Hillsborough County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. In the 2010 census, the population was 1,229,226, making it the fourth-most populous county in Florida and the most populous county outside the Miami metropolitan area. A 2019 estimate has the population of Hillsborough County at 1,471,968 people, which itself is greater than the populations of 12 states according to their 2019 population estimates. Its county seat and largest city is Tampa.
FishHawk is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb of Tampa, Florida, and includes a portion of the community of Lithia. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a population of 14,087, up from 1,991 at the 2000 census. The place name is derived from Little Fishhawk Creek, a tributary of the Alafia River that joins the Alafia just west of Lithia Springs.
Plant City is an incorporated city in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, approximately midway between Brandon and Lakeland along Interstate 4. The population was 34,721 at the 2010 census.
Riverview is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. It is located south of Brandon. The population was 71,050 in the 2010 census, up from 12,035 in the 2000 census.
Lithia is an unincorporated community in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb of Tampa. The ZIP codes are 33547, 33596, and the area code is 813. It is part of the census-designated place (CDP) of Fish Hawk. Lithia is home to the 2,963-acre (1,199 ha) Alafia River Corridor and 5,515-acre (2,232 ha) Chito Branch Reserve.
East Tampa is an unincorporated community in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. It is partially within the census-designated place (CDP) of Gibsonton. The ZIP code for East Tampa is 33619.
The Alafia River is 25 miles (40 km) long, with a watershed of 335 square miles (870 km2) in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, flowing into Tampa Bay. The watershed contains ten named lakes and ponds, and 29 named rivers, streams and canals. During the rainy season, excess water is pumped to the new C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir, which opened in 2005.
Alafia River State Park is a Florida State Park, located near Picnic in Hillsborough County in central Florida, 10 miles southeast of Tampa on County Road 39. Even before it became a park, the area, and particularly Hurrah Lake, was the center of leisure activities since the early 1880s.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District, is one of five regional agencies directed by Florida state law to protect and preserve water resources. Established in 1961 the agency operates and maintains several large properties and flood protection projects, sometimes with other agencies. The District's responsibilities have expanded to include managing water supply and protecting water quality and the natural systems — rivers, lakes, wetlands and associated uplands.
Edward Medard Park and Preserve, originally known as Pleasant Grove Reservoir Park, is located south of Plant City, Florida, on Turkey Creek Road in Hillsborough County, Florida. The 1,284-acre (5.20 km2) park just north of Durant, Florida was the site of phosphate mining in the 1960s by the American Cyanamid Company, before the land was donated. A dike and 770-acre (3.1 km2) reservoir were created in 1970 to provide flood protection along the Alafia River. The lake has a very extensive and irregular shoreline, and great variation is found in the lake bottom as well. The park is maintained by the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department, and has camping, picknicking, and other facilities. Three long piers offer the ability to launch fairly large vessels, although the lake has a no-wake restriction. Additional opportunities for various sports and aquatic activities are available at the popular spot which attracts approximately 250,000 visitors a year.
The Balm-Boyette Scrub Nature Preserve is a 5,723-acre (2,316 ha) preserve located in Hillsborough County, Florida. It was purchased through joint funding from the County's Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP) and the State of Florida's Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL) Program. While it consists largely of abandoned phosphate pits, it has a large area of undisturbed scrub habitat. Natural habitats within the site include sand pine scrub, xeric oak scrub, pine flatwoods, hardwood hammock, wet prairie, freshwater marsh, cypress swamp, and hardwood swamp. During the 1960s the land was pitted with phosphate mines. The natural waterflow had been altered from its original state into a series of stagnant pools. In 2016, a project was undertaken under the umbrella of Swiftmud's Surface Water Improvement and Management, or SWIM, program. The project will create a "habitat mosaic" with habitat for wading birds as well as upland creatures.
Fish Hawk Creek Preserve is a 1,550-acre (630 ha) nature preserve in Hillsborough County, Florida. Restoration projects have been initiated on the property. Habitats include Pine flatwoods, sandhill, scrub, and creek corridors. The park is located in the area of Riverview, Florida and Lithia, Florida at 4099 Lithia Springs Road.
Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve is a 4,700 acre area of protected lands in Hillsborough County, Florida. The trailhead for the park's hiking trail is located at the north boundary of the Pinecrest Sports Complex on Hwy. 39 approximately one mile north of Hwy. 640.
Knights is an unincorporated community in northeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, near Plant City. Knights is located along Florida State Road 39 at the intersection of Hillsborough County Road 582, but also includes the northern terminus of Florida State Road 39A.
Alafia is an unincorporated community in southeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, between Plant City and Lithia near the intersection of Keysville Road and Florida State Road 39.
Welcome, is an unincorporated community in southeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, located a quarter mile south of Lithia-Pinecrest Road, two miles east of Pinecrest. Most of the town lies along or just to the west of Keysville Road. It is best known as the home of Alafia River State Park.
Lillibridge is an unincorporated community in southeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, three miles east of Florida State Road 39, near Lithia.
Pinecrest, is an unincorporated community in southeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, located at the intersection of Lithia-Pinecrest Road, and state highway 39.
Bealsville, originally named Howell's Creek, is an unincorporated community in southeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, between Plant City and Lithia near the intersection of Horton Road and Florida State Road 60.
Alderman's Ford Preserve, is a preserve and park in Hillsborough County, Florida, in the United States. The park has two public access points for automobiles, from Thompson Road and from Florida State Road 39 as well as numerous access points for horse, foot or canoe access only. Eight miles of equestrian trails are located along the southern portion of the park, which borders Alafia River State Park roughly along the border of Jameson Road. A three mile long hiking loop over the Alafia River, a baseball park, picknicking and canoe rental facilities can be accessed at the Highway 39 entrance.
