Robinson Preserve

This is one of a few places that allow dogs, so we have been using it each morning for our daily walk during our vacation. The South entry has a great trail that leads to a pier and the North entry has a trail that leads to a 40’ watch tower. Dogs can’t go on the watch tower so we took turns going up it. The trail on the South is tree lined and was cool the North trail is open and leaves you exposed to full sun.

This is a great place for a walk or a bike ride. Lots of trails both gravel and paved. Some stretches of raised boardwalks. Not a lot of shade so bring some water. The tower was the highlight of my hike. Bring some binoculars for a nice view of the Sky Bridge.

This place is one of my absolute favorites. It is so large and has a variety of landscapes. My favorite time to go is right before sunset to avoid the heat. There are restrooms and plenty of parking at the kayak drop off site. This is one of my favorite places to take people.

This place has a little something for everyone! The main trails are well maintained, but some of the side paths can be a bit less so. Regardless, the environment and variety of activities are second to none in the area. Just be warned, if you stay past sunset you will be chased out of the park.

Beautiful big park — great playground for kids of all ages (even adults!), awesome lookout tower, unique wildlife, a pretty long trail, and it’s not crowded even on a Saturday… perfect spot for a family adventure! Downsides… it’s a bit run down. Loose wires, rusty bolts, railings coming apart — clearly keeping this place in shape is not a priority... ...it’s sad how much trash people just leave lying around — empty cans, bottles, snack wrappers... like a weekend activists just rolled through the playground. Who does that? Dumping garbage where kids play… seriously, shame on them.

Robinson Preserve: A Nature Lover's Paradise (and Dog-Friendly Too!) Robinson Preserve is an absolute treasure and a truly fantastic destination for anyone looking to enjoy the outdoors. It's a great place to go with your dog, offering ample space for them to explore alongside you. This preserve is perfect for those who love to exercise and enjoy nature. With its extensive network of trails, you can walk, run, or bike through diverse ecosystems, from mangroves to open fields. It's incredibly well-maintained and quiet, providing a serene escape from the hustle and bustle. The paths are clear, and the natural beauty is preserved, making for a truly pleasant experience. One of the absolute highlights is the view from the observation tower, which is beautiful. Climbing to the top rewards you with panoramic vistas of the preserve, the surrounding waterways, and even the distant skyline. It's a breathtaking sight that truly showcases the natural splendor of the area. Whether you're seeking a peaceful walk with your canine companion, a vigorous workout amidst stunning scenery, or simply a quiet moment to connect with nature, Robinson Preserve delivers. It's a meticulously cared-for natural haven that offers something for everyone. Highly recommended!

We love walking or riding through the trails, lots of cool wildlife to view as you go. The play space, The Nest, is fun for my daughter! She loves all the ropes, climbing, and slides. We go in the evening or during the weekend. The Nest is open Saturday, for a few hours, and there are so many exciting toys that tie in with nature and a cool lookout tower up top. We also like the bike on the trails, we found the lookout tower (last 2 pics).

I visited Robinson Preserve a couple of weeks ago and absolutely loved it. It’s a perfect place to walk, relax, and connect with nature. Very peaceful, with well-maintained trails, beautiful wooden bridges, and an observation tower with stunning views. Admission is free, and there was no need for tickets or a waitlist (at least on the day I went). An ideal spot to unwind and enjoy Florida’s natural beauty. Highly recommended!

Great place for a walk to bay or nice bike ride! Kayaks were available for rental at one of the entrances. Beautiful preserve and great location to spend a few hours outside and possibly pack a lunch!

I visited Robinson Preserve for the first time in February. I was pleasantly surprised to discover this gem while I was on vacation. The park has several pathways for walking or biking. Even though it is wide open and easy to see most trails I did still use my All Trails app because it was a little confusing. There are also maps posted throughout the park. Many of the trails were not shaded, but some were. What really impressed me was the variety of birds here! My favorite was a flock of pelicans. I was also pleased with the facilities. There were screened in pavilions that I utilized for a picnic. There was also an accessible boardwalk leading up to the trees and what they call the Nest. It appears to be an indoor space where they provide classes or can be rented. There are also bathrooms and an interactive playground that both kids and adults can enjoy! I am definitely planning on returning to this peaceful park the next time I am in the area.

