An outdoor nature trail photograph showing Lettuce Lake Park in Tampa, Florida on Feb. 27, 2021. Captured in a wide horizontal shot looking down a sun-dappled dirt path winding through a lush hardwood forest, a small child wearing a red shirt and light-colored hat crouches low along the left edge of the trail examining the ground. Dense tall trees, verdant green canopy foliage, and forest undergrowth border both sides of the path under bright daytime sunlight filtering through the leaves.
Lettuce Lake Park in Tampa, Florida on Feb. 27, 2021. Credit: Ray Roa / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

Florida voters passed the property tax-cutting Amendment 3 this month, and the drama surrounding its implementation will unfold over the next few months.

One good way to relieve the stress is to touch some grass, especially while parks departments have funding. In its 11th year, the Hillsborough County Hiking Spree offers just that, and incentivises participation by giving out prizes (patch, medallion, or dog bandana) to anyone who completes eight or more of the over two dozen trails.

The spree kicked off this month and runs through March 31—and there are a few guided hikes left this month at the Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park (Nov. 21, 10:30 a.m.), Edward Medard Conservation Park (Nov. 22, 8:30 a.m. with the Audubon Society), and Carrollwood Village Park (Nov. 28, a Pokemon Go hike). 

There’s no fee to register for the Hillsborough County Hiking Spree happening now through March 31.

A three-panel outdoor merchandise collage photograph showing prizes for the 2026-27 Hillsborough Hiking Spree. Laid flat against a textured grey concrete surface scattered with fallen dry leaves, the top-left panel displays an embroidered shield-shaped patch illustrating a southern toad beside orange cinnabar chanterelle mushrooms with text reading "Hillsborough County Florida," "Southern Toad," "Cinnabar Chanterelle," and "2026-2027 Hiking Spree." The top-right panel features a matching vinyl sticker topped with an orange banner reading "I Completed The," while the bottom panel showcases a triangular dark green pet bandana bordered in bright orange with repeating orange text reading "Hop on the Trail," "11th Annual Hiking Spree," and the central emblem under natural outdoor sunlight.
Prizes for the 2026-27 Hillsborough Hiking Spree Credit: Hillsborough County

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This article appears in Nov. 12 – 18, 2026.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...