King's Bay Florida Self-Guided Manatee Tour Preview

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Citrus County Visitors Bureau

Citrus County Visitors Bureau 915 N Suncoast Blvd Crystal River, Florida 34429

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Three Sisters Springs Visitor Center

Located Adjacent to Crystal River City Hall on US 19.Three Sisters Visitor Center

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King's Bay Park

King's Bay Park is a departure point for a number of commercial manatee tours as well as a public kayak launch. The park has a modern restroom, There is a parking fee.

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Hunters Springs Park

Hunters Springs Park is Crystal River's most popular waterfront park. It has modern restrooms, picnic areas, designated swimming area, boardwalk, and kayak launch. There is a parking fee.

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Jurassic Spring

PLAY VIDEOJurassic Spring is one of the springs making up the Hunters Springs run. It is located in a small cove off a dredged access channel. It is a favorite spot with tour companies. During the winter months, manatees can be found in the spring and the adjacent deep water areas.The area can be busy so watch for boat traffic and swimmers. Please don't block access for others and avoid anchoring in the shallow grasses at the edge of the channel.Jurassic Spring maybe subject to periodic closures based on manatee presence and cold weather.

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House Spring

PLAY VIDEOHouse Spring is one of the springs making up the Hunters Springs run. It is located in a small cove off at the end of a dredged access channel. It is a favorite spot with tour companies. During the winter months, manatees can be found in the spring and the adjacent deep water areas.The area can be busy so watch for boat traffic and swimmers. Please don't block access for others and avoid anchoring in the shallow grasses at the edge of the channel.House Spring maybe subject to periodic closures based on manatee presence and cold weather.

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Hunters Springs

PLAY VIDEOHunter Springs is the largest of the springs along the run. The spring is located within a protected swim area, Access to the spring is by swimming only. Please keep any watercraft outside the bouys that designate the swim area.

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Pete's Pier

Pete's Pier is an access point to King's Bay and Crystal River. There is a public boat ramp shared by kayakers and powerboaters. Parking onsite is private. There are fees for both ramp use and parking.Pete's is one of the most visible buildings on the bay and makes for a good navigational reference point.

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Kings Bay Drive Bridge

PLAY VIDEOThe Kings Bay Drive Bridge is the gateway to Kings Bay's most popular destination, the Three Sisters Springs and the largest concentration of manatees on the bay during the colder months.The canals above the bridge form a manmade spring fed system that attracts large numbers of manatees. Many of the canals are designated as no entry zones / manatee sanctuaries.Please Practice Passive Observation and Stay Out of Manatee Sanctuaries. The areas above the bridge often experience the highest volume of vistor use of any area of the bay. Swimmers, paddlers, and boaters all ply the waters and can create chaotic conditions. Please maintain a watch and be observant and considerate of other users.

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Magnolia Springs Manatee Sanctuary

PLAY VIDEOThe Magnolia Spring Sanctuary is one of the most important and heavily used of all the Kings Bay Manatee Sanctuaries. It is a relatively large area of deeper waters away from the boat traffic patterns. Manatees moving out of Three Sisters often follow the shoreline and enter the Magnolia Sanctuary from the south.Please don't crowd the sanctuaries and keep far enough away so that you don't get blown in by a sudden gust of wind. Boat traffic can be hectic in the area. Watch out for other users especially swimmers and paddlers.Please Practice Passive Observation and Stay Out of Manatee Sanctuaries

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Three Sisters Springs Manatee Sanctuaries

PLAY VIDEOThis area is without a doubt the most visited location in Crystal River. It is one of the few places that has maintained its water clarity over time making it the premier location for manatee viewing.There are a number of sanctuary areas here including Three Sisters (partial) and Idiot's Delight #1 and #2.The areas around Three Sisters can be the most congested areas of King's Bay. Please maintain a lookout for manatees, swimmers, paddlers, and other boaters.Please Practice Passive Observation and Stay Out of Manatee Sanctuaries

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Three Sisters Spring Land Access

The land portion of Three Sisters Spring is managed as part of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge with the city of Crystal River and USFWS both providing management support.There is no access to or from the water. The city runs a trolley service from downtown Crystal River or you may walk in. There is a fee structure. For more information go to Three Sisers Visitor Info

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Warden Key Sanctuary

The Warden Key Sanctuary is a feeding area. Water clarity is average so keep a close lookout when boating in this area.The best place to look for manatees is on the southeast side of the island.

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Banana Island Sanctuary

PLAY VIDEOThe Banana Island Sanctuary is the largest of the manatee sanctuaries. King's Spring (Tarpon) and Mullet's Gullet are the two largest springheads within the sanctuary. The area collectively is sometimes called the main spring.The deepest area on King's Bay is King's Spring with depths in excess of 80'. The immediate area of this spring is excluded from the sanctuary in an area known as the keyhole. This area allows for swimmers/divers to access the deeper waters and provides manatees shelter on the shallower edges. It is a designated swim area meaning that no boats (including kayaks and paddle boards) are allowed in the keyhole.