Absolutely love this forest preserve! Super clean,beautiful views and a lot of wildlife. I love starting and ending on the brand new south entrance. Walk way is recycled tires so it's gentle on knees and legs. Path turns into gravel/ seashells once you enter into the other entrance/ area with the overlook. They have kayak wash stations and even storage. Both entrance have bathrooms as well. You can bike, canoe/kayak, or walk. Pets allowed on leach A lot of parking

Such a lovely place to go running in. The scenery is beautiful and I enjoy how quiet and peaceful it is during the mornings.

Great place to go for a walk and enjoy the wildlife and views from the tower. You can bring your own kayak and they have a place to clean it there too.

In the northwest Bradenton sits a 682 acres coastal marsh preserve. RP is well designed, maintained and the cleanest park I've been to. This review is based on my first visit this Spring, 21 post inoculation. I arrived mid-morning weekday and the parking lot was 2/3 full. Noticed a mobile standing paddle operator at the lot. Some wore masks but most didn't. It didn't feel busy other than at the parking lot. RP is flat as elevations go and offers activities such as walking, running, cycling, bird watching, fishing and kayaking. RP has KAYAK TRAILS... how awesome is that! There are even kayak lockers that you can rent so you don't have to haul them. They have security cameras and security patrols seemed to be active. I enjoyed a 3.5 mile walk on flat shells, asphalt trails and board walks. It was foggy & overcast but the 53' watch tower provided a birds eye view of the Preserve. On a clear day, you can see Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Saw typical salt marsh features and birds. RP's north and west perimeters are Tampa Bay and Perico Bayou.... step through mangroves, there are tiny sandy beaches and water views. RP also had a pedestrian only trail with cushy recycled tires that's great for runners. Many trails and activities to be had at RP. One thing they lack is foliage cover on trails. There's no shade for 97% of trails, so a lesson learned is to visit earlier in the mornings or late afternoons. I recommend wearing comfortable shoes, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and a large bottle of water. This preserve is free and has 2 entrances and parking lots. Enjoy!

Great walk with the dog. People on bikes, kayak Rentals, people fishing, jogging etc. There is a cool observation tower(No longer dog friendly) but everything else is. Some areas to picnic, some areas to sit by the water, a large area with a compressed mulch walking surface for foot traffic only that is super cushy and feels great on the old bones, feet,knees, and back. Wonderful spot- **MostlyFullSun**

A beautiful nature preserve with great walking paths made from compressed shredded rubber. Plenty of vistas and birds.

I absolutely LOVE going to Robinson Preserve! It is so beautiful! Parking can be tough so I recommend going early. Keep your eyes open and enjoy the wildlife! The paths are great and it is always clean. They are wide enough at most parts to accommodate pedestrians & bikers. There's a 3 mile loop that's perfect for getting your daily movement in. There are also covered rear area with suggested exercises which I think is fun. While you're in the park make sure you climb the tower and take in the stunning 360 views. You can see the sky bridge! On weekends they have kayak rentals or you can bring your own.

Lovely little oasis tucked away in suburbia! Took our kayaks for a paddle in their lagoon. It was a very nice way to spend a couple of hours!

What a great piece of public property!! This is what we need more of to offset the endless housing developments. A generous free parking area fronts more than 600 acres of hard pack shell covered and asphalt trails, secluded bay front beach coves, and bayou - perfect for bicycling dog walking, kayaking, running and walking. Special features like the huge observation tower, and the upcoming pedestrian only addition make this a spectacular destination. Meticulously maintained, with restrooms at the main entrance and pristine boardwalks and bridges... Trails vary in length from short runs to 3+ mile loops, there is no place better to get some fresh air and exercise!

