Little Manatee River State Park

Great park. Beautiful trails, but keep your head aware of what lives there. We saw a water moccasin that was probably about six feet long under one of the small bridges on the trail. Literally less then two feet away from us. Nothing wrong with that, it’s their world, but just be aware. Know what can be right next to you and have caution.

Trails are poorly marked but once you find them they are nice. I went when it was 60 out because the gnats here are really bad. Bring bug spray of you go when it’s warm.

Stopped here Saturday morning, Four bucks for day parking, and was almost empty except for campground being nearly full. Asked if I could sleep in my van at a campsite, told must have a tent. At $ 22 a night it’s a bargain so close to Tampa Bay.
South Hillsborough County still retains that country feeling, along with US301 having single lane each direction. Park entrance is less than half-​mile from US301, but canoe rental is off US301 so a bit confusing. Playground by parking lot, then clean restroom behind it hidden by bushes from parking lot.
Was tired from visiting a previous park so did not explore any trails, plus the large sign depicting all snakes that hang out here a bit intimidating. Remember to turn left toward US301 when leaving, as Lightfoot road is a dead end. Money well spent here..

The seven mile hiking trail is one of the best in Florida as you traverse several different Eco systems. Try to go in dry weather as the south part adjoining the river floods easily. The total hike is around 3 hours so bring water and a camera. Even in dry weather the first half mile is wet but do not worry the trail is dry after that. If you love the Florida terrain this is a must.

This is a very nice State Park that balances primative with modern amenities. There are two separate campgrounds available: one has sites with the hookups you need, and are shaded from the sun and neighboring sites. The other site is an equestrian campsite that is off the beaten path, so we didn’t check the sites.
There are two water access areas, one for a canoe launch and one for relaxing and watching the river flow.
A very nice retreat!

There was some nice scenery in this park, but in the future, I wouldn’t go in the summer. It was pretty empty and some of the trails were flooded, which was frustrating. It was also humid and buggy (the winter would probably be more pleasant). I agree with one of the other reviewers in that the signage could be better. I didn’t realize that you had to drive to a different entrance to do the 6.5 mile walk, for instance. Also, parts of the trail were overgrown and not well maintained. However, there was a nice variety of different habitats and scenery. The bathrooms were very clean.

This is an excellent place to go to for a quiet relaxing weekend! I love going here when I need a home away from home. The trails are beautiful, lots of wildlife, and the kayaking was a TON of fun! I loved it so much I’m going back tonight!

Like most parks, this place is beautiful. It’s much bigger than I expected and has great trails. My favorite thing was the white sand that runs through most of the park and the fact that dogs are allowed — and I did bring mine. I also liked that it wasn’t packed — I don’t like going to natural preserves and feel like I’m at an outlet mall on Black Friday– it kinda defeats the purpose :-/​lol
There are plenty of picnic benches, clean bathrooms and water fountains. There is also a canoe/​kayak launch — which I can’t speak too because I didn’t use or see it.
The ranger was really friendly and helpful and the few people I ran into and chatted with on the trails were also friendly.
The only thing I wished was that they had better signage. There is some signage that can get u in the general area of a trail but once in an area it can be a little confusing to find the specific trail u are looking for (remember it’s a big place). For example, I did not get to the canoe launch — but that was actually my destination. Normally id chalk this up to me getting confused but someone else asked me for directions on the same trail so I’m thinking it’s the signage.

Nice cabanas and a beautiful river. Can’t get to the 6 mile trail directly from the park, that’s in a separate spot. The hike is beautiful and I was certainly sore at the end! Great trails for walking the dogs. Highly recommend.

My husband and I went to this state park on Saturday in the afternoon. We were looking for some easy hiking trails near us. It costs $ 5 to enter the park, you pay at the front entrance. It was not crowded at all. We maybe saw 5 other people hiking. We went on the easy trail. It only took us about 15 minutes. It was a typical trail, not too much to see. We decided not to go on the 6.5 mile trail because it looked like rain. There wasn’t much else for us to do since we didn’t take our kayaks. I do have to say the bathrooms were very clean. I was impressed. We drove around to look at the rest of the park and noticed the campsite. It was a typical camp site. There were also cabin like picnic areas with a grill. It would have been nice if we had a picnic and went kayaking, maybe next time. Overall, it was a nice little park.

Little Manatee River State park is a fantastic location for camping, hiking, canoe/​kaking and many horse owners come here to ride the 12 miles of equestrian trails. There is a 6.5 mile hiking trail and a couple lakes to fish in. Camping spaces are private and bathrooms large and clean. Lots of wildlife to be seen here as well. There are primitive camping sites right near the stables where you can place your horse for your stay. They are well built adn you are asked to muck up after your horse — as should be expected. Staff is amazing, gift shop has a nice selection. Note* Previous review by Cherly L. 3÷6÷2010 and photos are for the Manatee Viewing Center at Apollo Beach/​Teco Power Plant facility

I was expecting this place to be boring, especially since my best friend told me that the manatees just look like huge poops floating in the river. However, I ended up having a really great time here!
The people who come here are so friendly– many of them are Floridians. They will come talk to you and tell you where is the best spot to see the manatees. There are also sharks and sting rays in the river, and they’ll do little flips and jumps in the air.
The gift shop here is great! Souvenirs are actually reasonably priced and they have things that I would actually buy for people. ($ 3 for a mug, $ 5 for a stuffed manatee!) I also got a Watermelon Ring Pop after seeing it at the counter. Who doesn’t like Ring Pops!
The only thing negative thing about this park is that the view would be so much better if there weren’t a huge plant that overlooks the river… it actually looks like the nuclear plant that Mr. Burns owns.