Time Together

There were business owners, veterans, and other friends for the event that started with a quick Tai Chi session headed by our friend Krisula with Krisula’s Walking Tours of Tarpon Springs. After the warm-up, we headed out on one of the six trails and paths at the park. We chose the Flatwoods Trail, a 1.5-mile loop through forested wetlands and pine flatwoods. The journey began on an elevated boardwalk as we passed by the Environmental Education Center, which was bustling with its own tour event.

Soon, we would exit the boardwalk and continue our journey along the pathways of Wilderness Trail, where we were blessed to witness a 4-point buck in his natural habitat. The Buck showed no fear as we gingerly approached and pulled out our phones to capture his beauty. Our team ran into a few water roadblocks at a few points along the trail. Luckily, we had a few veterans who knew how to improvise and lead the team around the obstructions. 

Along the journey, we stopped at the park’s oak hammocks which offered incredible views and allowed us to observe a wide array of birds taking in the day. As we looped back and began our trek back to the parking lot, we veered off to the Eagle nest, hoping to spot an American Bald Eagle. We were unsuccessful in catching a glimpse of the great bird this trip; we will have to return and try again. 

Favorite Things

1. The trail walk was extraordinarily peaceful and full of opportunities to witness nature and creatures in their natural habitat. Our chance to see the Buck was priceless. 
2.  The elevated boardwalk was well-maintained, and the trails were wide enough for our group to walk together comfortably. 
3. We loved the areas that let us stop and take it all in. The oak hammocks are a nice touch and provide a place to take a break if you need one. 
4. The park was free! No charge for parking. We love free. 

Not-So Favorite Things

1. There was some construction going on, so the park was utilizing port-a-potties. They were clean, though. 
2. You can’t bring your dogs to Brooker Creek Preserve. We are sure they have good reasons, but we love parks that welcome dogs. 
3. We learned a good lesson: Always check the sun’s location when planning which direction to walk!

Why We Would Go Back

There are four different trails at Brooker Creek Preserve. The trail we chose was 1.5 miles, and it was long enough for our purposes that day, but we would love to invest more time and explore the longer trails. The park offers a more challenging loop of 2.8 miles and, for the serious hiker, a 4-mile loop estimated to take between 2.5 and 3.5 hours to complete.