If the weather's not too hot this is a wonderful place to visit. Extremely well maintained. The walkways are clean and wide. Great for walking or biking. Not crowded when we were there. Plenty of room for bikers, walkers and joggers. The best part of the preserve is the 3 story tower overlooking the preserve. The tower is well built and large. Check out some of the wood carvings on the top level. Once on top you have a view of Tampa Bay, boats, birds and fish. This is a great way to see Florida in its original splendor.

The Robinson Preserve is a fantastic and *FREE* park that allows you to experience some of the natural beauty of the Florida coast away from the beach. The preserve has loads of waterways, mangrove forests, Florida scrub habitat, and all the trails you could hope to find (including *kayak* trails!) in order to experience it all. The trails are great for hiking or cycling and provide ample access for birdwatching, photography, or just enjoying a beautiful day outside. There is very little shade on most of the trails, but the vegetation is high enough to block wind on strong windy days. The very well maintained trails and boardwalks provide access to fishing spots along with a fantastic observation tower that overlooks the expanse of the preserve. There has been a more recent southern addition to the preserve that is less vegetated but includes a series of ponds which serve as great habitat for many of the incredible birds that spend their time on the Florida shores. Just as an aside: I wouldn't recommend the primitive trail out to Mead Point at the northwestern corner of the preserve. It is a neat trail through the mangroves (which is fairly well shaded overall) but has no real view at the end so it isn't necessarily worth the out-and-back.

Great nature preserve. Lots of free parking. Well laid out. Like others have said, wear a sun hat, not much shade. Restrooms, water, great trails. If you hit the Preserve at the right time you can pop into Valentine House to see some cool history. We talked to very nice girl who was very informative. They are all volunteers and only there in the mornings, I think. Worth a pop in, if you can.

Great place to walk, observe wildlife, see sunset. Great place to wander and climb the tower. Best part, it's all free!

Amazing spot! The trails are great. Covered in the woods or out in the sun, great trails! Views from the lookout tower. Plenty of people so that it feels safe but not so congested that you've got to share conversations with anyone else outside of your group.

While I was visiting Florida, I heard a family referring to some observatory tower and had to find it. Thus, we arrived at Robinson Preserve which has about 10 miles or more (I didn't count, but I know there was markers and took me about 2 hrs to get back). Me and my niece sped off looking for the tower and the view from there was spectacular. You can see the water, bridges and other civilians using the trail. You can walk, jog or even bike along the trail. I also suggest you keep a watchful eye, because we spotted 2 black snakes during our time here. The only downside is the about of bird poop and stench all over the place. Maybe we just got there at a bad time.

Amazing! Beautifully kept up. Trails all over. You could explore for hours and still not see everything. I went with my dog. Spent about two hours. Got to the beach end, which was beautiful. Dogs are allowed (even in the water) but must be leashed. It is definitely a walk though. This isn't a quick, 5 min and you are to the water park. It took us about 25 mins to walk straight to the water. But, I loved it! Trails, some bridges, some trails were paved and others were lightly rocked. Free parking. Can't wait to go back!

Miles and miles of beautiful paths with the most stunning nature. Always easy to get parking. A great way to spend the day.

Beautiful preserve!!! Great place for families, couples, friends, or just go alone to walk, kayak, paddle board, fish, playground, or bike ride. No two experiences are the same in Robinson! It's amazing such a great park and nature preserve are free! The other side of park has the launch areas for kayaks, canoes, or paddle boards plus a tree house area for kids. I have taken yoga and it's so much fun- super relaxing and Inexpensive. You can even book parties there.

We love this spot, any age could find some fun part of the persevere. We love our Saturday running groups that help many to encourage step out and motivate them.

