Eastern gateway to the Withlacoochee Bay Trail, Felburn Park occupies the south shore of the Cross Florida Barge Canal adjoining Inglis Dam & Island Recreation Area.
By land, there isn’t a way to connect to the Inglis Dam. But from a promontory just beyond the eastern end of this park’s paved trail, you can see Inglis Island and Inglis Lock.
View of Inglis Island and the Inglis LockUnusually hilly due to dredged material piled up during construction of the Cross Florida Barge Canal, the paved trail provides glimpses of the water well below.
At its lowest point, where paved and unpaved trails merge, a freshwater marsh is immediately across from a basin of brackish water along the canal.
Cove along the canal across from Phil’s LakeResources
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Overview
Location: Crystal River
Length: 4 miles in two trails plus access to a 10.2 mile round-trip on the Withlacoochee Bay Trail
Trailhead: 29.01237, -82.65688
Address: 10201 N Suncoast Blvd, Crystal River
Fees: Free
Restroom: Flush toilets
Land manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 352-758-1000
Open 8 AM to sunset. Leashed dogs permitted. Potable water available at restrooms.
Directions
From the intersection of SR 44 with US 19 in Crystal River, follow US 19 north for 6.4 miles to the traffic light for Dunnellon Rd. Continue another 2.9 miles on US 19 to the signposted turnoff on the right just before the bridge. It looks like you’re pulling into an RV park but the road slips past it into Felburn Park. Take a right at the park sign to follow the road to the parking area.
About the Park
Acquired for public use by the Felburn Family Foundation, the J. Phil and Ethyl L. Felburn Park enabled a shift of the Withlacoochee Bay Trail trailhead an extra 0.4 mile east.
More importantly, it protected Phil’s Lake, a birder’s delight. A freshwater marsh that evolved within a former dolomite mine, it lies within sight of saltwater.
Picnic pavilions and restrooms adjoin a large parking circleA cove along the Cross Florida Barge Canal across a narrow isthmus is salt water, as is all of the canal and the Withlacoochee River basin below the Inglis Dam and Lock.
The cove exists because a developer wanted to build a marina. The trouble was the danger of saltwater infiltrating into the freshwater aquifer punctured by mining.
The cove off the Barge CanalThe nonprofit foundation bought this 140 acre tract to protect the aquifer and leased this park to the state to manage.
They were also deeply involved in protecting Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River and Homosassa Springs State Park, and benefactors to many conservation causes.
Phil’s Lake was named for Phil FelburnAlthough it is a landscape with a heavy imprint of human use, native species are rooted in the rocky soil along the former mine and the spoil piles.
Paved and unpaved trails enable cyclists and hikers to explore the surprisingly hilly expanse.
Parked on one of the uphillsBiking
As the eastern terminus for the Withlacoochee Bay Trail, Felburn Park is less than a mile off US 19, providing the best place to start your ride.
From the prominent archway at the parking area, the paved path extends 5.1 miles west to an overlook of Withlacoochee Bay on the Gulf of Mexico.
Withlacoochee Bay Trail
Paralleling a completed segment of the ill-conceived Cross Florida Barge Canal, this 5.1 mile paved bike path surprises with hills, overlooks, and a panorama stretching to the Gulf of Mexico.
The pavement also extends east. The ride in that direction is much shorter but more physically challenging.
Spoil piles heaped up during the dredging of the adjoining barge canal create rugged topography that the paved trail climbs after passing Phil’s Lake.
Vultures perch in a tree on a spoil pileOnce you’re across the narrow isthmus between saltwater and freshwater, the trail curves sharply left and proceeds uphill fast.
It climbs 35 feet in less than a half mile. Views through the trees are infrequent, but where possible, amaze with how high above the canal the trail rises.
Climbing from canal level to higher elevationsA descent a quarter mile later drops the trail into a fold in the hill that you must climb out of to a steep summit.
At 1.3 miles, the pavement comes to an end. Park here and slip down the narrow path a short distance.
Narrow path past the end of the pavementThe panoramic view of Inglis Island is on the left side at a promontory. Be cautious of the drop off. This is not a developed overlook but definitely should be.
The ride back is a little easier other because it’s downhill except for that one sharp dip.
Rider coming downhill on the returnIt requires some serious braking coming back around the curve and downhill to the isthmus, given the 35 foot elevation drop.
The round-trip on foot or by bike is 2.6 miles from the archway to the end of the pavement and back.
Curve before the sharp descentHiking
A loop trail system begins at the parking area within sight of the restrooms. Look for the Birding Trail sign to the left of the benches facing the marsh.
Marked with posts, this natural surface trail touches on the paved trail in several places, but its main focus is to make a 1.4 mile loop around Phil’s Lake for birding.
The loop around Phil’s Lake starts hereFollowing the trail past the birding sign, it emerges past a marker post at the paved path.
Turn right and walk the pavement across the isthmus, which offers nice views on both sides and a chance of red-winged blackbirds in the cattails.
Winding trail across the isthmusTurn right again where the bike path turns left and climbs. A marker post points out the path that loops around the marshy lake.
The trail is largely in the sun. If mowed, side paths may lead to overlooks. Keep Phil’s Lake on your right as you round it to return to the parking area.
Phil’s LakeTrail Map
Explore More!
Learn more about the Cross Florida Greenway
Cross Florida Greenway
Stretching 90 miles from the St. Johns River near Palatka to the Gulf of Mexico, the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is a mile-wide recreational corridor with hiking, biking, and equestrian trails as well as paddling and boating access.
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See our photos of Felburn Park
Nearby Adventures
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Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve
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Crystal River Preserve State Park
Crystal River Preserve State Park spans 20 miles of the Gulf Coast between Yankeetown and Homosassa, protecting key manatee habitats along estuaries of the Gulf.
Crystal River Archaeological State Park
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