Bluebird Springs Park is a small but scenic county-owned property, with easy access to Neotropical songbirds in spring and fall and a suite of common species all year. The park is worth a quick stop if you're in the area (although best during migration). The spring itself is surrounded by wet, broadleaf forest. A paved, wheelchair-friendly trail winds through an open grassy area around two sides of the spring.
The Chassahowitzka River Trail is another outstanding birding and wildlife viewing opportunity for paddlers. Start at the Chassahowitzka River Campground and bird the hydric hammock around the parking area for songbirds in migration. Vultures roost in the trees across from the boat landing. Next, launch your canoe or kayak and head west towards the refuge. On the way to the Gulf, you will wind through hydric hammock, salt marsh and mudflats and barrier islands.
The Citrus Tract/Citrus WMA is a designated Important Bird Area that showcases another part of the vast Withlacoochee State Forest's great wildlife viewing opportunities. This site is also one of the best locales in Florida to see Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (RCWs). High-quality sandhills shelter several additional target species including Bachman's Sparrow, Red-headed Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Osceola Wild Turkey and Northern Bobwhite. Hardwood hammocks and scrub habitats are also present.
The Crystal Cove area of this state park has several options. The 1.7-mile Crystal Cove Trail starts at the day use fishing area (locally known as the "Mullet Hole") and follows a limerock path around a freshwater pond, through scrubby areas and mixed pines/hardwoods down to a salt marsh and canal which connects to the Crystal River. For an even wilder experience, take the 7-mile hike/bike trail loop which begins at the end of W. State Park St.
While primarily an archeological site and National Historical Landmark, this small state park has nice facilities and easy, paved trails that are fun to bird. Wander the trails through the hardwoods and palms, which attract songbirds in migration.
The Kings Bay Trail offers a pleasant, cool-weather paddle at the headwaters of the Crystal River. Kings Bay hosts flocks of wintering Lesser Scaup, American Coots and American White Pelicans. Wading birds and waterbirds like Yellow-crowned Night-Herons and Anhingas, plus gulls and Bald Eagles are frequently spotted. This area is also well known for its large wintering population of West Indian Manatees.
Enhance your outdoor skills on the Eco-Walk Trail, part of the scenic 27,295-acre Crystal River Preserve State Park. Numerous benches and 11 interpretive "discovery" stations along the trail make this a great educational spot and a fun destination for family birding jaunts. This pleasant 2.1-mile foot trail loops through wet prairie, hardwood hammock, pines and freshwater swamp and offers up a surprising diversity of birds.
Great for birders and non-birders alike, this renowned state park provides outstanding opportunities to see wildlife. From the parking area by the visitor center (A) on US 19/US 98, you may walk the 1.1-mile Pepper Creek Trail for free. This trail is a paved, wheelchair-accessible tram road which leads westward through hardwood hammock and wetlands.
Located in the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes, the Flying Eagle Preserve is a mosaic of small lakes, marshes and swamps with scattered islands of forested uplands. Visitors have 16 miles of marked, multi-use trails and roads to wander (13 miles can be biked). This site offers a variety of camping options: group, primitive, backcountry and equestrian.Check with FWC for hunting dates, regulations, and more information.
Named for a Second Seminole War fort built alongside tranquil Lake Holathlikaha, this state park protects a number of natural communities including sandhills, flatwoods, mixed forest, xeric hammocks and freshwater marshes. Non-birders can enjoy the site's history, while wildlife watchers can search for a multitude of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The park contains three hiking trails (6 miles total) with relatively easy walking.
Park amenities include a boat ramp and a 465-foot combination fishing pier/boardwalk (wheelchair accessible) complete with a picnic shelter, shaded deck and benches. The pier provides great views of Crystal Bay. Another wheelchair-accessible boardwalk leads south from the pier through a picturesque hardwood hammock down to the beach.
Two stops and multiple trails managed by Crystal River Preserve State Park are accessible from CR 44/Fort Island Trail and W. Dixie Shores Dr. Each offers a hike through brief upland forest habitats, then out to tidal marshes.
