Lettuce Lake Park: A $2 Nature Outing, With One Closure to Know

Lettuce Lake Park offers a low-cost way to spend part of a Tampa weekend outdoors. Bring $2 in cash for a vehicle carrying up to 8 people, and choose between a paved walk and the boardwalk before you load the car.

One detail changes the plan: the county’s November 3, 2026, notice says the observation tower is closed during reconstruction. The boardwalk is open. You can still make a satisfying visit without climbing for the view.

By Mingo, Chief Honking Officer

Details checked November 5, 2026.

The county’s park brochure describes a 1.25-mile paved exercise loop and a 3,500-foot boardwalk. Those are different outings. The paved route is a useful starting point for a walk at your own pace; the boardwalk brings you through the wetland setting.

Give yourself permission to pause. Binoculars are more useful when you stop long enough to look through them. Let a child choose a leaf shape or bird to watch for, keeping everyone on the path.

The brochure mentions wildlife including alligators and wading birds. Sightings depend on the day. Keep your distance, leave animals alone and use the marked public routes. The quiet patch of water beside the rail can be enough reason to stop.

The current park page puts the maintenance notice above its general description. That matters: older descriptions and maps still show an observation tower, while the dated notice says it’s closed during reconstruction.

The same update says the boardwalk, shelters, canoe and kayak launch, and rentals are open. Check it again before setting off, because access can change after weather or maintenance work.

If the tower is the whole reason for the trip, call the park at (813) 987-6204 before choosing a date. We couldn’t verify a reopening date. Tell your group the plan is a ground-level visit so nobody arrives expecting a climb.

Map: Hillsborough County. The labeled observation tower is currently closed, per the November 3 notice.

Entry costs $2 per vehicle, cash only, for up to 8 people. The address is 6920 E. Fletcher Avenue, in Hillsborough County near USF. The county lists fall and winter opening hours of 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

Paddling is an optional extra. The posted local canoe or kayak rental is $25 for up to 4 hours, tax included, with $10 for each additional hour. Ask staff about availability, equipment and return arrangements before paying. Don’t assume an open rental operation guarantees a boat when you arrive.

A first visit can end with a walk and a picnic. You can decide about paddling once you’ve seen the launch and talked through the requirements.

Download the official trail map before leaving. The boardwalk and paved loop are marked separately. Bring water, sun protection and shoes suited to walking; insect repellent is a sensible addition for a wetland stop.

The brochure bans pets, bicycles, running and skates on the boardwalk. Dogs on permitted routes must stay on a hand-held leash no longer than 6 feet. If the dog is joining you, plan for a permitted route.

County outdoor guidance recommends carrying the correct map and staying on marked trails. Put the water where you can reach it, keep the afternoon’s next appointment loose, and let the person who spots a bird have their minute.