Hillsborough River, Tampa, Florida - From Days Gone By

The Hillsborough River, Tampa, Florida

From Days Gone By

We fell in love while canoeing the Hillsborough River over 40 years ago! So many years later we were in the area and decided to put in at the Wilderness Area at Morris Bridge Road. This was our usual put in spot those many years ago. Back then, it was just a place alongside the road, with ease of entry. The Hillsborough River Basin Board with the Southwest Florida Water Management District has bought up much of the property along the upper river. Several parks along the river have developed walking trails, loading ramps, and even docks which make the river easy to access. This makes it easy to canoe from one park to the next and get out and take a stretching or bathroom break. Maintaining it as a wilderness area has also helped to maintain the special qualities of the riverine/swamp ecosystem. We were excited to be back on the river.

Alert to the Wildlife

We had only one car, so instead of asking for a shuttle, we canoed 2 or 3 miles upstream and then turned around and canoed back. As we glided on the intimate river, we soon realized how easy it was to fall in love, not only with each other, but with the natural Florida environment. The Hillsborough River runs through an enormous cypress swamp with huge fluted cypress trunks and cypress knees everywhere.

Lilies were scattered on the moist banks. It remains a perfect haven for a wide variety of wildlife. If you are counting the various birds, turtles, or alligators, you quickly give up because there are so many it is impossible to keep your count accurate.

There wasn't a moment that we were not seeing some kind of wildlife and often there were three to five different species visible at the same. And if there was a moment with no wildlife visible, the whole environment is absolutely beautiful! Obviously the birds, turtles and gators are used to seeing people float by in their various sized canoes and kayaks as they casually watch you pass by. We were pleased to see that Roseate Spoonbills have found the river to be good place to live. 

The indigenous Limpkin were numerous and frequently seen. Hearing their raucous call was a wonderful reminder of our visits in the past.

Instead of creating a list of the wading birds we were seeing we started a list of those that we were NOT seeing. We didn't see any little Green Herons or any Black or Yellow-crowned Night Herons. Other birds? Yes! And lots of them – Kingfishers, Limpkins, Great Blue, White Ibis, Little Blue, White Egrets, Anhingas and Cormorants! Plus the call of a Barred Owl. Unexpectedly we also saw a Blue Macaw! Only this one came riding on someone's kayak as someone's pet.

    Canoeing the Hillsborough River not only is a great experience, but it is so easy and takes so little of your time.  We saw so much and our total time spent on the river was 3 hours.  People spend lots of money in the area for 3 hours of entertainment.  The Hillsborough River experience is free and you can do it over and over again at the same price!  Enjoy!!