Are you looking for a campground close to Tampa? One that has hiking, biking, kayaking, and plenty of shade. Look no further than Hillsborough River State Park.
Hillsborough River State Park is on Highway 301, a short distance from I-4. Tampa is a short drive away. Depending on the day and time of day, the drive into Tampa can be easy or a pain. When we visited on a Saturday morning the traffic was manageable. It took us about 30 minutes to get to the Lowry Park Zoo from the park.
Hillsborough River Trails
As I mentioned, the park has lots to offer. There are multiple hiking trails to choose from. Only the pathway along the river closest to the pool is paved. The trails are not strenuous, but range in length. The longest being close to 6 miles. A couple trails cross the river at the fixed bridge or the suspension bridge. During our visit, the fixed bridge was closed. The kids loved crossing the suspension bridge. Our favorite trail is the River Rapids trail. It starts out near the pool area and meanders along the river. There is a nice viewing platform at the rapids. These are the only class 2 river rapids found in Florida! The trail ends at a parking area or you can loop back to the main playground.
Biking
Hillsborough River State Park has a one-way road around the entire park. It is about 2 miles and has a bike lane. The campground loops are also paved, but broken in places. You can also bike on the Wetlands Trail. This trail is not paved. The park also rents bikes at the camp store.
Kayaking
Of course, there are places to kayak. It is a state park along a river after all. There are two kayak launching points. One is located near the pool area, the other is in one of the campground loops. Both entry points are downstream from the river rapids. Don’t forget your kayak like we did! Boat rentals are also available.
Hillsborough River Campground
The campground at Hillsborough River State Park has 3 loops. Each loop has its own bathhouse. In two loops that bathhouse is centrally located. One is off to the side. Unfortunately, that is the loop we stayed in during our last trip. It was a long walk from our site to the bathhouse. And it was really dark at night. Thankfully we only had to go to the bathhouse for showers. The bathhouse was very clean and tidy. It had plenty of hot water. There are also washers and dryers at each bathhouse.
The campsites are of various sizes. There is just a handful of pull-through sites. All sites have electricity, water, a picnic table, and a fire ring. There are no sewer hook-ups. Some sites offer very little privacy. The sites located in the middle of the loops are the worst. All the sites have adequate shade. A dump station is centrally located between the loops. We were fortunate to see 5 deer one morning right outside our trailer. So cool!
Playgrounds
All those who have kids know that playgrounds are one of the most important things to find at any park. Hillsborough River State Park has 3 playgrounds! One is near the pool, one is near the River Rapids trailhead, and the smallest is in one of the campground loops. Our kids love the playgrounds. They could play for hours!
Pool
Hillsborough River State Park is one of the only Florida state parks to have a swimming pool. Unfortunately, during both of our visits, it has been closed. During our most recent trip, they had a sign stating that the pool was damaged during Hurricane Irma. The pool being closed has been a big disappointment for our kids. When it is open it looks like it would be fun. It is very big and not too deep.
As you can see, Hillsborough River State Park has something for everyone. Who is ready to camp?
Are you wondering what you can do outside the park? Stay tuned for a post on Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo.
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Don’t forget you can download My Camp Diary to help you keep track of all your camping trips.
Disclaimer: All opinions stated here are strictly my own. I was not compensated for this post.
