites for any private organization unless you are one which is favorable to the ranger because if not, he will harass you and intimidate you to the point where you will never want to hear about alderman's ford ever again. He is an unreasonable, nasty man who will do everything in his power to suppress your experience in the outdoors. He is not an understanding person so there better not be one drop of alcohol within your campsite. Ranger Paul ruined my weekend as well as my groups; on top of doing his job incorrectly, he was rude, short tempered, and bitter. The park should definitely look into hiring park rangers who treat all people equally and do not profile campers paying money to be in his unkept backyard. DO NOT CAMP HERE WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION read more