Boca Ciega Park in Seminole, Just North of St Pete

Published on 08/13/21: After a memorable summer, we’re now working to blend our ‘adventure’ schedule into the school routine, thus slow on posting. One of the easiest afterschool adventures has been to visit the local nature parks. We’re fortunate that #PinellasCounty has so many well maintained parks, with plenty of activities at each. You could tackle a different one every afternoon for weeks and still not cover them all. Boca Ciega Millennium Park in Seminole is a great one and we highly recommend.

Boca Ciega Park Playground and Observation Tower

Colt’s favorite aspect was the large playground (partially covered) and 35-foot wooden observation tower which overlooks Boca Ciega Bay. I mean, add an observation tower and Colt’s rating scale immediately slides up several notches. However, in this case the park offers much more. Fishing access to the bay, canoe/kayak launch, dog parks (1.5 acre), nature trail, boardwalks, restrooms, picnic shelters, bike paths to access the #PinellasTrail, plus 5 ponds.

You’ll also see plenty of wildlife. While we didn’t see as many animals as other parks we’ve posted on, I’m certain you’ll still see some. In fact, is anyone familiar with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissions “Great Florida Birding Trail”? This is a 2,000 mile long collection of more than 500 locations around the state where the bird habitats are protected. Boca Ciega park is one of these protected locations. Per PinellasCounty.org you’ll find “shorebirds, waterfowl, wading birds, birds of prey and a myriad of upland birds.

Natural Communities and Fossils

The park supports 7 natural communities: pine flatwoods, coastal oak hammock, mangrove swamp, salt marsh, bay head and wetlands.”
An interesting fact of Boca Ciega Park is that thousands of Pleistocene age fossils were discovered here in 2007. We’re talking bones of “Columbian Mammoth, Giant Sloth, Giant Armadillo, Saber Tooth Cat, Camel and many more amphibians, reptiles and fish”. You can check out these fossils at the Museum of Natural History in Gainesville!

Hope everyone had a great week….and you’re now ready for the weekend. Don’t rain us out, Fred!
Note the tubed slides were closed when we visited, though hear that was temporary.

Google Reviews: 967 with a 4.7/5 Average

Address: 12410 74th Ave N, Seminole, FL

Phone:  727-588-4882

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