Hillsborough River State Park

Hillsborough River State Park is located in the northeast corner of Hillsborough County, Florida near Zephyrhills (which is itself in Pasco County). It is a popular park due to its proximity to the city of Tampa.The park consists of over 2,990 acres, and there are more than seven miles of trails that run throughout it. Popular activities include fishing, canoeing, kayaking, picnicking, camping, birding, easy to moderate hiking, trail running, and nature photography. The park also has a swimming pool, award-winning campgrounds, a restaurant, and gift shop. Canoes and bicycles can be rented at the park.EnvironmentMuch of the park is a live oak hammock due to its proximity to the river. Certain sections are swampy, but much of the forest surrounding the river is elevated, so floods are not regular. Land near the entrance of the park consists of pine trees and saw palmettos. The park is cleaved into two halves by a swiftly flowing section of the Hillsborough River. This section of the river is noted for having several clusters of small rapids, including Class II rapids. It is considered a blackwater river, and is one of the few rivers in Florida to have a system of rapids.