Hunter Spring Park

Of the seventy springs that feed Kings Bay, Hunter Spring is the one a family can walk up to without paying for a boat tour. It's a city park with a sandy beach, a roped swim area over a limestone vent, a boardwalk loop around a cattail marsh, picnic tables under live oaks, a playground, and a small kayak launch that's the closest paddle starting point to Three Sisters Springs.

The water is 72°F. The vent is about a hundred feet offshore, fifteen feet down. The whole place is free.

• Location: Crystal River (Citrus County), northern edge of downtown
• Address: 104 NE 1st Ave, Crystal River, FL 34429
• Park entry: Free (metered parking lot; credit card only)
• Kayak launch fee: ~$5 per vessel (paid at pay station)
• Hours (Apr 1 – Labor Day): 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• Hours (post-Labor Day – Oct 31): 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Hours (Nov 1 – Mar 31): 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
• Water temperature: 72°F year-round
• Magnitude: Second-magnitude vent within first-magnitude Kings Bay system
• Phone: 352-697-0933

The park sits at the northern edge of Crystal River's compact downtown, walking distance to restaurants, the Crystal River NWR Visitor Center, and the boat ramps that connect to all of Kings Bay.

• Tampa: 1 hour 20 minutes (I-75 north to Exit 301, then SR-44 west)
• Orlando: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Ocala: 55 minutes (SR-44 west)
• Gainesville: 1 hour 15 minutes

The park entrance is at the end of NE 4th St. No trailer parking on site — kayak trailers should use Kings Bay Park (NW 3rd St) instead.

• Swimming — The roped sandy-bottomed swim area sits in front of the Hunter Spring vent. 72°F water year-round. Floating ropes separate swimmers from kayaks and boat traffic.
• Snorkeling — With your own gear; the limestone vent about 100 feet offshore is visible to confident snorkelers.
• Boardwalk and shoreline manatee viewing — November through March, manatees move into the warmer spring water. The boardwalk loops around a cattail marsh and provides shoreline views across the run toward Kings Bay.
• Kayak / SUP launch — The hand launch is the closest put-in to Three Sisters Springs (about a 20–30 minute paddle south). Kings Bay has clear, calm water for paddling. In-water access to Three Sisters Springs is closed November 15 – March 31.
• Picnicking — Tables and city-provided charcoal grills first-come, first-served. The pavilion is non-reservable.
• Playground — Slides and climbing structures for younger kids.
• Walking — A quarter-mile accessible loop connects parking, pavilion, boardwalk, and beach.

• Sandy freshwater swim beach with roped zone
• Boardwalk around the marsh and bay shoreline
• Picnic tables and city charcoal grills
• Covered pavilion (non-reservable)
• Restrooms and changing rooms (close 30 minutes before park closing)
• Hand launch for personal paddle-craft
• Playground
• Free loaner life vest station near the restrooms
• Accessible paved walkways

Not here: kayak rentals (city forbids commercial rentals inside the park), food or beverage vendors, lifeguards, fishing (prohibited), pets (service animals only), tents, glass containers, alcohol.

Multiple outfitters operate just outside the park:

• Hunter Springs Kayak and Manatee Tour (36 NE 4th St — immediately adjacent to the park lot) — Singles, tandems, clear-bottom kayaks, SUPs, canoes; 3-, 5-, 8-hour rentals; guided eco-tours and winter manatee swims. 352-228-4715.
• Crystal River Kayak Company — Self-launches from a private dock near Three Sisters Springs. 352-795-2255.
• Bird's Underwater and Plantation Adventure Center launch from Kings Bay Park (NW 3rd St), the main commercial hub.

Hunter Spring Park sits at the edge of Crystal River's walkable downtown, so dinner is a 5–10 minute stroll away:

• Charlie's Fish House Restaurant (224 NW Hwy 19) — Crystal River seafood institution since 1959.
• Vintage on 5th — Boutique destination dining, historic downtown.
• Crackers Bar and Grill (502 NW 6th St) — Waterfront, fish tacos, frozen cocktails.
• Cajun Jimmy's Seafood Seller and Cafe — Family-run Gulf seafood with a Cajun twist.
• Amy's on the Avenue (539 N Citrus Ave) — Cafe, bakery, walkable for pre-paddle coffee.
• Peck's Old Port Cove (139 N Ozello Trail) — Local crab house for blue crabs.

See our Kings Bay profile for full options. The closest waterfront option is Port Hotel and Marina, walking distance from the park.

• Parking fills fast. On summer weekends and winter manatee-season mornings, the small lot is full by mid-morning. Arrive at 8 a.m. or use the free overflow lots along N Citrus Ave.
• Have your vehicle tag number ready at the pay station. Credit card only.
• No commercial tours leave from this park. For an in-water manatee tour you need a USFWS-permitted operator launching from Kings Bay Park.
• Three Sisters Springs is closed to paddlers Nov 15 – Mar 31. You can still paddle to the outside, but you cannot enter the spring run in winter.
• Hours shorten in winter. Winter close is 5:30 p.m. — plan sunset paddles accordingly.
• No fishing, no pets, no alcohol, no glass, no large umbrellas. All city rules, all enforced.
• Shower after swimming. Spring water at the vent is clear; the broader run can carry organic material. Rinse off using the changing room showers.
• Boat traffic on Kings Bay is heavy. Stay inside the roped swim area; paddlers should use surface marker buoys.

• Kings Bay — The umbrella destination; read this first to understand the whole system.
• Three Sisters Springs — Crystal River's most iconic spring; Hunter Spring is the closest paddle launch.
• Tarpon Hole — Boat-access deep vent near Banana Island; popular dive spot.
• Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park (15 miles south) — Underwater observatory and Lu the hippo memorial.

Last verified: May 28, 2026. The park's kayak launch fee may change; confirm current fees at the pay station or by calling 352-697-0933. Verify boardwalk and water-access status for Three Sisters Springs at crystalriverfl.org before paddling. Photos via Wikimedia Commons.