Tampa Running Routes & Maps

Information on the following trails/routes below: Flatwoods, Upper Tampa Bay Trail, Morris Bridge, Trout Creek, Lake Rogers Park, Ballast Point Park, Temple Terrace, Bayshore, Al Lopez, Temple Terrace, Carrollwood Village, Northdale

Upper Tampa Bay Trail

Water kiosks about every 1.25 miles, public restrooms at Peterson Park Trailhead at the north end, at  Wilskey Rd. Trailhead, and at the Fallmark Trailhead, which is .5mi. west of Sheldon on Waters Avenue. Flat course except for overpass over Gunn Hwy. and a small hill just west of Sheldon road. Miles are marked every half mile. As arrow indicate, everyone - bikers, runners, walkers, skaters - is to keep to the right unless passing. Parents should hold their child's hand lest they be startled by a biker and dart into his/her path. At least one roller blader has suffered serious injury when a child darted in front of her. There are emergency numbers on the asphalt to reference in the event of an emergency.

Access: There is a parking lot just east of where the trail crosses Ehrlich Rd. (near Ballyhoo's Restaurant). People wishing to access the trail from Gunn Hwy. usually park at the closed Circuit City Store. There is a parking lot (and restrooms) at the Wilskey Trailhead, which is .1mi. north of Linebaugh on Wilskey Rd. You will find a very large parking lot, water fountain, restrooms and ranger station at the Fallmark Trailhead, which is just west of Waters Avenue across the street from the Northwest YMCA. The trail crosses under Waters Avenue at that point. One last place to access the trail is at its southern terminus just south of Alonso High School on Montague. There is a small parking lot there and another water kiosk.

Map -- 7.56 miles



Lake Rogers Park
9010 N. Mobley Road, Odessa, FL  33556
Phone 813.264.3917
Map
272 acres, 2 lakes, open 8:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Three water kiosks on the main 2.1 mile loop. Loop is off road trail, mostly shaded, varying terrain. Some elevation change. Pine needles, bark chips, sand, a few roots. More strenuous than Lake Park or the Northwest Equestrian Trail. Miles are marked every quarter mile.
canoe launch, fishing, hiking, picnic areas, picnic shelters, Port-a-johns at entrance and one on the trail.

Carrollwood Village Loop
This loop is all sidewalk, and in some sections the sidewalk is extra wide. However, due to erosion or roots or whatever, there are some places where the sections of sidewalks are raised up, so watch your step. I have tripped more than once. There are several places to get a cool drink after your run: Panera and Starbucks are very close to this loop. It is easily accessed if you park in the Walgreen's parking lot at the Village Center on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. Map -- 3.5 miles

Lake Park
17302 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Lutz, FL  33549
One of the oldest and most developed parks in the area. Very flat.
(both loops) Map -- 2.5 miles
813.264.3806
600 acre park with 5 lakes, canoeing, fishing, picnic shelters, archery range, equestrian facilities, BMX track, playgrounds, RC car track, restrooms

Northdale Blvd. Loop
Map -- 4.15 miles
www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2368141

Sweetbay on Ehrlich, Hutchison to Lake Rogers Park
Map -- 4.72 miles

Original Carrollwood Village Loop
Map
Map

Ben Hill Loop
Map -- 2.13 miles

Ben Hill Larger Loop
Map -- 3.775

Al Lopez (Outer loop only)
This park is centrally located, bordered by Dale Mabry on the west, Himes on the east, Hillsborough on  the north, and MLK on the south. The main trail is a wide asphalt one, but there are also off-road trails.
Public bathrooms, water fountains, a community center, covered picnic tables, dog park, recently renovated playground, fishing, soccer field, bat house, par course, Cancer Survivor Plaza. Many 5k races are held here throughout the year. See the Run Tampa Calendar.
Map -- 1.83 miles
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2368173

Wilderness Parks in North Tampa northeast of the USF area (includes Flatwoods, Trout Creek, and Morris Bridge Parks)

Flatwoods Park in New Tampa
14302 Morris Bridge Rd., Thonotosassa, FL 33592 (also accessible from Bruce B. Downs Rd.)
813.987.6211
People often say Flatwoods when they are actually referring to a group of parks in close proximity and connected by a massive trail network. The parks include Dead River, Flatwoods, John B. Sargeant, Morris Bridge, and Trout Creek Park. Several maps here. Total acreage is 17,000 acres. Public restrooms, hiking, on and off road biking, fishing, canoeing, picnicking, boardwalk, nature trails.

It is possible to run from park to park on trails that connect the parks and make a loop that is 12 to15 miles, depending on your choice of trails and whether you run on the 7-mile paved Flatwoods loop or run through the middle. Obviously, many much shorter runs are possible.There are water kiosks on the paved loop in Flatwoods, and there are drinking fountains at some of the other parks, but it's advisable to carry your own water when running off road, and besides that paved loop, all trails are off road.

There is also a shower at Flatwoods and Trout Creek, which comes in handy.

For a brief two mile run, park at Trout Creek Park on Fletcher and take the Bayshore trail that goes south around two small lakes until it runs into the entrance road just north of the entrance to the park on Fletcher. Coconut Grove is a little trail that parallels the main Trout Creek trail close to the end. Great little trail, very intense (just the Coconut Grove trail) on a mountain bike but not bad for a runner and very beautiful.

For a longer run from Trout Creek. Travel west to the berm, up on the berm, run north just a little bit on the berm until you see a little trail down into the woods on your right. That is the Main Trail that will take you to the 7-mi. paved loop at Flatwoods. If you turn around when you get to the paved loop and return, that will be about five or six miles altogether.

For longer mileage from Trout Creek, follow the Main Trail as described above, to the loop. Then, if you want to continue off road and run through the center of the Flatwoods Loop (see map), go left on the asphalt loop until you see where it enters the woods to your right; you will be on the asphalt loop for only maybe 1/10 mi. before re-entering the woods. Then the trail twists and turns right through the middle of the woods. 

There are many mountain-bikers, so I strongly recommend against headphones on any of these trails. At the very least, use only one ear bud. If bikers pass, always tell them if there is another runner or more behind you.
Map -- The 7- mile asphalt loop at Flatwoods. It can be accessed from Morris Bridge Road or Bruce B. Downs, but many more off road trails are within the loop and extending out from the loop.

Morris Bridge - The entrance to these trails is directly across the street from Trout Creek on Fletcher/Morris Bridge Road. (Fletcher turns into Morris Bridge Road.) on the west end.
Map

Temple Terrace
Map -- 10.58 miles, mostly on streets adjacent to golf course. Starts at Temple Terrace Elementary.

Bayshore Boulevard Linear Park
Some say this is the longest continual sidewalk in the United States. Whether it is or not, it's one of the longest, for sure, and it offers a beautiful view of the bay and the downtown skyline. Start downtown and you can run ten miles to picturesque Ballast Point Park at the other end. There is one water fountain along the way, and there are public restrooms at Ballast Point Park. The Bayshore is where the world famous Gasparilla Distance Classic 15K, 5K, marathon, and half marathon are run in February of each year (March in '09).

Ballast Point Park to Platt St Bridge
Map

If you want to map out one of your favorite routes? Go to http://www.gmap-pedometer.com.

If you have a favorite route you'd like to share, please send it along.