Fort Island Trail Park is worth a quick stop on your drive west down Fort Island Trail (CR 44) to bird and use the facilities. This site is a launch point for the Nature Coast Canoe and Kayak Trail, so bring your own boat if you want to paddle the scenic waters of the Crystal River.
Covering parts of four counties, the 157,479-acre Withlacoochee State Forest is Florida's third largest state forest. The Rooks Trail is a 2.7-mile loop (round trip) which runs past several ponds and through improved pasture, hardwood swamp and a sandhill forest. This trail is excellent for a casual hike, and is well-marked and well-maintained.
Park your car at the Inglis Dam Recreation Area and boat ramp for access to the foot trails, plus Lake Rousseau, the Withlacoochee River and the Cross Florida Barge Canal. At the dam, scope the reservoir for wintering waterbirds. Cross the dam and walk north to the 1,200-acre Inglis Island, where nearly 4 miles of multi-use, unpaved loop trails lead through successional habitats including pine flatwoods, mixed hardwood hammocks and cypress swamp. A 2-mile, multi-use paved trail leads from the dam to Mullet Point, the island's northwest corner. Boat ramps above and below the dam allow for waterbird observation on both the river and the lake.
If you're in Sumter County, stop by and check the shoreline of this small county park for Limpkin, Snowy Egret, Belted Kingfisher, Wood Duck and other waterbirds. A boat launch allows access to a tributary of Lake Panasoffkee, and the adjacent hardwood hammock makes birding the edges of the property worthwhile in migration.
The Mason Creek Trail leads boaters into the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, which is accessible by canoe, kayak or motorboat. Mason Creek winds westward through salt marsh and past mudflats and hardwood hammocks for 5 miles out to the Gulf of America. Fall through spring is best for wildlife viewing, for comfort as well as for spotting Royal Terns and Bald Eagles. Be forewarned, however, that the creek can be extremely shallow during the winter.
This paddling trail winds for 20 miles through salt marsh from Fort Island Trail Park south to Mason Creek and beyond to the Chassahowitzka River Campground in Homosassa. The trail passes through the St. Martins Marsh Aquatic Preserve and the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge.
Potts Preserve is another Southwest Florida Water Management District property that protects the water resources of the Withlacoochee River, the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes and the Floridan Aquifer. This wilderness tract offers 30 miles of trails, plus oak hammocks, river frontage, marshes, pine flatwoods and improved pasture. Accordingly, the diversity of birdlife is tremendous, and the River Trail is particularly good.
Sandhills, scrub, hardwood hammocks and open, wet prairie comprise the Two-Mile Prairie Tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest, an Important Bird Area. The 2.8-mile, multi-use, Johnson Pond Trail will take you past its namesake pond, where an observation deck provides views of Anhinga, Green Heron, Little Blue Heron, Wood Duck and Blue-winged Teal.
The relatively undeveloped Upper Withlacoochee River is cold and swift, and it provides a great wildlife viewing experience for boaters. Withlacoochee is a Native American word meaning "crooked river" and it certainly lives up to its name! As you drift through the cypress-laden floodplain, keep your eyes and ears open.
One of two GFBWT locations on the 90,000-acre, 110-mile Cross Florida Greenway, this site offers a multitude of exploration options for visitors of all mobility levels. West of the US 19 bridge is the Withlacoochee Bay Trail (WBT), a 5-mile, paved multi-use trail that follows the south shore of the Cross Florida Barge Canal, then leads through maritime hammock and salt marsh, finally ending at an observation deck on the Gulf of America.
This Town of Yankeetown property opened to the public in 2009, and it features salt marsh, pine flatwoods and mixed hammocks of hardwoods, cedars and palms, plus tidal ponds and creeks. Visitors have 3.5 miles of well-marked hiking trails and 4.5 miles of biking opportunities. The 3-story, on-site Ellie Schiller Education Center has educational programs, museum exhibits and a butterfly garden.
