Tarpon Hole

Most of the seventy spring vents in Kings Bay are shallow enough to wade over. Tarpon Hole isn't. It is a 58-foot drop to the vent throat and an 85-foot maximum depth, set in a conical alcove on the south side of Banana Island — a forested federal-refuge island inside the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. The name predates the manatees: long before the snorkel tours arrived, large Atlantic tarpon used to gather in the warm spring water around the island. The tarpon are still occasionally seen. The manatees are why most people come now.

There is no shoreline access. You reach Tarpon Hole by boat, by kayak, or you don't reach it at all.

• Location: Banana Island, Kings Bay, Crystal River (Citrus County)
• GPS (approximate): 28.882°N, 82.597°W
• Access: Boat or paddle only — no shoreline access
• Vent depth: ~58 feet
• Pool maximum: ~85 feet
• Pool size: ~450 × 550 feet
• Water temperature: 72°F year-round
• Magnitude: Part of first-magnitude Kings Bay system
• Federal protection: Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge

This is the most important thing to understand: there is no parking lot, no entrance gate, no shoreline. Tarpon Hole sits in the middle of Kings Bay, in federal refuge waters. Visitors drive to a Kings Bay launch and travel the final 0.5 to 1 mile by water.

Launch points (drive to one of these):

• Hunter Spring Park (104 NE 1st Ave, Crystal River) — Closest free public kayak hand launch.
• Kings Bay Park (268 NW 3rd St) — Free public boat/kayak launch with trailer parking.
• Pete's Pier / Fort Island Trail Boat Ramp — Public boat ramp.
• Private marinas along SE Kings Bay Drive — Tour operator boats depart from here.

Drive times to Crystal River:

• Tampa: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Orlando: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Ocala: 55 minutes
• Tallahassee: 2 hours 30 minutes

From any Kings Bay launch, Banana Island is approximately 0.5 to 1 mile west-northwest. Use NOAA Chart 11409 or a GPS-enabled marine app. The Tarpon Hole boil is visible at the surface in calm conditions.

Tarpon Hole sits 85 feet southwest of King Spring (a separate vent) on the south side of Banana Island. Both share a single conical alcove with the smaller Mullet's Gullet vent. The water emerges from limestone fractures at about 58 feet, fills a deep pool roughly 450 × 550 feet across, and contributes to the broader first-magnitude Kings Bay system.

Most tour operators don't market Tarpon Hole by name — they call the whole area "Banana Island" or "King Spring." But for divers and serious snorkelers, Tarpon Hole is the named spot.

• Winter manatee snorkel (November–March) — Tour operators commonly bring snorkelers to the King Spring / Tarpon Hole alcove during manatee season; cold mornings concentrate dozens of manatees here. Passive interaction only.
• Year-round snorkel and fish viewing — Even outside manatee season, the deep vent and alcove attract sheepshead, mullet, gar, snook, and American eel.
• Scuba diving — Tarpon Hole is one of the deeper accessible dives in Kings Bay outside cave systems. Open-water certification is the minimum to dive the pool; cavern or cave certification required to enter the vent throat. Several Crystal River dive shops include Tarpon Hole on their dive itineraries.
• Photography — The blue-tinted water, limestone bottom, and large fish aggregations make it a productive site.

Guided boat tour (recommended for first-timers). Book a Crystal River tour operator that explicitly stops at the King Spring / Banana Island alcove. Most do; ask before booking. Operators include:

• Bird's Underwater (320 NW Hwy 19) — Dive- and snorkel-focused; one of the longest-operating dive shops on Kings Bay.
• River Ventures (498 SE Kings Bay Drive) — Largest Crystal River tour operator; certified in-water guides, HD photos included.
• Crystal River Kayak Company and Dive Shop (1422 SE US Hwy 19) — Kayak tours and dive trips.
• Manatee Tour and Dive (11 NE 4th Ave) — Dive-focused operator with Kings Bay expertise.

Self-paddle. Launch from Hunter Spring Park or Kings Bay Park. Allow 45–60 minutes of moderate paddling for the round trip. Bring a surface marker buoy. Be ready for open-bay conditions and motorized boat traffic. Stay outside sanctuary boundaries in winter (see warnings).

Private boat. Standard boating rules apply on Kings Bay. No mooring buoys at Tarpon Hole — anchor responsibly and watch your depth.

There's no admission fee — costs are absorbed in the access method:

• Guided boat tour: $50–$110 per person (typical 2–3 hour snorkel tour)
• Kayak rental: $30–$50 for a half-day single kayak
• Self-launch at Hunter Spring or Kings Bay Park: Free park entry; modest kayak launch fee (~$5/vessel)
• Scuba charter: Varies by operator; expect $100–$200/person plus gear

Tarpon Hole has no on-site services — it's open water inside a federal wildlife refuge. For lodging, dining, and amenities, see our Kings Bay profile. Crystal River's downtown is 0.5 to 1 mile inland from the bay and packed with restaurants and hotels.

• Federal manatee law applies in full at Tarpon Hole. Passive observation only. No chasing, touching, riding, cornering, or feeding manatees. Violations carry up to $50,000 in fines.
• Sanctuary boundaries can shift on short notice. USFWS closes parts of Kings Bay during cold snaps when manatees need undisturbed rest. Check fws.gov/refuge/crystal-river or call 352-563-2088 before your trip in manatee season.
• The depth is real. Non-swimmers should stay topside on the boat. Open-water certified divers may dive the pool; only fully cave-certified divers (NSS/CDS, NAUI cave, IANTD, or equivalent) may enter the vent throat or any overhead environment.
• Water clarity varies with tide and weather. Visibility drops at high tide and after rain as bay water mixes into the spring. Early-morning incoming-tide trips offer the best clarity.
• Wetsuit recommended even in summer. 72°F feels cold after extended floating; bring a 3mm shorty minimum.
• Boat traffic is heavy on weekends. Snorkelers and kayakers must use surface marker buoys and stay aware of vessels.
• No food or shelter on Banana Island. The island is federal refuge land; landing is restricted. Eat before you launch.

• Kings Bay — The umbrella system; start there to choose a launch and tour operator.
• Three Sisters Springs — The shallow, photo-perfect spring just northeast of Banana Island; the most-visited stop in Kings Bay.
• Hunter Spring Park — The most popular free kayak launch and closest staging area for Tarpon Hole.
• Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park (15 miles south) — The alternative for visitors who'd rather watch manatees from an underwater observatory than enter the water themselves.

Last verified: May 28, 2026. Tarpon Hole has no published management website; rules are managed through the Crystal River NWR (fws.gov/refuge/crystal-river). Sanctuary boundaries and access can change without notice during cold weather. Photos via Wikimedia Commons and the Crystal River NWR category.