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Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve
4.5 ★★★★★ 175 Google reviews · Running trail in Plant City, Florida · Dawn to dusk
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Loop distance
- 2 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Dawn to dusk
Confirmed from Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve
“The trail was very well maintained, especially post-Milton compared to a lot of the other local trails.”
“Crossing expensive and scorching open scrub and prairie, eventually you'll make it to the most scenic rapids in this part of the state outside state parks.”
“Plan to go early or on a cloudy day if you need respite from the sun though, because there's large segments without much shade!”
“A couple of well-marked trails with several shortcuts throughout.”
“Very quiet and peaceful place, I don’t think we saw a single other person the whole time we were there.”
Gorgeous preserve with plenty of hiking opportunities. This property is former cattle rangeland that was bought by the county for conservation two decades back. They've been restoring it purely through prescribed burns with next to no planting.
Love coming here to hike. Went just over 12 miles today. The whole time you can watch the skydivers from across route 39. Today I saw 3 deer, 2 turkeys, and a couple black snakes. Blackberries should be ready soon. You have to look for them, but they are out there.
Beautiful and scenic walking trail. It’s very quiet and peaceful, with a creek greeting you towards the end of the hike. The trail is well maintained and marked.
Love this trail. If you didn't know it was here, you'd never find it from the road. Can't wait to come back. The trail was very well maintained, especially post-Milton compared to a lot of the other local trails. It's mostly exposed, so bring lots of water if you go in the summer or mid day.
Trail conditions & character
“Crossing expensive and scorching open scrub and prairie, eventually you'll make it to the most scenic rapids in this part of the state outside state parks.”
“Very quiet and peaceful place, I don’t think we saw a single other person the whole time we were there.”
“It’s a little under 5 miles if you do the red loop.”
“Plan to go early or on a cloudy day if you need respite from the sun though, because there's large segments without much shade!”
“A couple of well-marked trails with several shortcuts throughout.”
“Just don’t visit during hot or rainy season, there’s lots of full sun exposure and it can get pretty muddy if it’s rained.”
Plan your run at Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve
The practical stuff
- AccessDawn to dusk — the gates close, so do not plan a run that finishes after dark
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- Loop distance2 mi back to where you parked
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitehillsboroughcounty.org
- Phone(813) 757-3713
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Friday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Saturday | 7 AM–8 PM |
| Sunday | 7 AM–8 PM |
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Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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