About OUR PARKS
The Crystal River State Parks encompass 27,500 acres and protect 10 contiguous miles of coastline that has changed little since Spanish explorers arrived in Florida over 500 years ago. |
Crystal River Preserve State Park This park is unusual, in that it is divided at a transition point between temperate and subtropical zones, and has plant communities that occur in each. The estuarine system which is a combination of fresh water and salt water is fed fresh water from the springs at head of seven separate rivers it mixes with saltwater of the Gulf of Mexico. And it all adds up to ideal conditions for biodiversity. The park is an important southern terminus for migratory waterfowl such as the brown pelican, little blue heron, snowy egret ,tri colored heron and yellow crowned night heron. In addition, the preserve protects the home of imperiled reptiles like the ornate diamond backed terrapin, gopher tortoise, and four species of sea turtle. The Preserve provides habitat for an abundance of wildlife, 58 species of reptiles and amphibians, 34 species of mammals, 186 species of birds and various invertebrates. Citrus county is home to over 1000 species of plants and over 270 of those have been recorded in the park. |
3266 N. Sailboat Avenue Crystal River, FL 34428 (352) 228-6028 www.floridastateparks.org/park/Crystal-River-Preserve |
Crystal River Archaeological State Park A National Historic Landmark, this 61-acre, pre-Columbian, Native American site has burial mounds, temple/platform mounds, a plaza area and a substantial midden. The six-mound complex is one of the longest continuously occupied sites in Florida. For 1,600 years the site served as an imposing ceremonial center for Native Americans. People traveled to the complex from great distances to bury their dead and conduct trade. It is estimated that as many as 7,500 Native Americans may have visited the complex every year. Although primarily an archaeological site, the park sits on the edge of an expansive coastal marsh. Anglers may catch saltwater and freshwater fish. As part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, the park offers bird-watchers the chance to observe a variety of birds. |
3400 N. Museum Point, Crystal River, FL 34428 (352) 795-3817 www.floridastateparks.org/park/Crystal-River-Archaeological |
Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park This site was once part of a thriving sugar plantation owned by David Levy Yulee. Yulee was a member of the Territorial Legislative Council, and served in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate after Florida statehood. The park contains the remnants of the once-thriving 5,100-acre sugar plantation: a forty-foot limestone masonry chimney, iron gears, and a cane press. The steam-driven mill operated from 1851 to 1864 and served as a supplier of sugar products for southern troops during the Civil War. |
Friends of the Crystal River State Parks, Inc. 3266 N. Sailboat Ave. Crystal River, FL 34428 Phone: (352) 228-6028