Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides
Known for its beautiful springs and as a gathering place for manatees, Crystal River shows off coastal habitats in its many parks and along its waterways
Providing a peek at the estuary along Crystal River, the Churchhouse Hammock Trail at Crystal River Preserve State Park has accessible and adventuresome options.
At Crystal River Archaeological State Park, a paved interpretive trail winds through a ceremonial mound complex built more than 2,500 years ago. The park is the home of Florida’s only petroglyph.
Traversing floodplain forests and mesic flatwoods, the ecological diversity of the Eco-Walk trail is stunning, though at times it may require wet shoes to complete the loop.
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.
Looking for manatees? You’ll see them up close at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, where families can get up close to Florida wildlife in a natural setting.
Between New Port Richey and Crystal River, explore a variety of springs along the Nature Coast that provide splashing fun in summer and manatee watching in winter.
It’s one of the easiest trails to find along US 19 in Florida – right across from the Crystal River Mall. Churchhouse Hammock is part of Crystal River Preserve State Park.
Beneath a dense canopy of old live oaks, the Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins are a familiar landmark to anyone driving through Old Homosassa – the road snakes past it on the way to the river.
