Flatwoods Park, Tampa, Florida: A Nature Lover's Paradise

There is a lovely hidden secret in Tampa, Florida that I have recently discovered for myself. It is the Wilderness Park system which includes Flatwoods, Dead River, John B. Sargeant, Morris Bridge and Trout Creek Parks. Developed in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the City of Tampa and the US Army Corps of Engineers, this extensive network was created on 17,000 acres and includes areas for fishing, canoeing, nature trails and off-road bike trails.

The truth is that I always knew these parks were there, I just never ventured into them. I have seen riders entering the trail system that connects throughout these parks, but not being much of a cyclist, I never bothered to take a look. Well that all changed when my husband and I decided to buy a bike rack and dust off our five year old Jeep bicycles and find a place to ride. My first suggestion was to try Flatwoods Park which is located at about the halfway mark of Morris Bridge Road which starts at the apex of I-75 and Fletcher and continues to State Road 54 in Pasco County. Now that I've been there, I am hooked and we make this a weekly visit.

Flatwoods Park is open from dawn to dusk and there is no park fee. However, when you enter the park off Morris Bridge Road there is a small box at the entrance and a sign requesting a dollar donation. We make sure to put a dollar in there everytime we visit because I would like to hope that this park can continue to be maintained as beautifully as it is now. I also feel the dollar is well worth spending as the park offers many amenities needed for the avid cyclist, such as hoses to clean off your bikes, air if you need to pump up your tires before heading down the road as well as bathrooms.

This particular section of the Wilderness Park system boasts a seven mile loop which is a lovely paved road that runs around the Flatwoods Park area. Along the way you will find several places where you can take a seat on a bench and listen to, well, most of the time, nothing. There are a few pavilions which house a map of the park, other information and most importantly, water. Cold water is set out daily in coolers and there are always paper cups available. Believe me, once you ride around this 7 mile loop, you would be surprised to realize you just did 7 miles. It really doesn't seem that long and I guess that's because you're just caught up in the wilderness and enjoying your ride. There is an additional two mile road that leads off this loop and ends at Bruce B. Downs which is another parking and starting point to this trail system. On any given day you may be sharing this very wide path with other cyclists, walkers, runners and even people skating. People on foot are to travel the loop clockwise while people skating and cycling travel the loop counter-clockwise. Remember to stay to the right and you should let people ahead of you know when your passing by announcing "on your left" when approaching them. However in my several trips to this park I have yet to encounter anyone who has announced they are passing so we also check behind us to see if someone is coming and we'll travel in single file until they pass.

In addition to the nine miles of paved roadway there are several off road trails for cycling, hiking and jogging. Some of these trails are well packed dirt and wide enough to feel comfortable for the amateur rider like me. There are also some other trails that are much harder to navigate with a mixture of softer dirt flanking a narrow strip of hard dirt and lots of tree roots to bounce you around. The main trail, which is marked by white wooden posts numbered 1 through 47, is approximately fifteen miles from beginning to end and runs through Flatwood, Morris Bridge and Trout Creek sites. There is about four miles of this off road track that runs through the middle of the Flatwoods loop, so you can always try it out a few times and build up to doing the entire 15 miles once you get the hang of it. In the meantime, if you try this route, you can always take a side trail and get back on the paved path quickly. I have yet to make it across this four miles yet as it is not as easy as it looks sometimes.

Whatever form of transportation you decide to utilize through this park, keep your eyes open for the wildlife that make this wilderness home. You just might luck out and see some deer, wild pigs, turkeys, lots of armadillos, hawks and with any luck, possibly a bobcat. Also keep your eyes open for alligators and snakes and use caution and common sense as you are in their home, they are not in yours.

This can be a place for an enjoyable outing with the whole family, including the dog. Just make sure you have Fido on a leash and take bags to clean up after him if necessary. Additionally, don't forget it is a Florida law that all children under 16 must wear a helmet when cycling. I also highly recommend them for anyone who is braving the off-road trails as they can be dangerous and I don't think you want your unprotected head meeting a tree. This would surely be a bad end to a beautiful day so take safety measures seriously. It's also a good idea to have your cell phone on you and grab a trail guide they have available before setting off as it will have a phone number on it to call in case you need assistance while traversing their several trails.