Lake Rogers Park is a 272-acre (110 ha) park and preserve with a 2.25-mile (3.62 km) trail in Odessa, Florida.

Lake Rogers Park
View of Lake Rogers from the trail
Lake Rogers Park is located in Florida
Lake Rogers Park
Lake Rogers Park is located in the United States
Lake Rogers Park
LocationLake Rogers Park, 9010 North Mobley Road, Odessa, Florida 33556 Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Nearest cityOdessa, Florida
Coordinates28°06′36″N 82°35′13″W / 28.110°N 82.587°W / 28.110; -82.587
Area272 acres (1.10 km2)
Open1999
Websitewww.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/locations/lake-rogers-conservation-park

Nature

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The area includes pine flatwoods and oak hammocks.[1]

The trail beds include sand, grass, dirt, and leaf litter. The park is accessible from a parking area at 9010 North Mobley Road, west of Gunn Highway.

There are areas for fishing (including catfish and catch-and-release for bass) and areas for canoe/ kayak launching. An offshoot trail leads to an overlook on neighboring Raleigh Lake.

The lakes provide a foraging habitat for wading birds, bald eagles, and osprey. Other animals include raccoons, opossum, and otter.[2]

Features

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There are several benches, picnic areas, grills, side trails, and a nature trail. Signage highlights some of the plant and animal inhabitants.[3]

The main trail is the Red Trail, which encircles the lake most closely. Side trails include the Blue Trail, which also encircles the lake but less closely, and the Green Trail, which goes for approximately a mile on the northern and eastern boundaries of the park before connecting back to the other trails.

History

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In 1987 the City of St. Petersburg leased the land to Hillsborough County for "passive natural resource-based recreation". However, the park did not open until 1999, when the Hillsborough County Commissioners provided the park with an operating budget. The official opening was in March 2000.[2]

Parking

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As of 2020, there is a charge of $2 per vehicle. If attendant is unavailable, machines will take cash or credit.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Lake Rogers (sic) Archived 2014-01-08 at the Wayback Machine TBO Extra (Tampa Tribune)
  2. ^ a b Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department flier
  3. ^ "Keystone Civic Association". Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Lake Rogers Conservation Park". Retrieved 30 December 2020.