Three Sisters Springs

In 2010, a developer was four months from breaking ground on 69 single-family homes and 240 condos ringing a small cluster of three crystal-clear spring vents in Crystal River. A multi-agency partnership — the City of Crystal River, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, US Fish & Wildlife, the Conservation Fund, and a determined community — pulled together $10.5 million in 137 days to buy the property instead. Today the three vents, named Deep Sister, Pretty Sister, and Little Sister, are the most photographed individual spring in Florida and the heart of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge.

The water has held its color since long before any of us were born. The boardwalk that wraps around the springs is the closest most visitors will ever get to a hundred wild manatees at one time.

• Location: Crystal River (Citrus County), inside the Crystal River NWR
• Address: 917 Three Sisters Springs Trail, Crystal River, FL 34429
• Hours: Daily 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (last ticket 3:30 p.m.)
• Winter boardwalk (Nov 15–Mar 31): $20 adult / $17.50 senior / $7.50 child / 5 & under free
• Summer boardwalk (Apr 1–Nov 14): $12.50 adult / $12.50 senior / $7.50 child
• Water temperature: 72°F year-round
• Magnitude: Second-magnitude (~78 cfs); part of the first-magnitude Kings Bay system
• Water access: Closed Nov 15 – Mar 31 for manatee sanctuary

Park at the Three Sisters Springs Center (917 Three Sisters Springs Trail), a half-mile north of the refuge itself. A mandatory shuttle (trolley) ride takes you to the boardwalk — no walking directly to the springs from the parking lot.

• Tampa: 1 hour 30 minutes (I-75 north to Exit 301, then SR-44 west)
• Orlando: 1 hour 45 minutes (FL-429 to US-27 to SR-44)
• Ocala: 45 minutes (SR-44 west)
• Tallahassee: 2 hours 30 minutes (US-19 south)

Overflow parking sits behind the Center near the Bank of America ATM. Do not park in the adjacent plaza — vehicles are towed.

Boardwalk (Land Access)

Operated by the City of Crystal River. Trolley shuttle from the Center delivers you to a 1,600-foot elevated boardwalk that loops directly around the three spring vents. Over two miles of side trails connect to Magnolia Springs, Lake Crystal, and restored wetlands. Open year-round, including all of manatee season — and winter is actually when the boardwalk is most spectacular, with 150–200 manatees aggregated in the pool below.

Water Access (Kayak / SUP / Snorkel)

Only available April 1 through November 14. The water entrance is from Kings Bay — there is no in-water entry from the boardwalk side. Launch your own paddlecraft from Hunter Spring Park or Kings Bay Park, or book with a licensed tour operator. Motorized boats are blocked at the inlet by concrete pilings.

Critical: From November 15 through March 31, every paddler, snorkeler, and swimmer is excluded from Three Sisters' spring run. This is the manatee sanctuary closure, federally enforced.

Three connected limestone bowls — Deep Sister, Pretty Sister, and Little Sister — line up northwest to southeast over about 250 feet. Maximum depth is around 20 feet. The water emerges through visible sand boils on a clear, white bottom; the visual effect from above is the famous turquoise-blue you've seen in tourism photographs. The Three Sisters spring run originally extended over 3,200 feet before mid-twentieth-century modifications shortened it.

Three Sisters Springs holds an unusual distinction: USFWS describes it as the only confined-water body in the United States open to public viewing of wintering manatees. The combined Kings Bay system supports 600+ manatees in a peak winter; Three Sisters often holds 150–200 at a single time.

• Boardwalk wildlife viewing — Year-round; the primary winter activity. The 1,600-foot loop puts you over the spring bowls. 100+ documented bird species: bald eagles, osprey, wood storks, migratory shorebirds.
• Snorkeling and swimming with manatees — April through November only, from the water side. Wetsuit recommended.
• Kayak and SUP paddling — April through November; the spring run is a destination paddle from Hunter Spring Park or Kings Bay Park.
• Photography — Three Sisters is one of the most photographed spring locations in the country.
• Ranger-led tours — USFWS volunteers offer guided boardwalk tours daily during manatee season.
• Trails — Easy gravel paths totaling over two miles, virtually no elevation change.

• Three Sisters Springs Center: tickets, restrooms, water bottle stations, gift shop, trolley dispatch
• 1,600-foot boardwalk loop around the springs
• Side trails to Magnolia Springs, Lake Crystal, and restored wetlands
• Trolley shuttle (included with admission; wristband required)
• ADA accessible: both the trolley and the boardwalk
• No swimming from the boardwalk side
• No drones (Special Use Permit required)
• No selfie sticks or camera extension poles
• No pets (service animals only)
• No food, kayak rentals, or camping

Three Sisters water access is only via Kings Bay. The shortest paddles:

• Hunter Spring Park (104 NE 1st Ave) — Free city park, free hand-launch, $5 vessel-launch fee, approximately 20–30 minute paddle south to Three Sisters.
• Kings Bay Park (268 NW 3rd St) — Free city park with kayak/canoe launch and trailer parking.

For a guided experience, book with one of the Kings Bay tour operators — Bird's Underwater, River Ventures, Crystal River Kayak Company, SeaDaddy's Adventures, Nature's Discovery. Tours run $50–$110 per person and include wetsuit, mask, and snorkel.

See our Kings Bay profile for the full lodging list. The closest large resort is Plantation on Crystal River, with its own marina and direct Kings Bay access for guests.

Crystal River's downtown dining sits 5–10 minutes from the Three Sisters Center. See our Kings Bay profile for full restaurant details — Vintage on 5th, Cracker's Bar & Grill, Charlie's Fish House, Margaritas Mexican.

• Arrive early. Parking fills before opening on winter weekends. Be in line by 8 a.m. in peak season.
• Buy boardwalk tickets online at fareharbor.com/embeds/book/threesisterssprings. Sales end at 3:30 p.m.
• Wetsuits matter even in summer. 72°F water feels cold after 30 minutes of floating still.
• The boardwalk is the right call in winter. When in-water access is closed (Nov 15–Mar 31), the boardwalk delivers the iconic experience — and from above, you can see twenty times more manatees than you ever could in the water.
• Federal manatee law is strict. No touching, no chasing, no feeding. Passive observation only. Violations carry up to $50,000 fines.
• Bring water shoes. Bay-side entry can have submerged roots and soft mud.
• No drones, no selfie sticks, no pets. All enforced.
• Citrus County residents discount with ID — $8.75 summer / $12.50 winter for adults.

• Kings Bay — The 600-acre umbrella; start here for the overall manatee experience and to choose a launch.
• Hunter Spring Park — Closest paddle launch to Three Sisters; free public swim and kayak hub.
• Tarpon Hole — Deeper boat-access spring near Banana Island; popular dive site, less crowded.
• Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park (15 miles south) — Underwater observatory; no in-water option but unmatched for fixed-point viewing.

Last verified: May 28, 2026. In-water access to Three Sisters Springs is closed November 15 through March 31 each year. USFWS may close water access additionally if Gulf temperatures drop below 62.2°F. Boardwalk operations are year-round. Confirm hours and current closure status at crystalriverfl.org/sisters and fws.gov/refuge/crystal-river before visiting. Photos via Wikimedia Commons and USFWS public domain.