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De Soto National Memorial
Located in the Tampa Bay area, the De Soto
National Memorial
is a small site. The place honors Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto,
who landed there in 1539. The Park preserves a small portion of the
mangrove swamp of the Florida Gulf Coast.
Activities in the area include hiking, bird watching,
fishing, kayaking and boating. A variety of birds and other animals
represent the
semitropical Florida Gulf coast.
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Hiking includes a 0.5-mile nature trail that
winds through mangrove wetlands, forests and other ecosystems.
Along the trail there are signs telling the story
of the explorer De Soto. Guided tours are also available.
There are several small beaches within De Soto
park, but there are no life guards on duty.
The Visitor Center is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m.
Park grounds are open from dawn to dusk, but the
parking lot closes at 5:00 p.m.
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The park is open daily all year except New Years Day,
Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and may close during a threat of
hurricanes.
There are many restrictions in this small park, so it is
good to check
the park website: www.nps.gov/deso for details.
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