Two County Parks' trails closing temporarily for improvements

The Bobcat Trail at Upper Tampa Bay Regional Park and the paved trail at Flatwoods Wilderness Regional Park are closing temporarily to allow for park improvement activities to take place.

Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation department staff have temporarily closed the Bobcat Trail at Upper Tampa Bay Regional Park, 8001 Double Branch Road in Tampa, for public safety, during the rebuilding of a boardwalk. This closure is anticipated to last approximately three weeks. The boardwalk was 30 years old and required replacement due to its years of exposure to the elements.

The Upper Tampa Bay boardwalk replacement project is expected to cost approximately $405,000, and will be paid for through the County's general revenue fund.

Then, starting April 22, the paved trail at Flatwoods Wilderness Regional Park, 14302 Morris Bridge Road, from the Bruce B. Downs entrance to the Trout Creek crossing, will be closed for four to five weeks so that the Southwest Florida Water Management District can make erosion repairs on the trail. The Water Management District will be reshaping the Lower Hillsborough Levee to comply with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requirements.

This section of trail will be closed Monday through Thursday, but will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Access to the Park on Mondays through Thursdays will still be available by way of the Shell Service Road at the bottom of the hill that runs parallel to the paved trail.