A Must Do
 Flatwoods is a Hillsborough bicycling staple. This is perhaps the most traveled paved trail in Hillsborough County. Hundreds use this asset every weekend. During the week, you can expect to see others on the paved loop. Odds are that most of the people who read this have spent a few hours here. But I would be remiss if I did not include this icon in my reviews.
First, the layout: Seven mile one way paved multi-use loop, with a two-mile spur to Bruce B. Downs.
Access: Two park entrances for motorized vehicles, one off Bruce B. Downs, east of the Home Depot, and the main entrance on Morris Bridge Road, east of I-75. (Fletcher Ave turns to Morris Bridge Road east of the Interstate.)
Facilities: Water at four points on the loop, along with covered benches and parking for bikes. There are restrooms, beverage vending and an air compressor at the Entry Station/Ranger Station ½ mile from the Morris Bridge Road entrance. The Bruce B. Downs entrance has restrooms and water fountains. Park Rangers patrol constantly, replenishing the water, and providing other aid.
The Site: The land is a multitude of eco-systems, ranging from scrub to wetlands to hardwood hammocks. Wildlife is getting crowded from all the developments surrounding Flatwoods, so give them as much room as you can. Take a picture and move on. The terrain is uniformly flat, giving credence to its name. During the rainy season (summer), it is possible that some areas, if not the whole park, could close for a day or two. Florida has more rain that any other state, over fifty inches a year, not counting hurricanes. There is a new bridge over Trout Creek, which was notorious for flooding out.
Now, there is a –lot- of traffic here, even on the weekdays. Follow the etiquette, stay to the right, and listen for the call, “On your left”, or a bell. This means you have folks overtaking you from behind. Riding side by side is okay if you can maintain a passing lane on your left. I recommend leaving at least half the paved roadbed. If you stop, move off the trail. Along the way, you will see an occasional structure off the paved road, accessed by a shale road. These are pump houses, as this is a working water well field, run by the South West Florida Water Management District and Hillsborough County. A few of these pump houses have pavilions attached, with picnic tables and grills. This is an excellent example of government at multiple levels doing something right.
This is only scratching the surface of the trails in this park, or more correctly, parks. There are three parks that are co-joined, and they contain miles of off road trails, some of the best in the area. I will be reviewing these as I can get to them.
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