This is such a beautiful and well kept trail. I love taking my pups here for a nice walk with such lovely surroundings! Everyone seems to do a wonderful job of cleaning up after their dogs too so it is a community effort and I love it! read more

Nice wide trails that two people can walk side by side. Dog friendly so bring your canine, but don't forget a leash. Not much shade and very sandy so make sure to bring some water. My favorite part is the pine tree area near the pond. The pine tree needles lay on the ground and when the wind blows the sound is melodic blowing through the pine trees. There is one picnic table to sit on for a picnic, but try and ignore the graffiti. There is an area that's preserved and protected for Burrowing owls. I wish I could have seen one or two, but no luck this time. There is traffic noise and watch for what looks like a homeless individual who had ridden a bike in. read more

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This is a nice park! I was surprised that this place is free to walk around. I noticed that many families go there with their dogs. It has 3 main hiking trails. It was really fun to walk around there. I couldn't see restrooms around, though. read more

Bell Creek Nature Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Riverview, Florida

Nice hike just off McMullen rd. Trails are easy to get to and easy to walk on. Some trails are mostly sand, so be ready if you're pushing a stroller. You can view many places where gopher tortoises go to nest. read more

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This was a nice, calm trail. The trail is big and great for a group of people or people with big dogs. There's also a lot of the trail to walk on and there's a helpful map near the front and an office. I went on a Sunday. The office is closed on Sunday and Saturday. There didn't seem to be any restrooms around, there might be some in the office, but I can't be sure. There's some nice picnic benches on the trail and good views of the lake. Some of the trail is loose sand and a road, which I'm not a huge fan of, as the sand can get stuck in shoes and socks, and cement is harder on my feet, especially if jogging or running. But those really are minor setbacks for me, I really like how spacious this trail is, which will ultimately lead me to come back again. read more

Very nice hiking spot for us and our large dogs. Saw lots of wildlife, especially turtles on the yellow path. Beware that the map at the front shows one way only in miles. We thought it was going to be a couple miles max and we ended up doing almost 4! No big deal, definitely user error. We will definitely be back to do the other paths. Hoping that the others are more into the woods as the yellow path was mostly an old paved road. read more

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This is a deceivingly long almost 5 mile primitive sandy trail. There are plenty of tracks of coyotes deer and boar to keep you occupied. I would bring water or a coffee as the walking trail is long. The trail is dog friendly! Tip: when driving up drive past the sign and down the long dirt road behind the houses and keep going until you see a sign not to hop the fence and this is where you will park and start. read more

Bell Creek Nature Preserve - Bullfrog creek nature preserve on the Hillsborough county hiking spree - Hiking Near Me - Riverview, Florida

This was a fun hike. It really isn't much, but there is some beauty to be seen. It's just nice to be able to leisurely stroll and take in all the greenery. I am sure during the Spring there are lots of wildflowers. We ran across very few when we went. It mostly was just very green. The trails are marked. The people who run the nature preserve are very nice when we met them inside the air conditioned structure. We were shown a map and various other amenities. I would just go during early Spring or Fall months. It is very hot and humid during the Summer, as Florida summers are sweltering. Make sure you bring lots of water and wear comfortable shoes. read more

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A little too crowded for my comfort level but a nice bike path trail with some great views of the river, peaceful, quiet and serene. Some sand and some root branches growing underneath path. Watch some path areas carefully. read more

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These preserve has been my oasis away from everything. Everything I mean, COVID-19, this Preserve has been open most of the time and it's big enough for social distancing. I have been visiting this place for the last 6 moths, I had no idea it existed. Funny story, I got lost, haha, yes I did but it was well worth it. I can meditate, have a picnic, jog/running, and have lunch by the pond. It's peaceful and during the day, it has shade in some areas. I would recommend wearing a hat and good shoes, water will be a plus during mid day. I am a local photographer and I find this place a little peace of heaven. I will share some photos just to show the beauty in the preserve. Also, you will see different plants and animals throughout the year. read more

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We decided to join the Hillsborough County Hiking Spree and this was our first trail. We did the large loop, which was 3.69 miles, and was clearly marked (something we wish all parks would do). The trail is wide and pretty much out in the open. Parts are sandy, parts are paved and parts are grassy. It was a very easy hike. If you are going for spectacular scenery, this isn't the spot. You pretty much only see trees and grassy fields. Oddly enough we never saw one bird or mammal. The most we saw was a butterfly. We did enjoy the hike and it is well maintained. read more