Bluebird Springs Park is a small but scenic county-owned property, with easy access to Neotropical songbirds in spring and fall and a suite of common species all year. The park is worth a quick stop if you’re in the area (although best during migration). The spring itself is surrounded by wet, broadleaf forest. A paved, wheelchair-friendly trail winds through an open grassy area around two sides of the spring.
The Chassahowitzka River Trail is another outstanding birding and wildlife viewing opportunity for paddlers. Start at the Chassahowitzka River Campground and bird the hydric hammock around the parking area for songbirds in migration. Vultures roost in the trees across from the boat landing. Next, launch your canoe or kayak and head west towards the refuge. On the way to the Gulf, you will wind through hydric hammock, salt marsh and mudflats and barrier islands.
The Citrus Tract/Citrus WMA is a designated Important Bird Area that showcases another part of the vast Withlacoochee State Forest’s great wildlife viewing opportunities. This site is also one of the best locales in Florida to see Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (RCWs). High-quality sandhills shelter several additional target species including Bachman’s Sparrow, Red-headed Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Osceola Wild Turkey and Northern Bobwhite. Hardwood hammocks and scrub habitats are also present.
The Crystal Cove area of this state park has several options. The 1.7-mile Crystal Cove Trail starts at the day use fishing area (locally known as the “Mullet Hole”) and follows a limerock path around a freshwater pond, through scrubby areas and mixed pines/hardwoods down to a salt marsh and canal which connects to the Crystal River. For an even wilder experience, take the 7-mile hike/bike trail loop which begins at the end of W. State Park St.
While primarily an archeological site and National Historical Landmark, this small state park has nice facilities and easy, paved trails that are fun to bird. Wander the trails through the hardwoods and palms, which attract songbirds in migration.
The Kings Bay Trail offers a pleasant, cool-weather paddle at the headwaters of the Crystal River. Kings Bay hosts flocks of wintering Lesser Scaup, American Coots and American White Pelicans. Wading birds and waterbirds like Yellow-crowned Night-Herons and Anhingas, plus gulls and Bald Eagles are frequently spotted. This area is also well known for its large wintering population of West Indian Manatees.
Enhance your outdoor skills on the Eco-Walk Trail, part of the scenic 27,295-acre Crystal River Preserve State Park. Numerous benches and 11 interpretive “discovery” stations along the trail make this a great educational spot and a fun destination for family birding jaunts. This pleasant 2.1-mile foot trail loops through wet prairie, hardwood hammock, pines and freshwater swamp and offers up a surprising diversity of birds.
Great for birders and non-birders alike, this renowned state park provides outstanding opportunities to see wildlife. From the parking area by the visitor center (A) on US 19/US 98, you may walk the 1.1-mile Pepper Creek Trail for free. This trail is a paved, wheelchair-accessible tram road which leads westward through hardwood hammock and wetlands.
Located in the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes, the Flying Eagle Preserve is a mosaic of small lakes, marshes and swamps with scattered islands of forested uplands. Visitors have 16 miles of marked, multi-use trails and roads to wander (13 miles can be biked). This site offers a variety of camping options: group, primitive, backcountry and equestrian.Check with FWC for hunting dates, regulations, and more information.
Named for a Second Seminole War fort built alongside tranquil Lake Holathlikaha, this state park protects a number of natural communities including sandhills, flatwoods, mixed forest, xeric hammocks and freshwater marshes. Non-birders can enjoy the site’s history, while wildlife watchers can search for a multitude of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The park contains three hiking trails (6 miles total) with relatively easy walking.
Park amenities include a boat ramp and a 465-foot combination fishing pier/boardwalk (wheelchair accessible) complete with a picnic shelter, shaded deck and benches. The pier provides great views of Crystal Bay. Another wheelchair-accessible boardwalk leads south from the pier through a picturesque hardwood hammock down to the beach.
Two stops and multiple trails managed by Crystal River Preserve State Park are accessible from CR 44/Fort Island Trail and W. Dixie Shores Dr. Each offers a hike through brief upland forest habitats, then out to tidal marshes.
