Cypress Creek Nature Preserve
Nature preserve
71 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
C−Outdoors
Outdoors in University
University has 105 acres of parks, 2.2 for every 1,000 residents
0.3 miles of mapped trail cross University. 2% of University’s land is conserved, about 98 acres. 62% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 24% of U.S. towns · #514 of 638 in Florida. What drives it
Conserved land
2%
98 acres · of 6.3 sq mi of land
Trails
0.3 mi
0.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
105 ac
2.2 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
62%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
19 mi
18 mi lanes · 1.2 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
3
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does University have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, University is ahead of 24% of U.S. towns, #514 of 638 in Florida. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
C−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of University’s overall grade.
Conserved land2% of the land · typical FL town 3% · U.S. 4%C+Trails0.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (0 mi) · FL 0.4 · U.S. 0.4C−Park land2.2 acres of park per 1,000 residents (105 acres) · FL 6 · U.S. 13C−Parks close to home62% of residents within a half mile of a park · FL 70% · U.S. 72%B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 24%
LessMore
Florida towns of 2,500+ (638)Ahead of 19%
NoteFew parks or trails are mapped in University. OpenStreetMap is mapped by volunteers and coverage varies from town to town, so a town with unmapped parks scores low on them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to C. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Mort Park
Park
9 acres0.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
98 conserved acres
2% of University’s land. Who manages University’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city71 ac
County27 ac
Local Conservation Area · 71 acLocal Park · 27 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cypress Creek Preserve (Hillsborough County) Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 71 | Open |
| University Park Local Park | County | 27 | Open |
Things to do
8 places to go in University
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in University
Harvest Hope Playground
DirectionsPlus 4 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in University
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Fishing spots in University
Fishing Dock
DirectionsCommunity gardens in University
Harvest Hope Community Garden
DirectionsTrails & water
3 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
19 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
18 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
1.2 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
6Tennis
3Basketball
1Soccer
1Multi-sport
1Football
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
April is the best month for walking in University
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.5 | 11.2 | 11.9 | 12.8 | 13.5 | 13.9 | 13.8 | 13.1 | 12.3 | 11.4 | 10.7 | 10.4 |
| High (°F) | 71 | 74 | 78 | 83 | 88 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 89 | 85 | 78 | 73 |
| Rain (in) | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 9.2 | 6.5 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 2.5 |
November is the driest month (1.7 in) and August the warmest (highs of 91 °F). 9.2 inches fall in August, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 91 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in University →
Next door
University and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University | 2% | under 0.1 | 2 | 62% | C− |
| Lutz | 12% | 0.2 | 70 | 46% | B+ |
| Lake Magdalene | 1% | 0.4 | 2 | 41% | C |
| Tampa | 9% | 0.4 | 14 | 89% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in University
Where can I hike in University?
The longest trail networks: University Park, 0.1 miles; Mort Park, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of University is conserved land?
2% of its land, against a typical 3% for a Florida town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on University’s trails?
Cypress Creek Nature Preserve and University Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in University?
19 miles of bike routes are on the map: 18 of painted or protected lanes and 1.2 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near University?
32,147 acres of parks and open public land lie inside University or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 105 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does University have?
Ahead of 24% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #514 of 638 in Florida. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from University neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →