Blackwater Hammock Nature Park is a hidden gem in Tampa

In keeping with our Summer Bucket List’s search for Tampa Bay’s hidden gems, we wanted to let you know about a secret park in Tampa that might be the best spot in the city to ... escape the city.

Find some solace at Blackwater Hammock Nature Park, tucked between Rogers Park Golf Course and the Hillsborough River, at the end of a dead-end road.

You might be able to see the top of Sheikra at Busch Gardens on the approach, but you’ll soon find yourself enveloped by nature — tall pines, water oaks, cascading vines and a variety of knee-high ferns and flowers. The sounds of the city disappear behind calls of cardinals and catbirds.

• If you want to be alone, this is your place. I’ve been dozens of times, and I’ve never seen another soul in this pocket park.
• Bring a picnic lunch or saunter down the short walking trail around the perimeter.