Crystal River Preserve State Park, State park in Crystal River, Florida.

Crystal River Preserve State Park is a protected natural area in Florida featuring salt marshes, wetlands, hardwood forests, and mangrove islands along the Crystal River estuary. The property contains a mix of freshwater and saltwater habitats that support different plant and animal communities.

The area was home to Native American peoples for centuries who relied on the abundant resources from freshwater springs and the Gulf of Mexico. Their presence shaped how this coastal region developed over time.

Crystal River takes its name from the spring-fed water that stays clear enough to see manatees wintering there, three miles southeast of the main entrance. The park also holds the Crystal River Archaeological State Park within its boundary, where mounds built by Native peoples remain. Hiking, biking, birding, kayaking and fishing are the activities the preserve is used for today.

The main entrance is on North Sailboat Avenue, while Crystal River itself lies 3 miles southeast of it. A 7-mile trail serves hikers and cyclists, and kayaking, fishing and birding are the other main activities. The preserve follows 20 miles of Gulf coastline from Crystal River through Ozello to Homosassa.

This location serves as a transition zone where freshwater rivers fed by natural springs meet the saltwater of the Gulf, creating specialized habitats for species adapted to both environments. The meeting of these two water sources supports animal and plant life rarely found elsewhere in the region.