Boyd Hill Nature Park

Sometimes it is hard to find a piece of “old” Florida; a reminder of what the Tampa Bay area looked like when settlers first came in the 1800s. Luckily Boyd Hill offers the visitor a glimpse into that not-so-distant past. Spend an hour or two wandering through a Florida wilderness set on the beautiful shores of Lake Maggiore (only 10 minutes from downtown St. Petersburg). Well maintained and signed trails and boardwalks make it easy to enjoy the various habitats and critters. An aviary is home to a number of birds who have been rehabilitated from injuries but are not able to return to the wild. The Boyd Hill Preserve is 240-acres of lake, marsh land, pine flatwood forest, marsh woodlands, and sand scrub. The gopher tortoise make Boyd Hill its home and it is delightful to watch a pair lumber across the trail. Roseate spoonbills, anhingas, egrets and herons all hang out in the lake and marshes of Boyd Hill. Ospreys and bald eagles are known to roam and nest in the area as well. Are you in the St Petersburg area and maybe have had just about enough beach? It can happen. Maybe you want to take a break from the umbrella drinks on the patio? How about spending the day immersing yourself in the nature here. When that umbrella calls, you can be back in no time.

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A Wilderness Within a City

Sometimes it is hard to find a piece of “old” Florida; a reminder of what the Tampa Bay area looked like when settlers first came in the 1800s. Luckily Boyd Hill offers the visitor a glimpse into that not-so-distant past. Spend an hour or two wandering through a Florida wilderness set on the beautiful shores of Lake Maggiore (only 10 minutes from downtown St. Petersburg). Well maintained and signed trails and boardwalks make it easy to enjoy the various habitats and critters. An aviary is home to a number of birds who have been rehabilitated from injuries but are not able to return to the wild. The Boyd Hill Preserve is 240-acres of lake, marsh land, pine flatwood forest, marsh woodlands, and sand scrub. The gopher tortoise make Boyd Hill its home and it is delightful to watch a pair lumber across the trail. Roseate spoonbills, anhingas, egrets and herons all hang out in the lake and marshes of Boyd Hill. Ospreys and bald eagles are known to roam and nest in the area as well. Are you in the St Petersburg area and maybe have had just about enough beach? It can happen. Maybe you want to take a break from the umbrella drinks on the patio? How about spending the day immersing yourself in the nature here. When that umbrella calls, you can be back in no time.

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