"Now through December." That phrase comes from an October 1, 2026 release by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. It covers prescribed burns at four preserves, and three of them are where horse owners on the north side of Pasco County trailer to ride.
Pasco Trails Boulevard sits in ZIP 34610 and is mapped on the Spring Hill side of the county. Of the public riding options along SR 52, the trail with the fewest rules for a rider is the same one with the most dates on its calendar between now and December. For a dependable riding day from October through December, the place to plan around is an arena in Hudson.
The Ride Off SR 52 With the Fewest Rules
Serenova Tract's entrance is at 14900 SR 52. It's on the south side of the road, just west of the Suncoast Parkway, across from Hayes Road. The district lists about 16 miles of multiuse trails and equestrian camping. The gates open 30 minutes before sunrise and close 30 minutes after sunset.
The rider rules are short. Stay on designated or marked trails. Carry proof of your horse's current negative Coggins test. Florida law requires a helmet for any rider under 16. Serenova does have a free day-use reservation, but it covers horse-drawn buggies going through the locked gate, not mounted riders. The tract has a portable toilet and nonpotable water near the equestrian and primitive campgrounds. The district also says to expect wet trails at certain times of year.
That makes Serenova the easy choice for a ride you didn't plan. Its fall schedule is what complicates it.
Fire Season Hits the Backup Trails at the Same Time
Serenova belongs to Starkey Wilderness Preserve, and this fall's burn plan covers the whole preserve. The October 1 release lists four preserves with their approximate burn acreage, each done in small units:
- Starkey Wilderness Preserve: about 500 acres, in the block east of New Port Richey and west of the Suncoast Parkway, between SR 54 and SR 52
- Conner Preserve: about 450 acres, south of SR 52 and west of Ehren Cutoff
- Cypress Creek Preserve: about 150 acres, east of Ehren Cutoff and one mile south of SR 52
- Upper Hillsborough Preserve: about 300 acres, east of Zephyrhills
The first burn was set for Serenova itself. A district alert scheduled a 186-acre burn there starting at 10:30 a.m. on October 1, weather permitting. The unit sits 1.4 miles west of the Suncoast Parkway, 1.8 miles south of SR 52 and half a mile north of Ridge Road.
The usual alternatives are on the same list. Conner Preserve, entered at 22500 SR 52 in Land O' Lakes, has about six miles of horse-accessible multiuse trail. You need a day-use reservation for the equestrian parking area and proof of a current negative Coggins. Cypress Creek Preserve offers about 14 miles of equestrian multiuse trail. It also requires a reservation for the equestrian parking area, which is on Parkway Boulevard, plus the same Coggins proof. The campground address is 5550 Parkway Blvd.
Switching from Serenova to one of these isn't a last-minute move. Both need booked parking, and both are on the district's burn list through December.
Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, at 10500 Wilderness Park Blvd. in New Port Richey, takes a little less planning. Pasco County lists a horse corral, a 10-mile equestrian trail and dawn-to-dusk hours every day, and its page doesn't mention a reservation for trail riders. The water management district's page for the park links to online reservations but doesn't say whether riders need one. Call the park before you load up the first time.
Hunt Dates Fall on Serenova's Camp Around Thanksgiving
Burns are only one reason for a closure. Serenova's posted schedule closes the Crockett Equestrian/Primitive Camping site and the tent-only primitive camping for hunts on these dates:
| Site | Closed | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Crockett Equestrian/Primitive Camping | Nov. 25–29, 2026 | Hunting |
| Crockett Equestrian/Primitive Camping | Dec. 3–6, 2026 | Hunting |
| Crockett Equestrian/Primitive Camping | March 10–15, 2027 | Hunting |
The first closure covers Thanksgiving weekend. The schedule names the camping sites, not the trail system. Still, a rider planning a holiday overnight with a horse at Serenova would find the equestrian camp closed both that weekend and the next.
For a longer drive, Withlacoochee State Forest has its own rules. The Tucker Hill day-use area, at 26578 Croom Road in Brooksville, lists horseback riding and the Croom equestrian loops for a $2 per person day-use charge. The East Croom Hunt Camp equestrian trailhead has horse parking and trail access, but it's marked closed during hunting season. If you're going to Croom this fall, plan on Tucker Hill.
Lighted Arenas in Hudson Are the Plan That Holds
Every trail above depends on weather, burn crews or hunt dates. The Pasco Horsemen's Association depends on its own calendar. Its grounds at 13215 Fivay Rd. in Hudson have two lighted riding arenas, a round pen and a trail-obstacle course. The lights matter in fall, when the trail day ends 30 minutes after sunset and evening events at the arena are just starting.
Here's the fall lineup posted for the grounds:
| Date | Event | Timing as listed |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 10 | Fall Speed Series | Time TBD |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Fall Ranch Show Series #1 | Sign-up 9 a.m., classes 10:30 a.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Fall Speed Series | Time TBD |
| Sun., Nov. 15 | Dust vs. Lightning | Sign-up 3:30 p.m., exhibitions close 4:45 p.m., event 5 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Fall Jackpot Series #4 | Listed for 5 p.m.; series description says TBD |
The December 12 start time appears two different ways in the same listing, so check it with the association closer to the date. The association's 2026 English show page still says "Files coming soon" for its class list, entry form and rules, and no fall English show date has been posted.
If you'd rather watch than compete, two shows at the Florida State Fairgrounds, 4800 U.S. Hwy 301 N in Tampa, admit spectators for free. The Florida Paint Horse Club Harvest Moon Show runs October 17–18, 2026. The Pinellas County Hunter Association show follows October 24–25. October 24 is crowded. The PHA ranch show in Hudson and the first day of the hunter show in Tampa land on the same Saturday.
Before the Trailer Leaves the Driveway
With burns running through December, a fall ride means checking a few things first:
- Look for a district burn alert covering Starkey, Conner or Cypress Creek that day. The October 1 alert went out the morning before the burn.
- Book equestrian parking at Conner or Cypress Creek ahead of time. Serenova doesn't require it for mounted riders.
- Keep the Coggins paperwork in the truck. All three district tracts ask for it.
- Put a helmet on any rider under 16.
- Don't plan an overnight at Serenova's Crockett camp on Nov. 25–29 or Dec. 3–6.
The Walk Without a Horse Changed Too
On days off from riding, the closest county preserve has its own closure. At the Upper Pithlachascotee River Preserve, 17135 Minneola Drive in Spring Hill, the 1,500-foot wooden boardwalk to a bald cypress more than 200 years old is closed after the county found it structurally unsound. Pasco County plans to demolish it and has a replacement in design for 2027, according to the Tampa Bay Beacons' August 24, 2026 report. About 2 miles of easy packed-earth and shell nature trail, including the Scrub Loop and Ryals Branch, still connect there. The 129-acre preserve also has a small nature center and a playground. It was the first property Pasco County bought through its ELAMP program with Penny for Pasco money. Those are walking trails, not horse trails, and the cypress at the end of the boardwalk is off-limits until the rebuild.
Equestrian acreage comes with its own questions about access, barns and the trails a property sits near, and Pamela Link has worked with horse owners in Pasco County for more than 20 years. If you're curious what your Pasco Trails property is worth this season, Your Link To Luxury can put together a free home valuation built around how your land is actually used.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
