Enjoy the Outdoors this Holiday Season

Making holiday wreaths

With the busy holidays upon us, be sure to enjoy some time outdoors to re-energize and refresh your mood. The First Saturday Nature Topic for December will create holiday decorations with natural materials. The hour long workshop, starting at 9:30am, is suitable for all ages. Participants will have the option to create a grapevine wreath, pine cone ornaments or other holiday themed nature craft. There's no fee to attend but please RSVP at this link: https://goo.gl/forms/HKgvUMdRCJjHu7kK2

HCC students

December 1 is also the grand opening of the Enchanted Forest Storybook Trail. Students at Hillsborough Community College at SouthShore, enrolled in the Honors Institute, are completing their Service Learning project at Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center. As undergraduates enrolled in an Honors Leadership class, they are learning about career theories that emphasize understanding of oneself as a unique individual which will serve as the basis for developing effective leadership abilities. The group , pictured, includes: Alexa Perez, Maria Brunelo, Ramey Johnson, Tara Perreault, and Zoe Valente. They chose to do their project at Camp Bayou based on their mutual interest and love of the outdoors. The group reached out to Camp Bayou after learning of their need for additional help around the nature preserve in an area known as the "Enchanted Trail". The trail will be open for guests starting at 9am.


Did you know that Camp Bayou will be celebrating its 20th anniversary next year? There is a special event planned so Save the Date: Saturday, March 23, 2019.


Camp Bayou is also looking for enthusiastic volunteers who love the outdoors and want to pass along that passion to others through hands-on activities, walks and canoe tours. Contact us at 813-641-8545 or email campbayou@gmail.com. We are mainly looking for folks to help teach school groups K-6 but there are other opportunities as well.


Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center is neither a campground nor a summer camp. It was an RV park before the County's ELAP program purchased the land but it is now open for day use only, open to the general public. Through volunteers, donations, supporters and grants, the managing non-profit- B.O.L.D. - offers pre-registered programs to schools, youth groups, adult groups and families. Monthly canoe tours are now available by reservation only. Check the online calendar for trip dates. The Center is open from Thursday- Saturday from 9am-2pm for passive recreational pursuits such as wildlife watching, nature photography and trail walks. General admission is still FREE.

The Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center is a public- private partnership between Bayou Outdoor Learning and Discovery, Inc. (B.O.L.D.), and Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation. Camp Bayou is located 3 miles south of SR674 at the end of 24th St SE in Ruskin. Check out the Camp Bayou Facebook page and for more information visit the webpage at http://www.campbayou.org or call 813-641-8545.