This park/preserve is fantastic! I love exploring a new place via a run, and this did not disappoint. It's different than any park I've been to as there is a mix of trail types - the trails in the middle of the park (fairly close to one of the parking lots) are more manicured, out in the open, and have a soft track surface. The rest of the trails are mostly paved, but it does feel like you are out in nature in the middle of nowhere. It was so fun to explore. I had a loose plan of wanting to see the bay and the 'kayak trails' (what a cool feature) and go about 5 miles. I ended up going around most of the exterior loop + some interior and ended up going 6 miles without repeating more than probably 1/4 to 1/2 mile at most. There are excellent map posts at (I think) every intersection. I went on a cloudy day, but I was thinking that on a sunny, summer day, it could get very hot on a lot of the trails as there isn't a lot of shade, at least on the trails closest to the parking lots. As you get further out, there is more tree cover. You can tell that someone or a group of people have invested a lot of time, effort, and money to make this a nice place for people to run, walk, bike, or kayak, or just relax (there are covered benches throughout the park). Thank you!

Lovely hike through old Florida feeling park. Not much shade. Would be fun to bike. Canoe "trails" look gorgeous. Loved the view from the top of the observation tower. Saw a fair amount of wildlife.

Great place to take a walk or ride a bike. We biked all the trails and it was about 5 miles. There is a lookout tower that gives you a view of the Skyway bridge. Some of the trails are shaded. One trail is a loop and the other is not. There are restroom next to the parking lot. The park is free to visit. The lookout tower is about 1/4 mile from the parking lot.

Cool walking and biking trails. Great mix of paved, wooden, gravel and sandy trails. The scenery was awesome, creeks, marsh, ocean.

I ventured here yesterday. Great place to hike, walk, run, read, learn, swim, kayak, bird watching, crab viewing, etc. It's a three miles loop. Takes forever to walk it if you love animals and nature. There is a fort that you can climb up to the top. Benches are placed around the park if you need a sit and some shade. Bathrooms and water fountains were available at the main entrance near the rear of the parking lot. There's a tiny playground between the back of the restrooms building and entrance. Didn't see any manatees even though it's in Manatee County. Definitely will revisit in the future! Happy travels!

Wow! I wish I lived nearby and could visit daily! So many different terrains, trail options, and activity options whether you want to walk, bike, stroll, kayak or climb the steps of the tower. The trail head at the North end has kayak launch along with a cleaning station, so you can hose it down before you load up to take it home. There are so many trail options mix and match, plus there are benches ever so often to sit in the shade and catch your breath (marked on the trail maps with a brownish hut/house icon) some even have workout signs with suggestions of how to get your blood pumping a little more. I love how well EVERY intersection is marked with mileage posts and a copy of the map so it's easy to know where you are. I also love how the terrain changes from shell to scrubs to mangroves... just beautiful!

Wow what an amazing park! I've been coming to AMI over the last 8 years and this park continues to grow and change. Love the new section and paths that were added. I also love that the main part of the park is now connected to the other section so you can do the full 6 mile or more loop. Great paths for walking, jogging or riding bikes. You can bring your dogs but make sure that you clean up after them. If you look around you will see lots of wildlife from fish, birds (love the pink flamingos), lizards, snakes and more. Favorite paths are the bridges through the mangroves but lots of variety in the park. With the new section there are 3 parking lots so lots of access just remember to lock your car. When in the park also don't forget to look across the bay to Tampa and the Tampa Bay Bridge.

Lovely bikable, walkable, runable, roller bladeable, dog walkable, 2.3 mile trail with short offshoot, trails to vista overlooks. Water views. Fish jumping. Pedestrian bridges. Boardwalk. Saltmarsh. Birds including osprey, vultures, pelicans and more. Fishing and paddle boat opportunities. Also check out the Palma Sola Botanical garden and its fruit trees, flowers and ponds across the road.. and Geraldson Community Farm share operation a short hop down the road and Geraldson Farm Market stand up the road and around the corner. Heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, honey and sunshine await. The preserve includes lots of interpretive signs. Map postings. Bathrooms. Closes at 6 p.m. There are great offshoot trails to check out with wonderful water views. A tower. Nice spot fo suah.

A beautiful space for walking, biking, birding, or just taking pleasure in being surrounded by a natural landscape. While this preserve is popular, a weekday stroll along its winding path will not be crowded. Climb the tower for spectacular views of the surrounding area.

