Great Summertime Fun: Eagle Lake Park in Suburban Tampa

Largo, Florida is a suburb in Pinellas County, one of the most dense counties in Florida. As you can imagine, this area is very congested with endless strip malls and housing developments. Fortunately, there is a small oasis in town called Eagle Lake Park. This small local park is a fantastic place to escape the suburban congestion for an hour or two. While it’s nice to have so many great stores and restaurants close by, sometimes we need a break from the man made clutter.

The park’s land was formerly used by the Taylor family (an original pioneer family in the county) as a citrus grove. The park has kept up the tradition with a citrus grove theme. Mike and I lived in neighboring Palm Harbor and visited this park often to enjoy the boardwalk trail and birdwatching. It’s not my favorite park in the metro, but it’s worth a visit if you are seeking something a bit more off-the-beaten path. What I love the best about the Tampa Bay metro area is the diversity of parks. I’ve visited pretty much all of them at least once and they all offer something a bit different.

A pretty place for a nature walk

A 12 foot wide recreation path will please walkers, joggers, and bikers alike. The path is long enough for a nice, moderate weekend morning jog. It is wide enough to accommodate a side by side ride or walk which is nice. Along the way, you will pass beautiful views of the lake and peaceful pine flatwoods. You will also find little nature trails scattered around the park, including a short fitness trail. Gopher tortoises can often be seen along the trails (I’ve seen lots of turtles at all the parks in Pinellas). I recommend visiting early in the morning for the greatest chance of spotting wildlife. Morning is your best bet for seeing a lot of deer.

Pine flatwoods at Eagle Lake Park in Largo, Florida

The boardwalk trail will take you over beautiful wetlands. If you visit during the right time of the year, you may even see a gator. The views are gorgeous anytime of the year, especially around sunset. Although we have not seen any gators at this park, we have seen many at pretty much every other park. The opportunity is always there especially during the fall and winter months when we see them basking in the sunshine to regulate their body temperature.

Eagle Lake Park views at sunset — Pretty views at sunset

A Birdwatching Oasis

Eagle Lake is a great place for bird enthusiasts like many of the parks in the Tampa metro. We saw plenty of exotic birds during our visit. There are helpful signs to help you pinpoint which species you have seen. Pictured below is an American Coot.

American Coot at Eagle Lake Park in Largo, Florida

A year-round respite from the heat

The park is clean and not overly visited by tourists. Most trails are shady, so I find a walk here tolerable even during the summer (early in the morning of course) before the brutally hot afternoon heat arrives. It’s a nice grassy park with plenty of space for all your activities. This is one of the larger and quieter parks in the area – perfect for year-round recreation of any kind. I love the park system in Pinellas County. Really, this is the best perk of living in this area. I recommend checking out this park and John Chestnut (I see so many gators & deer here and the boardwalk trail is gorgeous ) while you are in the region.

This low-key park is a great place to spend the day relaxing, exercising, or taking photography. It’s a welcome break from shopping malls, restaurants, and overcrowded tourist attractions (which are great but sometimes you need a break from the commotion). If you are looking for a great place to get back to nature in suburban Tampa, it is one of many decent choices that I recommend looking into.