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Secret's Out About South St. Petersburg Haven

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By KAREN HAYMON LONG

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 11, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Even some of the old-timers here don't know about Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, a 245-acre oasis hugging Lake Maggiore in south St. Petersburg. I've lived in Pinellas County for 22 years and had never been there.

Now I want to go back.

The preserve has everything nature lovers would want: three miles of marked trails and boardwalks; an aviary with an American eagle, owls, hawks and other birds of prey; an educational center and gift shop; a tram ride; programs and guided bird, wild flower, nature and night walks. It even has cabins and allows camping in designated areas.

Not to mention Lake Maggiore, home to great blue herons, tricolored herons, egrets, ducks, box turtles, alligators and other wildlife. The park has so many birds, it's part of the Great Florida Bird Trail.

Fall, winter and spring are the best times to visit, when it's cooler for hiking. But we even enjoyed our visit when it was 93 degrees on a quiet Friday. We saw lots of birds and some butterflies and dragonflies.

We started early, before it got really hot, and took part of the Main Trail, which winds past the aviary for birds that have been injured and can't live in the wild.

The huge American eagle watched majestically from its perch in the first cage and kept an eye on us while we stood watching hawks, a turkey vulture and barred and screech owls.

The barred owl stared back at us, but the tiny screech owls merely peeked out of their boxes as if it were too hot to entertain company.

On the nature trail, we flushed out a tricolored heron and spotted an osprey soaring over

the lake. On the Swamp Woodlands Boardwalk, we walked past bay and red maples and a man patiently trying to take a picture of a dragonfly lighting on purple flowers.

On the Willow Marsh Boardwalk, we took pictures of a lone great egret wading in the water.

Behind him, way off in the distance, rose the high-rise condos of downtown St. Petersburg and the arched white dome of Tropicana Field. It was almost shocking to see such signs of civilization from an enclave of lush ferns, towering pines and ancient live oaks.

The Main Trail also juts off to another short path that takes hikers to an island in the lake. On the island, we sat on a lakeside bench watching baby alligators watching an egret, while anhingas squawked noisily out in the water.

We had the island to ourselves so we lingered to enjoy the view and take pictures. Later, we asked a park worker whether kayaking is allowed on the lake. She said yes and that kayakers could put in at a little park off Martin Luther King Jr. Street South on the other side of the lake from the preserve.

Back at the Environmental Education Center, we walked through exhibits describing the park's ecosystem and looked at the skeleton of a giant alligator.

As we were leaving, a man and woman walked in with a little girl. When a park worker asked whether they had been there before, the woman answered: "No, we never had children before."

You don't have to have children to enjoy the preserve, to appreciate the birds, the trails and even the gift shop that sells nature-themed T-shirts and little toys.

This preserve would appeal to anyone who wants to get out into nature, watch birds and enjoy a peaceful day.

IF YOU GO

GETTING THERE: Boyd Hill Nature Preserve is at 1101 Country Club Way S., on the south end of Lake Maggiore. From Interstate 275, take Exit 17. Turn east onto 54th Avenue South, left on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South (Ninth Street). Go four blocks to Country Club Way South, at the light, and turn left. The park will be on the right.

HOURS: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

ADMISSION: $2; $1 ages 3 to 16, free for 2 and younger

INFORMATION: (727) 893-7326; www.stpete.org/boyd

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