If you can, you should go to the "Robinson Preserve" at 7:00 a.m. The dawning day creates a very special light. It is quiet and you can enjoy nature and animals in peace and quiet. We have seen many, Ospery, herons, woodpeckers and much more. Another highlight is the view from the tower. We saw the "Sunshine Skyway Bridge" from a completely new perspective. The paths lead, also over wooden walkways, through the beautiful area and you can also go to the sea in certain places. It was a great experience for us. Visitor center, free parking, toilets. Two other things: 1. Avoid lunchtime, since many paths have no shade. 2. In the parking lot of the main entrance there is a mobile rental of kayaks and StandUpPadels.

Good spot to visit with a bike or if you like walking, that's also a possibility. In the park, there are small ponds and rivers where you'll find birds and crabs. Through the main trail there are outlets that look at the Perico Bayou and others on the north end that lead to the Tampa Bay. If you visit, it's a must to climb the tower found toward the north end of the trail. Once at the top, you can see for miles around the area. While there's the main entrance on the southeast side of the park, there's another that's off the main road (SR-64) on the southwest end.

We are visiting from Buffalo NY and traveled with our 2 dogs. We heard of this reserve through social media and what a gem it is. The trails were fantastic, the scenic views were amazing. Bikers and hikers were out in force and kayakers were out as well. Very dog friendly as long as their leashed. Well done Florida, well done.

Wonderful place to walk. jog, bike and enjoy the nature. They have a tower that gives a very nice view of the area. Plenty of free parking!

I have the privilege of getting my morning exercise in before starting the workday by riding my trail bike from DeSoto National Park through Robinson Preserve out to Anna Maria Island. I have learned to be cautious and considerate of the pedestrians, runners, visitors and others enjoying its spectacular beauty and wildlife. It is no wonder Hernando DeSoto and his crew chose to pull in here and set up camp! The national park is just around the corner from the front gate here. Don't miss it!

This is a wonderful place to walk and see nature! We saw lots of birds including lots of ospreys and two bald eagles! It is very well maintained. We had a great time.

Still a wonderful place but it has been discovered I would avoid it on the weekend there is a 12 mile cycle loop you could do in it's filled with cyclists today.

Robinson Preserve is a great place for running, biking, and walking while enjoying all things nature! For bikers - most trails are crushed seashell (Osprey loop and the Manatee overlook that goes to the tower), so no road bikes for these portions of the preserve, although the Spoonbill trail is paved for those who do not own a gravel/mountain bike. The trails are well marked and maintained throughout the entire preserve with lots of benches and pavilions for those needing a short break. The tower is an awesome way to see everything the preserve has to offer and more. Sometimes you can even spot MANATEES in the waterway below, although this has only happened to me once, it was still a magical experience. Beware of the Tern trail since the further you go down this trail, the wilder it becomes. Lots of overgrowth, broken branches, and downed trees. Plus the views at the end aren't that awesome. Free parking and CLEAN flushing bathrooms make this place even more awesome.

This preserve is absolutely beautiful! There are about a total of 4 or so miles of trails with a variety of different landscapes. The preserve is bike and dog friendly.

Super fun and inviting outdoor vista...Walk, Run, Bike, kayak or SUP your way through this preserve.

