Hillsborough River State Park - Dead River Park
Southwest Florida · Hillsborough County · Hillsborough River
A 3-mile point-to-point on the North Section of the Hillsborough River, from the canoe and kayak launch at Hillsborough River State Park downstream to Dead River Park. A shuttle or second vehicle is required.
Map position was derived from this record’s sources and is awaiting confirmation against the research directory.
Why paddle here
- Florida DEP's own paddling guide calls this North Section short and well suited to beginners: a shaded, spring-influenced river run between two public parks.
Launches, parking and access
Where you actually put the boat in, how far you carry it and over what. This is the part official sources are worst at, so it is the part we say most plainly — including where we do not know yet.
Hillsborough River State Park canoe/kayak launch
Main launch- Launch type
- Canoe/kayak launch (Hillsborough River State Park)
- Access
- Public access
- Parking
- Medium confidence
- Carry to the water
- Carry not yet measured
Nobody has checked this yet.Report the carry — How far did you carry your boat from the parking area to the water?
- How hard that carry is
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Rate the carry — How hard was that carry with a loaded boat?
- Ground you cross
- Not yet recorded
Nobody has checked this yet.Describe the ground — What did you cross on the way — pavement, sand, stairs, loose trail?
- Boat cart
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report cart use — Could you use a boat cart the whole way, or did you have to carry?
- Unloading
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report unloading — Could you unload beside the water before parking, or carry the whole way?
- Restrooms and rinse
- Not yet measured from the launch
Nobody has checked this yet.Report facilities — How close are the restrooms and showers to this launch?
DEP paddling-guide put-in for the North Section. Planning coordinate 28.1485,-82.2358 held in coordinate-review. Fees, hours and carry not confirmed from an official source and left unknown.
Unconfirmed at this launch — can you help?
- Where exactly do you put the boat in the water here?Pin the launch — Where exactly do you put the boat in the water here?
- What did you actually pay to launch here?Report fees — What did you actually pay to launch here?
- Were the posted launch hours accurate?Confirm hours — Were the posted launch hours accurate?
Dead River Park
- Launch type
- Canoe/kayak access (Dead River Park)
- Access
- Public access
- Parking
- Medium confidence
- Carry to the water
- Carry not yet measured
Nobody has checked this yet.Report the carry — How far did you carry your boat from the parking area to the water?
- How hard that carry is
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Rate the carry — How hard was that carry with a loaded boat?
- Ground you cross
- Not yet recorded
Nobody has checked this yet.Describe the ground — What did you cross on the way — pavement, sand, stairs, loose trail?
- Boat cart
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report cart use — Could you use a boat cart the whole way, or did you have to carry?
- Unloading
- Not yet assessed
Nobody has checked this yet.Report unloading — Could you unload beside the water before parking, or carry the whole way?
- Restrooms and rinse
- Not yet measured from the launch
Nobody has checked this yet.Report facilities — How close are the restrooms and showers to this launch?
DEP paddling-guide take-out for the North Section. Planning coordinate 28.1284,-82.2645 held in coordinate-review.
Unconfirmed at this launch — can you help?
- Where exactly do you put the boat in the water here?Pin the launch — Where exactly do you put the boat in the water here?
- What did you actually pay to launch here?Report fees — What did you actually pay to launch here?
- Were the posted launch hours accurate?Confirm hours — Were the posted launch hours accurate?
Routes
Difficulty belongs to the route, not the location. One place can offer a beginner loop and an advanced crossing.
North Section - Hillsborough River State Park to Dead River Park
BeginnerOne way (shuttle)· 3 mi· Shuttle requiredPut in at Hillsborough River State Park canoe/kayak launch, take out at Dead River Park.
Why it is rated this way
- Florida DEP describes the North Section as short and well suited to beginners
- Sheltered, spring-influenced river corridor
- The difficult water (Seventeen Runs) is downstream of the Dead River Park take-out
Distance and beginner rating from DEP's Hillsborough River paddling guide, North Section. Duration not given by DEP and left unknown.
Help verify this route
Have you paddled North Section - Hillsborough River State Park to Dead River Park (3 mi)?
- How long did it take you, and at what pace?Report the time — How long did it take you, and at what pace?
- How much did wind, current or tide shape this route on the day?Report conditions — How much did wind, current or tide shape this route on the day?
What conditions do here
How much each factor typically governs a trip at this location.
These are not live conditions. This describes how much each factor typically governs a trip here. Always check the current forecast, tide table and river level before you launch.
- Wind
- Not yet assessed
- Current
- Not yet assessed
- Tide
- Not yet assessed
- Boat traffic
- Not yet assessed
Hazards
Other
Route ends at Dead River Park
Other
Continuing downstream enters Seventeen Runs, an extremely difficult unmaintained section
Other
The park's Class II rapids are closed to boating
Other
Shuttle or second vehicle required
This record covers only the North Section, State Park to Dead River Park. Do not continue into Seventeen Runs, which DEP warns should not be underestimated, and do not confuse the route with the park's closed Class II rapids.
Amenities and craft
Craft suited to this water
Amenities
- Restrooms — not recorded
- Showers — not recorded
- Picnic area — not recorded
- Food nearby — not recorded
- Drinking water — not recorded
What you will see
Rentals and outfitters
No outfitter recorded here. Bring your own boat, or check nearby locations.
PaddlePin tips
End at Dead River Park. Downstream of it lies Seventeen Runs, an extremely difficult, unmaintained section DEP says should not be underestimated. Set a shuttle or second vehicle before you launch.
Medium confidenceSafety Notes: This record covers only the North Section, State Park to Dead River Park. Do not continue into Seventeen Runs, which DEP warns should not be underestimated, and do not confuse the route with the park's closed Class II rapids.
Medium confidence
Been here? Help keep it accurate
PaddlePin is researched from official sources. Paddlers who have actually been are how it stays true.
Contributions are reviewed before anything on this page changes. PaddlePin stays the researched directory — your report is evidence we check, not an edit to it.
Sources
Where this information came from, and when we last read it.
- Primary source — floridadep.gov, read
- Secondary source — Florida State Parks, read
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