Lower Green Swamp Preserve
3540 East Knights Griffin Road
Plant City, FL 33565
(813) 757-3713
https://hillsboroughcounty.org/en/locations/lower-green-swamp-nature-preserve
Things to know:
- Hours of operation: Sunrise to sunset every day
- The area is unstaffed on weekends
- A port-a-potty is located across from the office, about ½ mile from the parking area, on the Orange trail.
- Multiple trails are open to horses. Carts are not accommodated.
- Southeast loop (yellow, 1.6 miles)—mostly sun
- Central loop (orange, 3.2 miles)—mixed sun and shade.
- Northwest loop (blue, 5.5 miles)—mixed sun and shade
- Southwest loop (red, 5.3 miles)—more shade, but runs through an active cattle lease.\
- A water trough can be found on the Yellow trail behind the office, about ½ mile from the parking area. There is no water in the parking area.
- During the summer biting flies can be bad.
- Trails are well marked and maintained; this area has the very best staff for addressing equestrian needs. Mounting blocks are at every gate and picnic area.
- Trail maps can be found in the parking area’s kiosk (be sure you take the Lower Green Swamp map, not the Blackwater Creek map).
- Wildlife: Deer, bobcats, gopher tortoises, armadillos and opossums. Wild pigs are frequently encountered.
Cautions:
- The property contains an active cattle lease. Please leave all gates as you find them (closed or open). Cows have been known to charge the horses—be aware!
- Riders are warned to ONLY approach the creek at the Red trail designated crossing. Creek bank erosion is a big problem.
- A fairly long bridge is just past the office on the Orange trail. Some horses express “concern” about crossing it the first time.
- The Preserve is very popular. Because of this, the parking lot can be literally packed to the gills with horse rigs. Please be considerate and use space wisely when parking your own rig.
- Park staff ask that all manure be collected and placed in the bins provided in the parking area.
- Some pines in the parking area have already been killed due to people tying their horses to them. Please tie only to your trailer.
Florida Sport Horse Club 