Lettuce Lake Conservation Park

ABOUT THIS PLACE

Hillsborough County opened the park in 1982 at 6920 East Fletcher Avenue, on land inside the natural floodplain of the Hillsborough River. The ground is a mix of hardwood swamp, oak hammock and pine flatwoods, and the lake itself is not really a lake but a wide slow bend of the river covered in water lettuce, which is where the name comes from. The main draw is a boardwalk of about 3,500 feet that carries walkers out over the swamp and along the river without their feet getting wet, with an observation tower part way around for a view across the water. Alligators, turtles, otters, wading birds and a long list of songbirds are all regular sightings, and the Tampa Audubon Society runs a resource center in the park. A paved loop of about 1.25 miles circles the upland part for walkers and cyclists. There is a visitor center with nature and history displays, a native plant garden, two playgrounds rebuilt in 2024, picnic shelters, grills and a boat dock, and canoes and kayaks can be rented. Sections of the boardwalk and the tower have been closed for repair, so check before going