There's an old Florida saying that goes something like "You should always assume there's a gator in every body of water," and as any wildlife official will tell you, this is mostly true.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) estimates that there's roughly 1.3 million American alligators in the the state of Florida, and on any given day, they can found in every county, city, gated community, golf course, retention pond, river, lake or roadside ditch.
Gators are everywhere.
Here in Tampa Bay, we have our fair share of swamp puppies, and as the weather cools, our cold-blooded buddies are forced to lay out in the sun to regulate body temps. So, the fall and winter months are often the best times of the year to see our reptilian friends in the wild.
What follows are some of the more "gatory spots" in the Tampa Bay area. You'll find everything from low-key city parks, shady rural boardwalks, and even some hardcore hikes (one of which requires a permit because there's too many gators).
But if you're going to head out lookin' for alligators this weekend, it should be noted that while attacks are extremely rare, you should always be extra cautious.
Here are a couple important tips to consider from the FWC:
- If you come across a gator on a trail or the river, give it a lot of space. Don't walk or paddle up to it.
- It's actually illegal to mess around with gators, so just admire from afar.
- Do not feed gators. You're just training it to associate people with food, which is bad, and will result in someone getting hurt or the gator getting euthanized.
- Exercise extra caution in during mating season, which typically runs from May to June, depending on temperatures.
- Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn, so it's best to avoid water after dark.
- Keep your dog on a leash. Dogs are basically chicken tendies to gators. So, it's also best to avoid walking dogs along shorelines.
- If you see a baby gator, stay away. Momma gators can be very aggressive.
- If you see a gator somewhere where it's not supposed to be (like a school or a parking lot), or you believe it's a threat to someone's safety, you can report it to the FWC's Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).
The best Tampa Bay parks and hikes for seeing alligators in the wild
By Colin Wolf on Fri, Oct 20, 2023 at 10:01 am
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Lettuce Lake Conservation Park
6920 East Fletcher Avenue, TampaThis is probably one of the best and safer spots in the Tampa area to take the kids to see a gator in the wild. When the weather starts to cool, if you visit Lettuce Lake in the afternoon when the sun is high, it’s pretty much a “gator guarantee.” You can rent a canoe or kayak here, but the easiest thing to do is just head down the 3,500-foot boardwalk and climb the observation tower. You’ll see ‘em, they’re out there. Plus, there’s a playground near the parking lot to get all the kiddo’s zoomies out.
Photo by Ray Roa
Hillsborough River State Park
15402 U.S. Hwy-301, ThonotosassaLegend has it there’s a 14-footer that lives by the kayak launch, so keep your arms and hands inside the boat at all times. Kayak rentals are probably the best way to see gators at this popular local state park, but there’s also a shaded 1.2-mile hiking loop (the Rapids Trail) that follows the riverbank and caps off with a swinging suspension bridge over the Hillsborough River. Keep an eye on the banks of the river, they're there.
Photo by Colin Wolf
John S. Taylor Park
1100 8th Ave. SW, LargoThis Largo gem features a popular disc golf course, a playground, access to the Pinellas Trail, and a 53-acre freshwater lake with some extra large gators in it. Though encounters are extremely rare, the park has been in the headlines for alligator incidents recently. Back in 2022 a man looking for his frisbee died of an apparent alligator attack here. And, in a separate incident, another guy looking for his discs was bitten in the face in 2020. So, if you accidentally lose a frisbee in the water at John S. Taylor Park, just let it go. It’s gone.
Photo via Pinellas County
Al Lopez Park
4810 N Himes Ave., TampaThere’s a lot to do at Al Lopez Park, but the northside of this Tampa westside gem is a little more naturey, and offers a surprisingly nice boardwalk through the trees and plenty of views of the big pond. There've been a few viral videos of some big ol’ boys in here, and a dog was eaten by a gator back in 2008, so watch your step.
Photo via City of Tampa
Sawgrass Lake Park
7400 25th St. N, St. PetersburgMore often than not, you’ll spot a couple gators at Sawgrass Lake. The family-friendly 400-acre park has most amenities, but the main attraction here is the lengthy boardwalk through the marshes that ends at a two-story observation tower overlooking the lake. Be on the lookout for armadillos, turtles and grown-ass adults playing Pokemon Go.
Photo by Colin Wolf
Circle B Bar Reserve
4399 Winter Lake Rd., LakelandIt’s a bit of a drive, but Circle B is probably one of the gatoriest spots near Tampa Bay. The 1,267-acre nature reserve is home to some of the most viral gator videos in Florida. There’s plenty of trails here, but the 1-mile Alligator Alley Trail is a good place to start, considering it’s short, mostly shaded, and follows a boardwalk to the extremely gatory Lake Hancock. Leave the dog at home.
Photo via Visit Florida
Carillon Nature Reserve
Unnamed Road, 100 Carillon Pkwy., St. Petersburg,When it comes to spotting gators in the wild, Carillon Park is probably one of the more underrated (and undersized) parks in Tampa Bay. Located within a literal business park, the space has plenty of parking and a near mile-long trail around a tiny lake. The main attraction here is the loop with boardwalks and bridges, giving visitors a nice vantage point for wildlife. There’s a surprisingly large amount of wildlife packed into this small place, so be on the lookout for gators, turtles, fish and everything in between.
Photo via Visit St. Pete Clearwater
Dell Holmes Park
2741 22nd St. S, St. PetersburgThis Pinellas County park sits along Lake Maggiore, and in terms of gators, the area has been known to be home to some absolute units. One of the largest on record was back In 2013, when trappers removed a 13-foot, 770 pound gator. Attacks are extremely rare, but just in the last few years there have been quite a few incidents of tragic human and gator interactions in this specific body of water, so it wouldn’t hurt to exercise caution. Also, on a non-gator-related note, there’s an excellent splash pad and playground here.
