About us
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Purpose of the Group:
The purpose of this group is to bring people together for relaxed, enjoyable hikes — mostly on Saturday mornings — designed for those of us who work Monday through Friday. Hikes will be relatively easy and within about an hour’s drive of Tampa.
We’re excited to welcome Dominick and Tonya as event organizers. They may occasionally plan events during the week or further away, offering more flexibility and variety.
Who should attend:
Anyone who enjoys hiking or the outdoors.
Upcoming events
8
Flatwoods Sunrise Hike – 7 miles
Flatwoods Park - Bruce B Downs Entrance, 18205 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33647, USA, Tampa, FL, USSaturday, September 19
Meet: 7:00 AM
Step off: 7:16 AMLocation: 18205 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL
We’re starting the morning with a shorter hike at Flatwoods, stepping off right around sunrise.
This is a complete standalone hike, so you are absolutely welcome to join us for Hike 1 only.Route:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/custom-route-flatwoods-loop-trail-via-flatwoods-station-ln-7e43b18?u=i&sh=dhfngd
This is a custom route so you'll need to follow this a specific link for hike one.Please arrive with enough time to park, use the restroom, and get your gear ready.
Bring plenty of water and electrolytes. September mornings can still heat up quickly.
Anyone wanting additional mileage can continue with us afterward for Hike 2 – 8.22 milesBe ready to step off at 7:16 AM.
25 attendeesFlatwoods – Hike 2 - 8+ miles
Location not specified yet### Flatwoods – Hike 2 8+ miles
Saturday, September 19
Location: 18205 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL
This is the longer second hike of the morning and is geared toward anyone looking for additional mileage or Mammoth March training.
We’ll start after Hike 1 is complete, so the exact start time will depend on when that group returns.Route:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/mammoth-march-training-8-20bb1a4?u=i&sh=dhfngdYou’re welcome to join us for both hikes or just the second one.
We’re splitting the day into two hikes so everyone has a natural checkpoint before committing to more miles in the September heat.
Bring plenty of water, electrolytes, snacks, BUG and sun protection.17 attendees
Sunday - Weedon Island Preserve
Weedon Island Preserve, 1800 Weedon Island Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL, USWeedon Island Preserve
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/florida/weedon-island-preserve-trail
https://www.weedonislandpreserve.org
https://www.weedonislandpreserve.org/visitor-map.htmLength: About 5 miles, if you hike all the trails
Address: 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg
Meeting Place: The Cultural and Natural History Center, there is a parking lot there.
Fees: Free
Restroom: at the visitor center
Pets: No pets allowed
Plan: From the Cultural & History Center, we will start off with the Tower Boardwalk Trail and the Riviera Trail. When we finish these, we will end up back at the Cultural Center. Anyone wanting a shorter hike can stop there. Anyone wanting a longer hike can continue on with the Upland Trail Loop (out and back and loop) , then the Lookout Point Trail (out and back), and finally the Boy Scout Trail (loop). Then we will finish off by taking the Upland Trail back to the Cultural Center and our cars.Tunneling through mangrove forests and palm hammocks to overlooks on Tampa Bay, the trails of Weedon Island Preserve offer unique perspectives for birders.
With a network of easy accessible paths and tougher natural ones and a variety of lengths of hikes, the preserve delights hikers while also interpreting one of Florida’s ancient settlements.
Weedon Island Preserve is one of Florida’s more significant archaeological sites. A dugout canoe was discovered in the mud here and carbon-dated to 900 A.D.What to Bring:
- Water
- Sunscreen
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Bug spray
- A hat or sunglasses
- A Camera
Looking forward to seeing you there!
9 attendees
Alderman's Ford Conservation Park (5 miles-ish)
Alderman's Ford Park, 100 Aldermans Ford Park Drive, Lithia, FL, US# 🌿 Alderman’s Ford Conservation Park- Red, White, and Blue Trails
📍 Alderman’s Ford Conservation Park
This park opens at 8 so we will only have one hike this day.📌 Address: 100 Alderman's Ford Park Dr, Plant City, FL 33567
📏 Distance: approximately 5 miles (loop options)
⬆️ Elevation: Flat, some roots/sand
🐾 Dogs: Allowed, leashed
Guests are allowed but it's not necessary to add them if they ride with you.
💲 Entry Fee: $2 per vehicle (county park fee)
Join us for a relaxed afternoon exploring Alderman’s Ford Conservation Park, a beautiful stretch of riverine forest along the Alafia River. We’ll follow a mix of paved paths, natural surface trails, and boardwalks with views of the water and old-growth trees. This is a great hike for most experience levels.### What to Expect
- Comfortable, conversational pace
- Mostly shaded trails with river views and boardwalk sections
- Flat terrain with some roots and uneven spots
- Plan for about 2 hours on the trail
### What to Bring
- Water
- Comfortable walking/hiking shoes
- Bug spray
- Sun protection for more open areas
- $2 cash or card for park entrance.
https://hcfl.gov/locations/aldermans-ford-conservation-park
### Where We’re Meeting
We’ll meet inside the park near the main trailhead by the central loop once you come through the entrance at:
100 Alderman's Ford Park Dr, Plant City, FL 33567
Please try to arrive a few minutes early so we can start hiking right on time.
Come enjoy a peaceful afternoon along the Alafia River with good company and gorgeous scenery!10 attendees
Past events
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