Near Little Manatee River State Park
The trail goes under a large broken branch. The trail has now been rerouted out from under this branch.
Near Little Manatee River State Park
Crossing one of the bridges - caution: they can be very slippery.
Near Little Manatee River State Park
Little Manatee River
Near Little Manatee River State Park
The trail going under an old live oak tree.
Near Little Manatee River State Park
Ferns on the trail

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Hike Route

Little Manatee River State Park

4.4 (20 Ratings)
This is still the best trail in the area. You never get tired of hiking it!
6.8
mi
Distance
81
ft
Gain
moderate
Difficulty
BirdingRiver/CreekWildflowersWildlife
Access Issues
The trail is open from dawn to sunset daily.

Route Details

Flatter
Steeper
6.85mi
Distance
81ft
Elevation Gain
81ft
Elevation Loss
45%
Max Grade
32ft
High Point
-1ft
Low Point
Path Type
Loop
Description
The trail is well marked with white blazes. Connector and accessory trails have a blue blaze. There are several bridges that go over wet spots or creeks. The northern portion is mostly through pine and oak trees growing in dry, sandy soil. The western and southern part go through some lowlands and sandy bluffs along the river.The south leg of the trail goes along the north bank of the Little Manatee River for stretches. The western portion of the south leg gets swampy and can be underwater during rainy times. The trail crosses Cypress Creek twice. Cypress Creek is a tributary. There are bridges over the streams and some wet areas, but other areas can be under water or quite muddy when there is much rain.The northern leg of the trail is generally higher and drier, but there are still a couple of spots that can be wet. There is a primitive campground with one site off the north leg of the trail. The nice part about this trail is how it varies along its length. It makes for an interesting hike and does not get boring.
History & Background
The 2,418 acres of land were purchased by the State of Florida in 1974. The state park began in 1975.

Route Conditions

Report Conditions
No Condition Reports
Report Conditions

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Contributors
tom kamprath