UPPER TAMPA BAY — With the cool breeze of Florida winter comes prime time to bike, skate and walk on area trails. Don't forget the jewel that Hillsborough has in the Upper Tampa Bay Trail. It is scenic, with a minimum of street crossings and a maximum of amenities.
There are rest stops and frequent water stations with paper cups, maps that show where you are and a crossing light that immediately signals road traffic to stop.
Plus, Hillsborough County park rangers recently installed 229 of the decals every 200 feet along the trail so bikers, joggers and skaters can tell 911 dispatchers exactly where they are.
The trail will connect with the 41-mile Suncoast Trail farther north when money is available, but for now it is 7.25 miles long.
If a 14.5 mile round trip is not quite long enough, feeder trails provide easy detours into neighborhoods. The beginning runs along scenic Channel A, which has vegetation and lots of turtles and wading birds.
A weir across the channel provides an artificial waterfall. Approaching the rolling landscape of a closed landfill, vultures, egrets, ibis, cormorants, even a roseate spoonbill congregate.
Be sure to go left at Ehrlich Road to cross at the light with a pedestrian crossing signal. There's a restaurant there called Ballyhoo Bar and Grill. It serves seafood, sandwiches, salads and burgers and has an outside deck on the trail.
When you hear the rooster crow, you're near the end of the trail.
Theresa Blackwell can be reached at tblackwell@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4170.
Trails to try
In Hillsborough
Upper Tampa Bay Trail
Miles: 7.25
Address: Memorial Trailhead, 7499 Montague St., Tampa
Features: Diverse scenery, some shade, wading birds, small artificial waterfall, scenic overlooks and resting spots, water stations, parks with restrooms.
Address: The southern trailhead is on the north side of Lutz-Lake Fern Road just east of the Suncoast Parkway. The trail continues north through Pasco and Hernando counties.
Features: Follows the Suncoast Parkway, passing through suburban, agricultural and natural areas. You can make a side trip into the Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park.
Features: A recreational trail connecting the north and east swimming beaches and the historic fort. Bring a bike lock and visit the beaches, walk the nature trail, visit the fort or stop in at the snack bar.
Info: links.tampabay.com; (727) 582-2267.
Pinellas Trail
Miles: About 44, including spurs to St. Petersburg and Honeymoon Island and a separate spur in East Lake. Recent trail repairs in Tarpon Springs and south of Sunset Point Road are completed, but about half a mile in Palm Harbor will be closed forrepairs from Jan. 6 to Feb. 6.
Features: A popular urban trail that gets about 90,000 users each month and runs from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs.
Info: links.tampabay.com; (727) 549-6099.
Two others worth the trek
Withlacoochee State Trail (right)
Miles: 46
Address: A good access point near the southern end is the Ridge Manor Trailhead. Take I-75 north to Exit 301 to U.S. 98/50. Go east on U.S. 98/50 about a mile, then go left on Croom Rital Road to the trailhead. Trail goes through Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties.
Features: Runs through small towns, ranches and natural areas. In Floral City, about 19 miles north of the Ridge Manor Trailhead, a couple of places just off the trail serve lunch.
Address: Take I-4 east to Exit 38 for SR 33. Follow SR 33 into Polk City and look for trailhead at intersection with CR 665. The trail runs through Polk, Lake and Sumter counties.
Features: One of Florida's most rural trails, it runs through the Green Swamp, former citrus lands and cattle ranches. See alligators, gopher tortoises, wild turkey, snakes and birds. Much of trail is remote, so bring a cell phone, snacks and plenty of water.
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