North of Tampa in the Northeast corner of Hillsborough County is bike-friendly Hillsborough River State Park. PTI’s Senior Supervisor Chuck McNamee saw this park referenced in a field mushroom guide book and decided to make a visit.

“Mushrooms stick out like a brilliant bright flower on a trail. You can seem them from like a mile away. The texture, the size – they’re like a beacon in the woods screaming out ‘Hey! Look at me!’

“The ones I found on the Hillsborough trails did not disappoint. This wooden pathway was part of the bike trail, and there was a lot to see along the way. There were these old trees with their elaborate root systems, mossy logs with holes in them making a home for some animal, stumps of trees with these bulbous growths.

“Even when you’re that close to a big city like Tampa, it’s just amazing the things you can find when you look.”