A destination where you can view anywhere from dozens to hundreds of manatees during the winter months, Three Sisters Springs is a success story in preservation.
It took a village — the people of Crystal River coming together to match government funding — to purchase this waterfront property to save it from development.
Manatees gather in Crystal River each winterThe land had largely been cleared. Since becoming part of Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, the native habitats are being restored.
With the exception of a few handicapped spaces, parking is offsite to minimize impact to the springs. These are crucial wintering grounds for the West Indian manatee.
Their wintering season runs from mid-November through late March. Water access to the springs is limited based on the number of manatees in the spring. Respect all posted barriers for the manatees’ sake.
Kayaker viewing manatees in Three Sisters SpringsResources
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Overview
Location: Crystal River
Length: 1.3 mile loop
Trailhead: 28.89131, -82.58790
Address: 601 Three Sisters Springs Trail, Crystal River
Fees: $7.50 per child, $12.50-$20 per adult, military discount. $5 off fee for up to three guests for presenting National Parks Pass.
Restroom: Near the springs
Land manager: US Fish & Wildlife
Phone: 352-586-1170
Open 8:30-4:30 daily except Christmas. No pets permitted. No entry to the water is provided from from the park or vice-versa.
Walk and bike-ins are welcome but no discount is given on entry fee. Three Sisters Springs Center (917 Three Sisters Springs Trail) manages access, admissions, and shuttles.
Shuttle service is included in your admission fee, operating continually 8:30-4:30 daily from parking areas in town.
Limited handicapped parking on site. The boardwalk, restrooms, and shuttle are accessible. The hiking loop is a hard packed natural surface, accessible with assistance.
Directions
Parking areas are provided at Three Sisters Springs Center, the Visitor Center, Hunter Springs Park, South Citrus Ave, and Heritage Village, all within a block of US 19 in downtown Crystal River. Use the shuttle bus or walk in from parking locations shown above using the Crosstown Trail to access the front gate.
Hike
Entering the front gate on foot from the Crosstown Trail, pay your admission fee and continue up the drive.
The loop trail proceeds in both directions at the gate before the designated handicapped parking area.
Park entrance stationTo walk along the waterfront first, turn right. A colorful map illustrating the loop adjoins the trail, which immediately curves away from an access gate.
The narrow hard-packed surface leads into a coastal habitat of cedars and palms edged by floodplain forest.
First benchTurning left, follow a slight curve past a bench. Cedars hang low over the trail. Red maple and sweetgum sport brilliant colors in fall.
Follow the straightaway to the next curve, which turns left to follow the edge of Crystal River.
StraightawayPlans are to provide better viewing along this waterfront. On our visit, we peered over fences.
A lot of signage and fencing goes into keeping water and land-based visitors apart at Three Sisters Spring. You may not enter the river from this property and vice-versa.
Fence at river’s edgeLeave the hard-packed path to stay close to the river, following a grassy path between the cedars and palms past bird nesting boxes.
More views are possible through gaps in the vegetation. During the winter, springs are marked with bobbing buoys outlining do-not-enter manatee protection zones.
Paddlers on Crystal RiverThe boardwalk starts 0.6 mile into your hike. At first it follows the forested edge of Crystal River with peeks out to cordoned-off springs.
In winter, manatees collect here by the hundreds, and boaters by the dozens. The angle of the sun determines how well you can look into the water.
View of one of the springsMaking a sharp left, the boardwalk begins to outline the cluster of springs that this property was purchased to protect.
Aquamarine waters glimmer behind an understory of ferns and palms in the forest surrounding the springs.
A glint of spring water through the woodsOn the opposite side of the boardwalk is the cleared grassy expanse that was slated to become a condo community before this property was purchased.
The hard-packed path slips through a landscape under restoration to natural habitats and approaches the boardwalk.
Restoration areaRounding another curve, the dropoff area for shuttle buses and a restroom are within sight. Interpretive signs call attention to the size of the springshed.
You are now along the edge of one of the crystal-clear springs, its bottom a gradient of blues to the very bottom.
Shades of blue in the springFollow a long stretch of boardwalk along the forested edge of the springs to the next viewpoint, where you can see the curve of the boardwalk on the far side.
Walking around the spring, you’ll find a few places to peer through the vegetation. At 0.8 mile, the pedestrian walkway from the bus drop-off meets the boardwalk.
Spring view through forestViews open up. It’s here in winter that both visitors and manatees cluster, since there is no vegetation to obscure views and several observation platforms.
In the off season, this large spring is a favorite for snorkelers and paddlers to enjoy via water access through the spring run from Crystal River.
The biggest springFollow the boardwalk as it continues along the spring run, ending at a point where you can see both river and the outflow of the run.
Manatees must pass in and out of this narrow channel to reach the warmth of the springs, so it is the most likely place to see them any time of year.
Mother and baby manatee in a spring runBacktrack along the boardwalk and savor the views. Leave it at the access point at the bus-turnaround and follow the exit road.
At a trail map, pick up the hard-packed trail again for the final piece of the loop.
Restored areaThe trail progresses through a wetland area with an alternate route off the hard-packed portion leading to a levee in the middle of the marsh.
A site for birding in winter, it’s distinctly less busy than the bustling boardwalk area.
Walkway through marshBoth paths rejoin at the end of the wetlands. Curve past a native plant garden as the trail approaches its end.
A kiosk adjoins the path just before you seal the loop after 1.3 miles. Turn right and walk out the front gate to exit.
Finale of the loopTrail Map
Explore More!
Learn more about Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Integral to the town of Crystal River, this water-based refuge protects wintering grounds for Florida manatees.Video
Slideshow
See our photos from Three Sisters Springs
Nearby Adventures
Hunter Springs Park Besides access to its namesake spring for swimmers, Hunter Springs Park is also a popular put-in for paddlers headed to Three Sisters Springs.
Kings Bay Park Edging Kings Bay and spring-fed waterways flowing into it, this wooded downtown park provides some of the best views of Kings Bay.
Kings Bay River Walk Discover a variety of unexpected perspectives on coves, springs, and the expanse of Kings Bay along a marked walkway stretching around downtown Crystal River.
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park A former roadside attraction at the source of the Homosassa River, this Florida State Park showcases native Florida wildlife.
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