US-1878
Hillsborough River State Park
Old Florida northeast of Tampa in Thonotosassa — Spanish moss over live oaks, a dark tannin-stained river, and 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps structures. The Rapids Overlook is one of the few places in Florida with moving water over exposed limestone. Shaded and quiet, with genuinely poor cell coverage.
At a glance
- Entry
- $6 per vehicle (two to eight people). $4 single-occupant vehicle. $2 pedestrians,...
- Hours
- Open 8:00 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year.
- Operating position
- Walk-in
- Tables
- Yes
- Shade
- Good
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Water
- See park page →
- Grid
- EL88vd
More about this park
Official park page Florida State Parks → Trail maps, closures, facilities and current alerts, kept current by the agency. Activation history POTA.app — US-1878 → Every activation, activator and hunter log for this park. This guide covers conditions on the ground, not the logbook.Useful for activating
Listed by Florida State Parks , checked August 2026. Not verified on site. This is only what affects operating — see the park’s own page for everything else.
- Campground
- Primitive camping
- Electric hookups
- Roofed pavilion
- Hiking trails
- Kayak launch
Getting in
Parking
Park gate opens at 8:00 AM. The Rapids Overlook requires a hike in along a well-maintained trail through dense hammock — plan to carry your kit.Hours
Open 8:00 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year.Access
Florida state park.Setting up
Where to operate
The Rapids Overlook sits above the river running over limestone and makes a striking backdrop, but it is a hike in from the parking area and has produced thin results. The park also has picnic pavilions built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, six of which can be rented, close to parking and shaded — these have not been tried as an operating position.Antennas
A Radioddity HF-010 was used at the Overlook. An 18.3 ft telescoping vertical with eight radials was used on the April visit. No SWR figures were recorded at this park.Cell coverage
- general: Minimal and unreliable, especially on the trail out to the Rapids Overlook. Live streaming dropped repeatedly across both visits. Plan to operate without a data connection, or bring your own.