There is a red building that is across from the parking lot that is The Conservation and Lands Management Department to the park. ~~~~~~~~~~~ There are trucks and other vehicles and buildings in storage in the back of the office building that's only used for staff. This is where we met Andy and he took us inside so he could tell us a little bit about the park. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There is a parking lot but it's small and there isn't a fee to enter or to walk the trails. We signed up to receive monthly e-mails about activities that we maybe interested in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The trails are more for walking than running or biking. You come up to a fork in the middle of the path and it's your decision to decide which path to take. I would like to explore both paths but not in the same day. It is best to hike in the mid morning in the hotter months and in the colder months anytime is good. There is a creek that runs along one of the trails that is more active during the cooler months especially when it rains because the creek rises up and there is more habitat and wildlife to see. There are some bugs in this park which changes according to season. SEE YOU SOON! read more

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This park has a lot of potential, but is lacking the general maintenance and upkeep expected from a public park. The trails were so overgrown, it was unclear if we were on the right path. Even from the entrance, with signage and everything, it just didn't look like a park. Not very inviting. Hopefully in the near future this place will get the attention it deserves. read more

Bell Creek Nature Preserve - Entrance - Hiking Near Me - Riverview, Florida

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The 500-acre preserve includes pine flatwoods, freshwater marshes, sandhill, swamps, open grasslands, oak hammocks, ponds, sand pine scrub, and spring-fed creeks. Here's a link to the trail guide: http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/5551 Website: http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Bell-Creek-Preserve-7893 Feel free to convert this to a tip.. read more

Very quiet and usually no one else to be seen. Lately the other people that we have seen are walkers who are letting their dogs run off leash on the trail. Not cool in my opinion. People apparently also let their dogs crap on the trails and don't bother picking it up. Common courtesy must not be very common. Otherwise it's a very nice place to walk. read more

This is a Preserve with a beaten trail for nature walking. This is not a great place to bring your kids because there could be dangerous wildlife and muddy paths. There are no frills like a playground, picnic tables or restrooms. There is not a paved sidewalk or exercise equipment along the trail. There is a good chance you will see a poisonous snake and maybe even an angry boar. There are not any benches for resting or even trash cans. It is simply a walk in the woods. Its perfect. A serene escape in the middle of a now busy area. It is however a great place to bird watch or just escape city life for an hour or two. Somewhere to enjoy the quiet of the forest where the sounds of cars are far in the distance and all you hear is the singing of birds, buzzing of bees and your footsteps in the leaves. When you drive up, it doesn't look like much but once you get a few steps into the trees you will realize it really is magical to be alone with nature. Sit on the grass by the pond or hike through the woods to the outlook, but whatever you do, just be quiet and listen. The entire beaten trail is about 6 miles long but you can also make your own way off the beaten path. Cool fact: Walking this trail you are following the footsteps of Conquistador Hernando De Soto from his 1539 expedition looking for gold. read more

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This place has always been there and I never noticed. I didn't like how it kinda looks closed all the time. the county could take better care of it. However it is a nice little place to get away without going to far if your in the riverview / Boyette area. Hiking trail , park and a pond and a few tables to sit at is all there really is. I take my kids to feed the ducks. We like it , but it could be a little cleaner. read more

One of the lesser-known preserves in the area, so it's a bit more rustic than the bigger ones nearby. The trails, so to speak, are mowed paths that take you on some nice flat walks. There are plenty of paths that cross, so you have options as to where to go. There are definitely wild hogs in the area, as you can tell from the spots where they've been rooting. What you won't find are trash cans, benches, or many other people. I think there is one picnic table in the whole preserve. Make sure you bring bug spray, as there is lots of standing water in the preserve as well. read more

Truly lovely trails wind through scrub land, towering pines and a lovely lake. The primary issue is that trails criss-cross a lot and there us rare signage. However, as a flatland hike, it was lovely. Do not expect facilities, but do expect some fairly pristine trails. read more

Not sure how Florida defines a primitive trail. Could see 2 housing developments and part of the trail was paved. Would not recommend on a hot day, as there is no shade. Went on a very cold day - this made the 8 mile walk wonderfully chilly. Expected a 4 walk, was surprised by the total mileage of 8. Would like trail head to indicate the total mileage of selected path, not the "there and back" mileage. Did not see any wildlife. Path was muddy in parts, but mowed well. Was a mostly well-marked trail, however I do not believe marker 7 exists (followed the red trail). Overall, felt like I was walking through a soon to be more developed housing area, rather than a hiking/walking trail. read more