Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve - South

Updated parking lot address

The new parking lot for this nature preserve is located at 12098 S. County Road 39 in Lithia and now open and ready for use.

The old parking lot located at the end of Old Welcome Rd. officially closed on August 31st, 2021. The trail map has been updated to show this change.

Official Hiking Spree Location

Name of trail: Horseshoe Trail
Miles: 3
Class: C - Primitive
Rating: 3 - Strenuous
(rough terrain)
Attributes: Pet friendly
Download Hiking Spree Map

Learn More about the Hiking Spree

The Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve (ARCNP), is a 4,070 acre preserve located in eastern Hillsborough County. It encompasses lands along the Alafia River east of the Bell Shoals Bridge, extending upstream along the North Prong into Polk County, and along the South Prong to Jameson Road. The preserve contains many different habitat types and also includes areas that were formerly mined for phosphate. The site is home to some listed species including gopher tortoises, eastern indigo snake, American alligator as well as many others.

Trail Map

Hiking Safety Guidelines

Always be prepared when hiking on nature preserves:

• Bring plenty of water
• Download the map
• Tell someone your plan
• Wear proper shoes and sun protection
• Stay on marked trails
• During the rainy season, many trails will have standing water.
• If you think you are lost, call us at (813) 672-7876
• In case of an emergency, call 911