Brooker Creek Headwaters
Brooker Creek has its origin in the 1,111-acre Brooker Creek Headwaters Preserve. The preserve is a Hillsborough County Environmental Lands Acquisition Program purchase that is now managed by the County’s Parks and Recreation Department. It represents eight separate parcels of land acquired in the 1990s and ranks as the largest tract of preserved land in northwest Hillsborough County.
The preserve offers spectacular views of many different habitats and on several prepared hiking trails. The main trail leads from the parking lot off of Rambelwood Drive and takes you through open grasslands and open prairies where deer can be seen in the early morning as well as turkey and sometime an odd wild boar. Song birds are also in abundance. The path will lead you past small tributaries that form the main channel of Brooker Creek.
The best time to visit the preserve is early morning or late afternoon from late fall to early spring; although, it can be appreciated at any time of the day or year.
From you map display you will see the general position of the preserve; however, if you want to actually experience the park you need to leave virtual reality and travel by car or bike to the main entrance and on Ramblewood Drive off of Van Dyke Rd. The entrance is about 3 miles west of N Dale Mabry Highway. The gate is normally open for walking from sunrise to dusk. For addition information on park hours please contact the park service by calling: Hillsborough County Parks; (813) 672-7876 and/or link to: