Is there a manatee count for Three Sisters Springs?

Not a published daily one. The refuge posts closures when numbers are high, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission runs periodic aerial surveys of Kings Bay. This page shows the season status and the live visitor reports for Kings Bay.

Can you swim in Three Sisters Springs during manatee season?

Only with a licensed operator, and only when the refuge has not closed the springs for the day. Watercraft are banned from November 15 through March 31. The boardwalk is open daily.

How much is the boardwalk?

Admission is sold at the Three Sisters Springs Center downtown and includes the trolley; adult day passes run about $15 in manatee season and less in summer. Trolleys run every 30 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Manatee season 2026–27

Manatees at Three Sisters Springs

Season opens in 6 days (Nov 15 – Mar 31)

Is there a daily count?

Three Sisters Springs does not publish a daily manatee count. Season status is shown above; the visitor reports below are the freshest signal, and the Blue Spring count is the best statewide proxy for how many animals cold weather has pushed into the springs.

See today’s Blue Spring count →

Next cold front

Cold front: lows near 44°F Fri night. Expect a strong count the following morning.

Mon58°
Tue64°
Wed63°
Thu55°
Fri44°
Sat43°
Sun47°

Overnight lows near Three Sisters Springs from the National Weather Service. Nights at or below 45°F are the ones that fill the spring the next morning.

How this page makes money. Tour, hotel, and gear links are affiliate links: if you book or buy through them we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Operators marked Featured pay for that placement. Rankings, prices, and the daily count are never influenced by either.

Book it

Book a swim-with-manatees tour

Every in-water tour on Kings Bay runs with a licensed captain and an in-water guide. Booking through a marketplace gives you free cancellation up to 24 hours before, which matters when a warm week empties the bay. Compare the operators directly below the buttons.

See tours on Viatorfree cancellation · from about $70 See tours on GetYourGuidereserve now, pay later

Crystal River operators

Published public-tour prices as of September 2026. Every operator below runs licensed captains and in-water guides under the refuge rules.

Bird's Underwater$59.95
to $65 Nov–Apr
Lowest published price and three daily departures
Visit site
Fun 2 Dive$70.95
semi-private from $89.95
Photos, and the $425 semi-private boat for six
Visit site
Manatee Swim Center$75
$50 observer
Mixed groups, thanks to the observer fare
Visit site

Compare all six operators, prices, and boats →

Free alert

Tell me when Three Sisters Springs manatee season is on

One email when the season opens, one when the first big cold front pushes the animals in, and nothing else.

No spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

Season rules at Three Sisters Springs

The springs are closed to all watercraft from November 15 through March 31. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can also close the springs to swimmers on any day manatees crowd in (a cold-morning closure), so tours may not enter even in season. The refuge boardwalk stays open.

Official window: Nov 15 – Mar 31
In the water: Legal with a licensed operator
Park hours: 8:30 AM – 4 PM (boardwalk)

Where to see them

The refuge boardwalk, reached by trolley from the Three Sisters Springs Center in downtown Crystal River (no public parking at the springs).
From the water with a licensed Crystal River tour operator, outside any posted closure.

Best time

Cold mornings and high tides from December through February. Check for a same-day closure before buying a tour if seeing Three Sisters itself matters to you; operators visit other parts of Kings Bay when it is closed.

Stay nearby

Where to stay in Crystal River

Tours leave at 6 a.m. Sleeping in town turns a 4 a.m. alarm in Tampa or Orlando into a 5:30 one.

Hotels on Booking.comfree cancellation on most stays Hotels on Hotels.comearn One Key rewards Whole homes on Vrbokitchens and docks

Recent reports· from people on site

No recent reports yet — be the first to report conditions.

Pack list

What to bring on a manatee swim

Operators supply the wetsuit, mask, and snorkel. These are the things guests wish they had brought. Search links open Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Waterproof phone pouch with lanyard
No flash allowed, and you will want your hands free.
Shop
Reef-safe mineral sunscreen
Chemical sunscreens are discouraged in the refuge. Apply before the wetsuit.
Shop
Quick-dry towel and a dry change of clothes
January air is 50 to 60°F when you climb out of the water.
Shop
Neoprene hood or beanie
Most heat is lost through the head. Cold mornings are when the manatees are there.
Shop
Underwater action camera
Guides sell photos, but your own footage of a calf rolling past is worth the small camera.
Shop

Common questions

Is there a manatee count for Three Sisters Springs?: Not a published daily one. The refuge posts closures when numbers are high, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission runs periodic aerial surveys of Kings Bay. This page shows the season status and the live visitor reports for Kings Bay.
Can you swim in Three Sisters Springs during manatee season?: Only with a licensed operator, and only when the refuge has not closed the springs for the day. Watercraft are banned from November 15 through March 31. The boardwalk is open daily.
How much is the boardwalk?: Admission is sold at the Three Sisters Springs Center downtown and includes the trolley; adult day passes run about $15 in manatee season and less in summer. Trolleys run every 30 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Other manatee springs

Sources

Full profile: Three Sisters Springs