Flooding, Downed Limbs Cause Hillsborough County Preserve Closures

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Lithia Springs Conservation Park and more than 20 county nature preserves remain closed due to high water, downed trees or other issues related to Hurricane Ian.

All other county conservation parks and 17 of the 38 nature preserves reopened Monday, though some areas or amenities in those parks and preserves remain off llimits to visitors while staff assesses the damage and makes repairs. The remaining 21 nature preserves remain closed.

In addition to Lithia Springs Conservation Park, Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve North and South, Alafia Scrub Nature Preserve, Alderman's Ford Nature Preserve, Balm-Boyette Nature Preserve, Blackwater Creek Preserve, Camp Bayou Canoe Launch Learning Center, Cockroach Creek Greenway Nature Preserve, FishHawk Creek Preserve and FishHawk Creek South Preserve, Golden Aster Scrub Nature Preserve, Rhodine Scrub Nature Preserve, Town 'N' Country Nature Preserve, Triple Creek Nature Preserve, Little Manatee River Corridor, Lake Frances Nature Preserve and Cypress Creek Nature Preserve are closed due to high water and downed trees.

Camping sites at Edward Medard Conservation Park are closed for storm debris cleanup.

The following nature preserves are open to visitors:

• Apollo Beach Nature Preserve, 6760 Surfside Blvd., Apollo Beach,
• Bahia Beach Nature Preserve, 2513 Shell Point Road, Ruskin,
• Bell Creek Nature Preserve, 10940 McMullen Road, Riverview
• Brooker Creek Headwaters Nature Preserve, 18102 Ramblewood Road, Odessa
• Cockroach Bay Nature Preserve, 3839 Gulf City Road, Ruskin
• Cypress Creek Nature Preserve (Livingston), 18000 Lizard's Trail Road, Tampa
• Cypress Creek Nature Preserve (Robertson Trail), 18000 Lizard's Trail Road,Tampa
• Diamondback Nature Preserve, 5602 W. Gray St., Tampa
• Jeanie and Pete Johnson Nature Preserve, 11002 Ekker Road, Gibsonton
• Lake Dan Nature Preserve, 19116 Huckavalle Road, Odessa
• Rocky Creek Trails Nature Preserve, 7415 Manhattan Drive, Tampa
• Florida College Nature Preserve, 9514 Woodland Ridge Drive, Temple Terrace
• Kitchen Nature Preserve, 6099 Isabel Ave., Gibsonton
• Fred & Ida Schultz Nature Preserve, 5906 Kracker Ave., Gibsonton
• Violet Cury Preserve, 1802 Sinclair Hills Road, Lutz
• Wolf Branch Creek Nature Preserve, 481 Villemaire Road, Apollo Beach.

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