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Park Rules

Pinellas County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 90

Please help us keep Pinellas County parks safe, clean and fun for all to enjoy. Most County parks provide parking, restroom facilities and drinking fountains. Some neighborhood and beach access parks do not have restroom facilities.

  • Parks open daily from 7 a.m. until sunset. Daily closing times are posted at each entrance.
  • Do not drive or park off pavement. Parking is allowed in designated spaces only. 
  • Grills should only be used for cooking and with charcoal only. 
  • Shelters and their amenities (grills, trash cans, tables) should only be used by the reserving party. Fort DeSoto Campground Catalog
  • All refuse, waste and trash should be placed in disposal containers where provided. If no disposal containers are provided, or the containers provided are full, you are responsible for properly disposing of your waste outside of the County-owned or managed land.
  • No person shall possess balloons in any county-owned or managed land. Chapter 90-7 (s).
  • Playgrounds and outdoor fitness equipment are age specific. Please follow posted guidelines. 
  • Amplified music or sound should not travel beyond 50 feet of the shelter or group.
  • Pets must be caged or leashed with a leash no longer than six feet. Pets should not be left unattended.
  • Pet owners must remove pet waste. Dog Park Information
  • Pet owners must comply with Pinellas County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 14.
  • Fishing and swimming are only allowed in designated areas. Hunting is not allowed within any County park. 
  • Horseback riding is only allowed in designated areas. See Brooker Creek Horse Trails Information or the Walsingham Horseman’s Association / Pinellas County Park Rules.
  • Fishing Licenses – Check to see if you require a license. Each park has its own rules for if or where you can fish.
  • Fort De Soto Campground Rules and Information

Prohibited

  • Commercial Use, Special Events, Contracted Vendors or Camping without Approved Permits
  • Possession or Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages
  • Balloons of any kind are strictly prohibited from all Pinellas County Parks, Preserves and Managed land. This includes all air, helium, water, and balloon displays. etc.
  • Pinatas, Confetti, Aerosol String, Chalk, Nerf Guns, Pools, Water Guns or Water Slides
  • Nails, Tacks, Staples Used on Any Park Structure or Tree
  • Open Fires or Frying of Any Kind
  • Feeding, Disturbing or Removing Wildlife, Plant Life, Natural Materials (Sand, Pine Straw, Etc.) or Historic Artifacts
  • Release or Transplant of Any Animals or Plant Life
  • Pets on Beaches, Boardwalks, Fishing Piers, Playgrounds and Picnic Tables, or in Restrooms and Concession Areas
  • Pets and Smoking in Preserves (Brooker Creek, Weedon Island and Shell Key)
  • Horses and other equine animals in Aquatic Preserves (Sec. 58-402.-Acts Prohibited)
  • Bikes and Food Items on Boardwalks; Beverages for Hydration Are Acceptable
  • Motorized Vehicles on Grass, Trails, Boardwalks, Etc. (Golf Carts, Scooters, Go-Carts, Dirt Bikes, Etc.) – Motorized wheelchairs are permitted.
  • Remote-Controlled Devices (Drones, Planes, Cars, Trucks or Boats)
  • Hammocks, Zip Lines, Slack Lines, Rappelling or Any Other Apparatus Attached to Trees 
  • Grills, Glass or Campfires on Beaches
  • Metal Detection – Except on Beaches, All Dug Holes Must Be Filled
  • Toys or Sports Equipment That Discharges Projectiles (Bows/Arrows, Paint Guns, Slingshots, Etc.)
  • Washing or Performing Maintenance on Vehicles; Excludes Emergency Maintenance
  • Fireworks

Sec. 90-7. – Activities within County-Owned or Managed Lands

The department reserves the right, within the confines of applicable law, to limit other activities within any County-owned or managed land when, at the department’s sole discretion, an area is deemed unable to support such activities.

Sec. 90-13. – Enforcement and Penalties

All provisions of this article may be enforced by all authorized law enforcement officers and all personnel authorized by the administrator or designee.