Friends of the Crystal River State Parks

Friends of the Crystal River State Parks Crystal River Archaeological State Park, Crystal River Preserve State Park,
and Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park - all extraordinary places!
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All parks open daily 8 am - dusk. Museum at the Archaeological Park open 9 am - 5 pm Thurs. - Mon. Welcome to Crystal River Preserve State Park

A place of exceptional natural beauty, the undisturbed islands, inlets, backwaters and forests of this Crystal River Preserve are especially cherished by nature lovers and photographers. The park borders 20 miles of the northern Gulf Coast between the tw

o cities of Yankeetown and Homosassa. Visitors can hike or bicycle along nine miles of trails or study the native wildlife and plants on the two-and-a-half mile interpretive trail. Anglers can walk down a short path to the Mullet Hole for a relaxing afternoon of fishing. Paddlers can launch a kayak or canoe into the waters of the scenic Crystal River to see the park from the water.

It's called the 7 Mile Trail and it can be walked, ridden or run. But you don't need to transit the entire trail to enjo...
06/05/2026

It's called the 7 Mile Trail and it can be walked, ridden or run. But you don't need to transit the entire trail to enjoy it. For example, park and walk about a 1/3 of a mile and enjoy the wetlands along with a tidal stream. Enjoy the view, the birds, the wildlife and the flowers (like the Rose of Plymouth), yet you can be back to your car in under 30 minutes.

PS. If the bugs are biting (they weren't today), you might decide to give up. In that case you might be back to your car in under 3 minutes!~Marty

A morning traffic report from Crystal River Archaeological State Park:Traffic was light this morning on all trails in th...
06/04/2026

A morning traffic report from Crystal River Archaeological State Park:

Traffic was light this morning on all trails in the park. No congestion, back ups or traffic tie-ups. No honking horns, just the chirping of crickets and a few bird songs. Even the mosquitos stayed off the trails (well mostly). No adverse weather either. Blue skies, pleasant temps and low humidity.

Do you have a report from any other of our state park trails?

It's a great time to take a walk in any of our parks. Why we don't expect any traffic problems, the beautiful weather won't stay long! Heat, humidity and bugs will return. And if you have anything good (or bad) to report, please let us know. ~Marty

A call came into the rangers at the Crystal River State Parks. It was from a bike rider on a sunny section of the Seven ...
06/02/2026

A call came into the rangers at the Crystal River State Parks. It was from a bike rider on a sunny section of the Seven Mile Loop. An alligator was lying across the trail in front of him blocking the path He was from Illinois and big reptile with big sharp teeth is unheard of. Anyway, the rider asked what he should do (other than take photos). He threw out the following ideas:

* Ride slowly behind or in front of the gator?
* Ride fast behind or in front of the gator?
* Turn around and call it a day?

The ranger suggested a course of action. The rider said he’d give it a try and hung up. The advice must have worked in that the ranger never heard back.

What would you have told him had you gotten the call? While you mull over that question, keep the following in mind when it comes to our gators:

* Respect Their Space: Like humans, alligators appreciate their personal space. If you spot one on the trail, keep at least 20 feet between you and the gator. This distance usually gives them enough room to feel safe, not threatened.

* Don’t Feed the Wildlife: Feeding alligators is a no-no. Not only is it illegal, but it also encourages them to associate humans with food. This can lead to more aggressive behavior. Remember the saying: "A fed gator is a dead gator."

* Back Away Slowly: If an alligator hisses or lunges at you, you’re in its comfort zone. Don’t turn your back or run, as this might trigger a chase response. Instead, slowly back away until you’re at a safe distance.

As to the question, the ranger suggested the rider make noise and vibration by stomping his feet, clapping his hands, telling and even bouncing his bike up and down

The ranger said the gator was probably resting after a meal. That’s because alligators have slow digestive systems and the sun’s warmth helps speed their metabolism. Even with the sun, they can become somewhat lethargic after a big mea. Like people, they just want to nap undisturbed! However, even if lethargic, they can still move fast and be dangerous.

Visitors can see alligators on any of Crystal River State Parks trails almost anytime of year. While alligators are shy creatures that generally avoid people, they can be unpredictable and dangerous. Remember, just turning around and calling it a day when there's a gator in your way is never a bad decision.~Marty

The Friends group has switched out the photo display located near the entrance of the museum at the Archaeological State...
05/31/2026

The Friends group has switched out the photo display located near the entrance of the museum at the Archaeological State Park. The new photos were taken by FSP Biologist Andy Kilmer at the park and represent just a few examples of the flora and fauna (and even fun) to be found here. The display will be up for the next few months. We hope you stop in to see it!~Marty

It's sooooo hot even the Eastern Lubbers are disrobing! Well, not really. Lubbers molt five times as they mature from mo...
05/28/2026

It's sooooo hot even the Eastern Lubbers are disrobing!