Photo via City of St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation/Facebook
Rowlett Park
2401 E Yukon St., TampaRowlett Park offers some nice little trails and views of the Hillsborough River dam, which is where the City of Tampa gets most of its drinking water. But it also has quite a few gators laying around. There are warning signs here for a reason, some large gators have been removed from this park recently, and there was even a dog fatality here back in 2015. So, while leashed dogs are allowed, please exercise caution near the shoreline.
Photo via Tampa Police Department/Facebook
Myakka River State Park
13208 SR-72, SarasotaNot exactly in the immediate Tampa Bay area, but Myakka is definitely worth the drive. For the most hardcore gator peepers, there’s the 2-mile Deep Hole hike, which requires a permit to visit because of the sheer volume of large gators laying around. But for more casual gator watchers, the park also features a nice driving loop, where you’ll spot plenty of gators, wild birds and a ton of non-native feral hogs. But arguably one of the best things to do with the kids is the boat ride, where you’ll see plenty of gators and learn about the history of the park.
Photo via Colin Wolf
Lake Seminole Park
10015 Park Blvd. N, SeminoleLake Seminole Park is a designated wildlife sanctuary, so you already know the gator’n is good. The 255-acre park has a nice 2-mile multipurpose trail that loops around most of it, and gives hikers some nice views of the lake and the flatwood pine forest. There’s also plenty of shaded picnic spots and a playground, if you’re not keen on getting too close to the water.
Photo via Pinellas County
Boyd Hill Nature Preserve
1101 Country Club Wy. S, St. PetersburgThere be monsters here. Over the years, Boyd Hill has been home to some giant gators sightings. Back in 2013, a 13-footer was illegally “harvested” from Lake Maggiore, and the city park regularly hosts “alligator walks” to spot their many scaly friends. There’s also plenty of trails, a boardwalk and a playground for the kiddos.
Photo via stpeteparksrec.org
Morris Bridge Conservation Park
13630 Morris Bridge Rd., ThonotosassaPart of the Hillsborough River watershed, Morris River Bridge is a great place for spotting gators. There's a short, shady hike along a boardwalk loop that's ideal for little legs that can't last long. There’s also a canoe and kayak launch area here, as well as access to the nearby, and more intense, Flatwoods 7-mile loop.
Photoby Colin Wolf
Riverhills Park
329 S Riverhills Dr., Temple TerraceRiverhills Park is an underrated little 10-acre space along the freshwater side of the Hillsborough River in Temple Terrace. It offers a playground, a boat ramp and a kayak launch, as well as a nice little shaded boardwalk that follows the shoreline. Fishing is allowed here, and you’ll probably see at least a couple gators on any given day. If not, then at least know that TacoSon is only a few minutes down the road.
Photo by Colin Wolf
Trout Creek Conservation Park
12550 Morris Bridge Rd., ThonotosassaAs part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, there’s always a good shot at seeing gators here. If it’s your first time here, the Bayshore Trail is a good place to start looking for gators.The county park is a popular kayak and fishing spot, and also offers a nice boardwalk, and a mountain bike trail.
Photo via Adobe
John B Sargeant Sr. Park
12702 U.S. Hwy-301 N, ThonotosassaA popular kayak and fishing spot, John B Sargeant Sr. Park also has a solid quarter-mile boardwalk loop and a fishing pier overlooking where Flint Creek meets the Hillsborough River. For the boaters, you can also access the Hillsborough River State Canoe Trail here, which is prime for gator watchin’.
Photo via Adobe
Edward Medard Conservation Park
6140 Turkey Creek Rd., Plant CityThere’s a filthy amount of alligators here. As one of the largest parks in Hillsborough County, this 700-acre reservoir offers up a kids playground, kayak and canoe rentals, a 3-mile trail loop, as well as a cool little boardwalk and observation tower, where you’ll often see plenty of birds, turtles and of course, gators.
Photo via Adobe
River Tower Park
401 E Bird St., TampaNamed after its historic and decommissioned water tower, River Tower Park sits along the Hillsborough River in Sulphur Springs. According to a 1924 article from the Tampa Tribune, the site was once home to an amusement park, with a giant alligator farm featuring “thousands of live alligators of all ages on display.” Today, the gator farm is gone, but you can still see those scaly fellas along the banks of the river. Sure, the tower is the main attraction here, but keep an eye out for gatorinos.
Photo via Adobe.
John Chesnut Sr. Park
2200 E Lake Rd. S, Palm HarborThis 255-acre park hugs the edge of Lake Tarpon and features a nice boardwalk and trail loop through the woods and along the water. There’s plenty of gators in Lake Tarpon, but there’s also been a few rare American crocodile sightings. In 2013, an 11-foot, 700-pound croc was trapped and removed from the freshwater lake. But if massive apex predators aren’t your thing, the park also has two playgrounds and a dog park.
Photo via Pinellas County
Tampa Riverwalk
Downtown TampaWhile the Tampa Riverwalk probably has the most amenities (bars, restaurants, playgrounds, splash pads, etc), it also has the lowest chance of seeing a gator. But, keep your eyes peeled, because gators are often spotted bobbing along the brackish waters of the Hillsborough River, or even chilling in the Ulele Spring, which is located on the northern end of the trail near Water Works Park.
Photo via Tampa Riverwalk/Facebook
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