TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

The inside track on outside fun

ADVERTISEMENT

By LAURA FRAZIER

lfrazier@tampatrib.com

Published: October 21, 2009

BRANDON - Like a mom cajoling kids holed up in the house too long, a new recreation guide encourages people of all ages to go outside and play.

"Get Outside," published online and in print by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is a guide to leisure-time amenities offered at dozens of district-owned parks and preserves in West Central Florida.

Many spots outlined in the guide simply offer a lush, natural setting for hikers, walkers, anglers and equestrians to enjoy. Others managed as county and state parks feature camping, hunting, bicycling, skating, nature study and more.

Parking and admission is free at most locations, including five close to the greater Brandon and South Shore areas.

Robyn Felix, spokeswoman for the district, known as Swiftmud, said one of Hillsborough County's most popular district properties is Edward Medard Park and Reservoir, east of Brandon off Turkey Creek Road.

"Fishing is very popular at Medard, and it's one of only two district properties with RV camping," Felix said.

More than 500,000 visitors trek there annually to hike, bike, skate, ride horses and soak in the scenery along a 730-foot boardwalk. Shaded picnic areas, playgrounds and public restrooms make it a popular pick for family outings.

The landscape in one part of the park is a reminder of its past.

"Kids love to climb and play on the mounds and hills that are from old phosphate mining," Felix said.

Another site partially on the grounds of a defunct phosphate mine is renowned for fishing and horseback riding. The Alafia River Corridor - 3,000 acres of hardwood swamps and upland hammocks with eight miles of marked equestrian trails - is tucked away in western Lithia, south of Plant City.

The district created the guide to help people find the off-the-beaten-path parks.

Some spots are described in the handbook as rustic.

At Chito-Branch Reserve, off County Road 640 in Lithia, there aren't any restrooms or running water, but there are six miles of wooded trails that beckon bicyclists, hikers and equestrians.

Two tracts of the Little Manatee River also boast bucolic backdrops.

Boaters can put in at the lower tract of the Little Manatee in south Ruskin. The on-site Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center has a nature center, fossil museum and native village.

The upper tract, southeast of Ruskin in Wimauma, has a network of old trail roads to explore plus places to fish and paddle.

Felix said 98 percent of people the district surveyed said they didn't get outside enough.

"We wanted the guide to be as user-friendly as possible to get more residents to enjoy all the different recreational opportunities," she said.

The guide is free by mail or online. For a copy, go to www .watermatters.org/recreation or call 1-800-423-1476.

BOAT RAMPS CLOSED DURING RENOVATION

Boaters and anglers take note: the boat ramps at Edward Medard Park and Reservoir will be closed, and fishing spots may be limited during a major reservoir restoration project set to start in November. All facilities at the park will remain open during the project, which involves draining the reservoir to allow for repairs. Swiftmud hopes to complete the restoration and reopen the ramps in the spring.

Reporter Laura Frazier can be reached at (813) 627-4767.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT