A great county park in Pinellas County. The park includes campground, walk and bike trails, marina, miles of great beach and an old fort that once guarded Tampa Bay.
Our favorite site at Ft. De Soto, #206. Well packed level sand back-in site. All sites have plenty of shade and privacy, a lot like this one have a sea wall to fish from or launch your canoe or kayak. What we like most about this site is that little tree on the seawall, left of the Trek. It is a magnet for all types of birds all day long and the sun sets off in the distance right behind it.
The loop road to all sites. In this case the back-ins are on the right and pull-throughs on the left. Plenty of room for long rigs with a toad in the pull-throughs and we've seen some big rigs in the back-ins.
The lagoon looking out from the camp store seawall. Good fishing here and a place to bring your boat, large or small, and tie up at one of sites as well.
The park has a 7 mile long paved trail paralleling the road from the East beach to the North beach. Joggers, walkers and bicyclists all use this trail. For the real energetic there are activity stations exercise different muscles and benches to rest. There is also a bicycle lane on the road for those speedy bicyclists.
This trail is off the main entrance road and leads to the marina. There is also a 2200 foot nature trail by the headquarter building with information stations. The headquarter building has a small area museum.
Along the 7 mile trail is the 500 foot pier jutting into Tampa Bay.
Great place for fishing, bird watching, and enjoying the accompanying beach.
Watching a freighter sail past the pier as it heads out of
Tampa Bay to the Gulf of Mexico and points beyond.
A general office area of the fort.
One of eight 12-inch mortars in its revetment. Also visible is part of the
ventilation system for the various rooms in the fort area.
Smooth sailing on a Sunday morning by the beach at the fort area. Tampa Bay.
The beach at the fort area.
On the other side of the road from the beach is a great fishing place in Mullet Key Bayou.
The shaded entrance to North Beach. Plenty of picnic tables
and a place to get out of the sun for a while.
North Beach. Plenty of sun and plenty of shade. Nice sandy beach.
More of North Beach. A popular area for locals and visitors alike. For a less
crowded beach one can go to East Beach, but it is not as nice as this in my opinion.
A great sunset at our site. One of the reasons we choose this particular site.
Sights around the park:
Raccoons are in abundance at this park. This guy watched patiently over our picnic table. Waiting for a handout no doubt.
Looking for the next meal at the lagoon.
And, another one.
Hangin' at the pier.
Flowers along one of the fishing docks.
Wing drying time.
Guarding the bate house roof.
One evening a proud little camper caught this bonnethead, or shovelhead, shark off the seawall in front of the campsite. Catch and release, of course. But she was proud of the catch.
Shubs along the trail to the fort and beaches.
Another tree visitor.
Ground cover on the beach.
Sea oats on the dunes.
One of many turtle nests protected on the beaches by the dunes.