Well, not really. Lubbers molt five times as they mature from mostly black nymphs into--with their last molt--colorful adults. While gardeners tend to hate these large grasshoppers since they eat many plants, and birds tend to avoid them since they secrete a toxic chemical, they are part of the wildlife in Florida State Parks.

This one, and it's leftover skin, were on the museum wall of the Archaeological Park this morning. This particular lubber was about 2.5 inches long. While lubbers have wings they don't fly and although they have long legs they rarely hop. By the way, the word lubber comes from the old English word word "lobre" meaning lazy or clumsy.~Marty

05/26/2026

It's illegal to excavate without a permit in Florida State Parks. However, exceptions are made for its natural inhabitants like digger wasps. There are several varieties in Florida, including Palmodes dimidiatus – the Florida Hunting Wasp. The term “digger wasp” refers to a broad group of wasps, not just one species. There are several species in Florida with the most common being the Great golden digger wasp.

One of the most distinctive features of digger wasps is their nesting behavior. Unlike paper wasps or hornets that build above-ground nests, digger wasps excavate burrows underground:
* The female selects a patch of loose or sandy soil.
* She digs a burrow that may extend several inches deep
* Once the nest is ready, she hunts insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, or katydids.
* Using her sting, she paralyzes the prey rather than killing it.
* She drags the immobilized insect into the burrow and lays an egg on it. One egg, one insect per nest.
* The chamber is sealed, and when the larva hatches, lunch is ready.

Digger wasps are not aggressive and rarely sting humans since they have no hive to protect. That said, they shouldn't be handled or threatened. So enjoy watching the female's nesting behavior and be VERY glad you're not its prey~Marty

Crystal River Archaeological State Park offers free entry during Memorial Day Weekend. In fact, almost all Florida State...
05/22/2026

Crystal River Archaeological State Park offers free entry during Memorial Day Weekend. In fact, almost all Florida State Parks will offer free admission from May 23-25, inviting visitors to enjoy the outdoors while honoring those who gave their lives in service to the United States as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.

Free admission applies to day-use only and excludes Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife, Skyway Fishing Pier, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center and Weeki Wachee Springs state parks.

For more information: https://www.floridastateparks.org/learn/free-admission-memorial-day-weekend.

05/19/2026

Take a basket of dirt. Walk several hundred yards to where it's needed and dump it. Repeat the process some 300,000 times. That what it took to make Mound A at the Crystal River Archaeological Park. How many people helped build it, their ages or how long it took them is unknown. But the sign in front of the mound says it took about 19 years.

The mound was built some 15 centuries ago.. Currently, the mound looks like people just threw dirt, made a hill and then walked away. But archaeologists believe the mound was an impressive, imposing structure. Probably a huge rectangle with sloping sides and a ramp 15-feet wide. Everything was covered with white shells that gleamed in the sunlight. The mound was visible a long way off for anyone visiting by canoe. A mound that said this place IS important.

Sadly, rain, wind and countless hurricanes (not to mention a bulldozer in the late 1950s) destroyed much of the moundsl leaving the hill we now see.

The next time you visit the park try to imagine the mound and the surrounding area as it once was. Imagine the sites beauty, the festivals once held there that drew thousands of visitors. Imagine also the heat, humidity, bugs, alligators, and snakes they endured to create the mounds we now see. ~Marty

Want to know more about what the Friends of the Crystal River State Parks are planning? Come to tomorrow’s (May 19) boa...
05/18/2026

Want to know more about what the Friends of the Crystal River State Parks are planning? Come to tomorrow’s (May 19) board meeting at 4 p.m. at the Archaeological Park museum! All members and the public are welcome.

The Friends are the official Citizen Support Organization (CSO) for the three Crystal River State Parks. The meeting will last about an hour.

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This is Safe Boating Week. Here's a few statistics from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission as to why th...
05/17/2026

This is Safe Boating Week. Here's a few statistics from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission as to why the need exists:
• With 1,027,742 registered vessels, Florida leads
the nation in registered vessels.
• Florida has the highest number of boating accidents, injuries, and fatalities in the U.S. annually, typically reporting as many as 700 accidents, which is often double that of the next highest state, California, according to statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard.
• Collisions with fixed object was the leading type of accident with a total of 243.
• May was the month with the highest number of accidents (97).
• 43 fatal accidents resulting in 51 fatalities.
• 23% of the fatal accidents resulted from boaters falling overboard (10 accidents).
• The leading cause of death in fatal boating accidents was drowning with 27 fatalities.
• 73% (37) of the victims of fatal boating accidents were males.
• 62% (31) of 50 operators involved in fatal accidents were age 35 or older.
• 74% (37) of all vessels involved in fatal accidents in 2025 were 21 feet in length or less.

Whether you boat or use paddlecraft (Crystal River State Park has two kayak/paddleboard launches), please be careful out there. Keep your eyes open and your neck on a swivel. Please make sure you, those in your boat, and those in other watercraft around you come home safely.~Marty

Address

3266 N Sailboat Avenue
Crystal River, FL
34428

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13522286028

Website

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