I really loved this park and, as I have experienced with parks in Manatee County, it was extremely dog friendly and very well maintained. My fiancee and I went along with our 3 doggos and when we got there is was overcast and crowded, which honestly was a little disappointing for us because we like solitude when we go to the park. It was very easy to find and we just followed the mapquest directions to the main entrance and there was no entrance fee which was great. We started on the main fitness trail and walked a little ways down, it was a nice walk since it was rainy but there was no shade at all so it would have been unbearable in the summer sun. On that path we passed several people, mainly families with small children. Then we made it to a trail that was not a thru trail and explored it. It had one of the nicest picnic pavilions I have seen at a park in Florida. It was extremely well built, had no grafitti (which I'm still surprised by) and had nice big metal tables that were very clean. We ate lunch here underneath the pavilion while it rained, and it was really peaceful. From this area, there are small paths that lead to the water, but the water is mucky and it's not very pleasant, so we stayed away. After lunch, we made it back to the main trail and saw a trail for the overlook tower but there were a lot of people standing on the tower, so we decided to come back. Instead we went straight and went over several really well-built boardwalks. It was a peaceful walk and although there were a lot of people at the entrance, we only passed a few people. The one issue I had is not something to fault the park for but instead patrons of the park. The issue is that we saw about 10 pile of dog poop on the different boardwalks. We took it upon ourselves to remove it because we want to be able to continue to venture on the boardwalks with our dogs and not have irresponsible owners ruin it for everyone, but come on people it is really not that hard to pick up after your own dog. Also, they provided bags to pick up pet waste as well as trash cans throughout, so it is just pure laziness that people did not pick it up. Again, not something you can fault the park for, but it was still unpleasant and annoying. There are a lot of benches strategically placed at nice scenery locations through the park. We chose one that overlooked the water and also had a roof because it was raining pretty hard at that point. It was so quiet and peaceful sitting on the bench and my dogs were falling asleep because they were so relaxed. When we left here we found a trail that was marked as a 'primitive trail' and not a thru trail. We decided to take it because it looked interesting. It wound through trees and eventually hugged the water. There were several boardwalks to cross damp sections, but there were no hand rails and the wood was very slippery so be careful if you go here, otherwise you will slip into disgusting looking muck which is unpleasant. This area was honestly pretty creepy because of the terrible smells and large amounts of muck everywhere, not to mention insane amount of mosquitoes. The one really nice thing about this trail was it was extremely quiet, no car sounds or anything. At this point we turned around and went on the trail with the overlook tower. It was a nice trail with a long boardwalk leading to the tower. The tower was awesome, it was several stories high with lots of room and really well built. We went to the top which was shaded and you could see for miles. When we were there we didn't see anyone around us at all, but again it was raining pretty steadily at that point and most people left. That was the end of our adventure, but we will definitely be back! I would highly recommend this park for families, people with dogs, bikers, hikers, and kayakers, you won't be disappointed.

Absolutely lovely walk. Trail is well maintained and flat. Ample parking and multiple shelters to stop and just sit or enjoy. I recommend taking a moment to climb to the top of the tower and look out to the bay. I also suggest walking the full loop. Easy walk for the non -hiker with additional opportunities for those wanting more exercise. Multiple stations present advanced exercises using the shelter spaces and the trail is open enough for running or biking.

Are you staying open regular hours? I'd like to know Bc of the whole covid ? I love going here and i wanna know if I'd still be able to walk the trails ?

Get there early on nice days for easier parking. You can walk, bike or paddle here. Pretty sights from owl and baby to coconut trees and water views. Mostly sunny paths with little shade, so plan accordingly. Watch tower, sandy to packed paths.

I absolutely love coming to this preserve. It's well-maintained. It has plenty of trails. I "hike", jog and bike on them. I even come here for their annual 5K and 10K races. I also love kayaking here!!! Oh! And they have a tall viewing tower that is great for running up and down (for extra exercise).

This place was pretty cool. Very well kept and clean. We got to see many animals (crabs of different kind, birds, and fish). We didn't kayak but saw a couple people doing that. We climbed the tower out there which was pretty cool. You could see for miles!!

Great spot for a walk or bike ride. Trails are well kept and they have several coves that's make for a tiny beach right on the bay, simply stunning. They have different trail options if your group wants to split up for a longer or shorter walk.

The trail is so beautiful I found this randomly looking for dog parks I would definitely recommend bringing water and sun Block if you are sensitive to the sun. There are some shade in the park area but it does get really really hot. I am definitely coming again, such a beautiful place. They also have fishing and fantastic views. I think next time I'll try to do some fishing.

Great place to hike bike roller blade or kayak , many trails to explore the preserve , If I'm being churlish I would say the bay views are limited , perhaps some extra viewing areas could be added otherwise a great place to spend a few hours