Hillsborough River State Park is brimming with both beauty and history. Take a stroll through the hammocks of live oak, hickory, sabal palm and magnolia that border the river. Or, if time travel is on your agenda, step back to the 1830s courtesy of the folks at Fort Foster State Historic Site.

The scenic river that flows through the park is named for Wills Hills (1718-93), Earl of Hillsborough, who secured Great Britain's control over Florida and the Tampa Bay area. It flows over outcrops of Suwannee limestone, creating a small set of rapids and the park's most unique natural resource. Crypress swamps, pine flatwoods and marshes make up the remaining park areas.

Hillsborough River State Park is one of Florida's oldest parks. Its 2,994 acres were acquired in 1936, and with development by the Civilian Conservation Corps, it opened to the public in 1938.