Fort Island Trail Park is worth a quick stop on your drive west down Fort Island Trail (CR 44) to bird and use the facilities. This site is a launch point for the Nature Coast Canoe and Kayak Trail, so bring your own boat if you want to paddle the scenic waters of the Crystal River.
Covering parts of four counties, the 157,479-acre Withlacoochee State Forest is Florida’s third largest state forest. The Rooks Trail is a 2.7-mile loop (round trip) which runs past several ponds and through improved pasture, hardwood swamp and a sandhill forest. This trail is excellent for a casual hike, and is well-marked and well-maintained.
Park your car at the Inglis Dam Recreation Area and boat ramp for access to the foot trails, plus Lake Rousseau, the Withlacoochee River and the Cross Florida Barge Canal. At the dam, scope the reservoir for wintering waterbirds. Cross the dam and walk north to the 1,200-acre Inglis Island, where nearly 4 miles of multi-use, unpaved loop trails lead through successional habitats including pine flatwoods, mixed hardwood hammocks and cypress swamp. A 2-mile, multi-use paved trail leads from the dam to Mullet Point, the island’s northwest corner. Boat ramps above and below the dam allow for waterbird observation on both the river and the lake.
If you’re in Sumter County, stop by and check the shoreline of this small county park for Limpkin, Snowy Egret, Belted Kingfisher, Wood Duck and other waterbirds. A boat launch allows access to a tributary of Lake Panasoffkee, and the adjacent hardwood hammock makes birding the edges of the property worthwhile in migration.
The Mason Creek Trail leads boaters into the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, which is accessible by canoe, kayak or motorboat. Mason Creek winds westward through salt marsh and past mudflats and hardwood hammocks for 5 miles out to the Gulf of America. Fall through spring is best for wildlife viewing, for comfort as well as for spotting Royal Terns and Bald Eagles. Be forewarned, however, that the creek can be extremely shallow during the winter.
This paddling trail winds for 20 miles through salt marsh from Fort Island Trail Park south to Mason Creek and beyond to the Chassahowitzka River Campground in Homosassa. The trail passes through the St. Martins Marsh Aquatic Preserve and the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge.
Potts Preserve is another Southwest Florida Water Management District property that protects the water resources of the Withlacoochee River, the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes and the Floridan Aquifer. This wilderness tract offers 30 miles of trails, plus oak hammocks, river frontage, marshes, pine flatwoods and improved pasture. Accordingly, the diversity of birdlife is tremendous, and the River Trail is particularly good.
Sandhills, scrub, hardwood hammocks and open, wet prairie comprise the Two-Mile Prairie Tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest, an Important Bird Area. The 2.8-mile, multi-use, Johnson Pond Trail will take you past its namesake pond, where an observation deck provides views of Anhinga, Green Heron, Little Blue Heron, Wood Duck and Blue-winged Teal.
The relatively undeveloped Upper Withlacoochee River is cold and swift, and it provides a great wildlife viewing experience for boaters. Withlacoochee is a Native American word meaning “crooked river” and it certainly lives up to its name! As you drift through the cypress-laden floodplain, keep your eyes and ears open.
One of two GFBWT locations on the 90,000-acre, 110-mile Cross Florida Greenway, this site offers a multitude of exploration options for visitors of all mobility levels. West of the US 19 bridge is the Withlacoochee Bay Trail (WBT), a 5-mile, paved multi-use trail that follows the south shore of the Cross Florida Barge Canal, then leads through maritime hammock and salt marsh, finally ending at an observation deck on the Gulf of America.
This Town of Yankeetown property opened to the public in 2009, and it features salt marsh, pine flatwoods and mixed hammocks of hardwoods, cedars and palms, plus tidal ponds and creeks. Visitors have 3.5 miles of well-marked hiking trails and 4.5 miles of biking opportunities. The 3-story, on-site Ellie Schiller Education Center has educational programs, museum exhibits and a butterfly garden.
The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail is a network of more than 500 premier wildlife viewing sites across the state. When you want to know where to go in Florida to see native birds, butterflies and more, head for the Trail.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Russell Office Park
1875 Orange Ave. East
Tallahassee, FL 32311