Lithia Springs Conservation Park is one of the least known springs in Florida to camp at. This is likely because it is one of the hardest springs to get a campsite at. The only way to secure a spot is to go in person and reserve. This makes planning a trip to Lithia during the cooler months a little difficult. The gates open at 8am. If you show up the day of at 8am you may get lucky and snag a site. However, there is no guarantee. You don’t have to worry about it too much in the summer months. Too hot and too buggy for most. Obviously if you are camping in luxury and have a nice cool ac to run, the warmer weather won’t bother you too much. If you are like me and tent camp, then you rely on the winter to have a nice weekend camp out.
Well-known for its natural spring which flows year-round, cool, clean water into the Alafia River, the Lithia Springs Park’s main attraction is the swimming area. There is a $2.00 fee per person to go in. Parents flock here in spring and summer and they let the kids go wild. It definitely fills up on the weekend, so for me the best time to go is always during the week. obviously not everyone can take a couple of days off in the middle of a work week but that’s okay, the swimming area isn’t even the best part.
The real gem of this park is the trail. There is a 3-mile trail that leads through and around the outskirts of the park. This trail will lead to a bridge which has a sweet spot to chill out on the bank of the spring’s cool waters. You may spot some interesting looking birds here. You may even see an alligator although unlikely in the cooler months. This trail can get a little muddy after a bit of rain so dress accordingly. This woodsy trail offers a diverse plant community, including river cypress swamps, and hardwood hammock. There is one negative to this trail and that at the halfway mark you can begin to see houses. There is a newly built community development right along the outside of the park. Unfortunately, at one point, you can see some very large and unnatural homes which can ruin the “one with nature” vibe. Don’t let that stop you from going on. It’s a quick but rewarding 3 miles, remember to wear some good quality waterproof boots if it’s been rainy.
The campsites are a little close together. You can pretty much here your neighbor snoring in their tents, but after a long day of swimming, hiking, kayaking, and biking you’ll be snoring too! Some friendly advice, Lithia does allow dogs but please don’t bring your furry friend if he’s going to bark all night and day. No one wants to be THAT guy.
The facilities are top notch. Hot water in the showers and clean toilet stalls. It’s nice when to have plumbing and not a composting toilet. They are cleaned daily and you can tell with care. One thing I’m always on the lookout for are the creepy crawlies. Fortunately for me, I did not see one spider in the restrooms.
There is more than one trail, but you must be a little adventurist to find it. While in the campground, there is a path you’ll find that leads to the water. You can fish or take a dip here, but if you keep following the path you will find yourself in a hiker’s dream. The path is skinny and hard to find at times but rewarding to get through and see some cool stuff along the banks of the river.
Kayak/canoe launching is available here but couldn’t find anything about rentals. I hear the kayak trail can get a little dicey so do some research and no what to expect before heading out. Also, always check the weather for possible storms. In Florida you should always expect a thunderstorm in the afternoon.
There is something to do for every day you stay here. Always a trail to get lost on, or a fishing hole to cast your line. If you can snag a site, it’s worth the trip! If you can’t reserve a space, there are a couple of other campgrounds in the area such as E.G. Simmons Conservation Park located in Ruskin or Edward Medard Conservation Park in Plant City. Hillsborough county can’t wait to show you what beauties it has to offer!
