Hiking Trails at Crystal River Preserve State Park

Crystal River Preserve State Park is a great park to visit if you enjoy hiking! This is a park you will want to do your research before your visit, because the various trailheads and activities in the preserve are spread out. Lucky for you, I’ve already one some of that research! Keep reading for everything you need to know to help plan your visit.

Palm trees, trail, and burnt areas from a prescribed fire.

The Basics – Crystal River Preserve

Address: 3266 N. Sailboat Ave. Crystal River, FL 34428
Driving distance from select Florida cities:
- Tampa: 1.5 hours
- Orlando: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Jacksonville: 2.5 hours
- Tallahassee: 3 hours
- Miami: 5 hours
Hours: 8 AM to sundown
Entrance Fee: Free
Activities: Bicycling, fishing, hiking, paddling, boat tours
Pet friendly: Yes

Crystal River Preserve State Park entrance sign.

Tips for Hiking at Crystal River Preserve

1. Wear proper footwear

Many of the trails may have flooding or muddy areas, especially if there has been recent rain.

2. No restrooms at trailheads

The only restrooms at the preserve are at the visitor center at 3266 N. Sailboat Ave. Crystal River, FL 34428.

3. Bring bug spray

I visited in December and did not find the trail extremely buggy, however many AllTrails reviews mention the bugs even during the winter months.

4. Be aware of wildlife

This is a rural preserve, and you may encounter various wildlife. Many of the trails have evidence of wild hog activity, although we did not see any during our most recent visit.

5. Download the park map before you go

This 27,500-acre state park is quite large and spread out. You will want to download the park map before you visit and have a plan on which areas of the preserve you want to visit.

6. Use AllTrails to find the trailhead

I recommend using the location on the AllTrails app to help you find the trailhead you would like to hike. We hiked multiple trails and did not have any issues finding the trailheads using the directions from AllTrails. Some of the parking areas will be more obvious such as Churchhouse Hammock Trail and others will be a small sign down a dirt road like Crystal Cove Trail.

Crystal River Preserve State Park Churchhouse Hammock Trail sign.

Crystal River Preserve State Park Hiking Trails

There are 6 hiking trails totaling over 15 miles which are accessible in the preserve listed below. Many of the trails are nearby and multiple trails can be hiked during one visit. A short drive will be required between trailheads to access each parking lot.

Eco-Walk Loop
Seven-Mile Loop Trail
Crystal Cove Trail
Churchhouse Hammock Trail
Redfish Hole Trail
Dixie Shorts Lake Loop Trail

Crystal River Preserve and Archeological State Parks map.

Eco-Walk Loop

This trail includes 11 discovery zones to increase your knowledge of outdoor skills.

Distance: 2.2 miles
Type: Loop
Difficulty: Easy

Seven-Mile Loop Trail

This is the longest hiking trail in the preserve.

Distance: 7.2 miles
Type: Loop
Difficulty: Moderate

Crystal Cove Trail

Parts of this loop get very narrow making it a fun walk along the canal. Fishing is permitted along this trail. The trail was dry in early December when we visited.

Distance: 1.7 miles
Type: Loop
Difficulty: Easy

Churchhouse Hammock Trail

A unique feature of this trail is the limestone bedrock where the springs begin. When we visited in early December there was a recent prescribed burn at this trailhead and sections were very muddy.

Distance: 1.4 miles
Type: Loop
Difficulty: Easy

Churchhouse Hammock Trail after a recent prescribed fire.

Redfish Hole Trail

This trail leads you to a man-made lake where fishing is permitted.

Distance: 1.7 miles
Type: Out & back
Difficulty: Easy

Dixie Shores Lake Loop Trail

This trail winds around 3 lakes where fishing is permitted. I could not find a trail map on AllTrails for this hike, but the Florida State Park website has this trail listed.

Distance: 1.7 miles
Type: Loop
Difficulty: Easy

Other Activities at Crystal River Preserve State Park

Hiking is one of the best ways to experience the preserve, but there are other activities that can be enjoyed including boat tours, fishing, and paddling.

Boat Tours

There is an Eco Heritage Boat Tour provided by Crystal River Preserve Adventure on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. Tours are about 1.5 hours and offered at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM. An extra fee is required, and reservations must be made in advance online.

Fishing

Fishing can be found at 3 of hiking trails as noted above. Other areas within the preserve for fishing include the Mullet Hole fishing area and Redfish Hole. A fishing license may be required, be sure to check all regulations with Florida Wildlife Commission’s.

River running along the Crystal Cove Trail.

Paddling

There are two canoe/kayak launches within the preserve. The first is located at Mullet Hole and enters the Indian River Canal which leads to Crystal River. The second launch is near the park office at the boat basin which launches directly into Crystal River leading into the Gulf of Mexico.

Kayak rentals and guided kayak tours are offered by Crystal River Preserve Adventures. Tandem kayak rentals are available daily, except Tuesdays. Rentals are for 2 hours and launch hours are from 9 AM to 3 PM. Additional time can be purchased if desired.

Guided kayak tours are two hours and offered on weekends only at 9 AM and 1 PM. Book this tour if you want to learn more about the history of Crystal River and have a guide available to point out various wildlife you may see!

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed my first visit to the preserve where we completed the Crystal Cove and Churchhouse Hammock hiking trails. Next time I go I want to visit on a weekday so I can enjoy the boat tour.

We also visited Crystal River Archaeological State Park before heading out on the hiking trails at the preserve. I highly recommend checking it out! Have you visited Crystal River Preserve State Park? If so, comment below which hiking trail is your favorite!

Looking for other Florida State Parks to Visit?

While you are in this area, I highly recommend visiting Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park which is only 20 minutes away.

Other great parks to visit if you enjoy hiking include Hillsborough River State Park or Myakka River State Park.

The information above was accurate at the time of publishing to the best of the author’s knowledge. Information will be verified and updated periodically. If you are planning to visit, I recommend verifying the most current information with the Florida State Park website.