Three Sisters Springs was the final stop during our Florida Springs tour. Technically we visited Hunter Springs as well, but we did not spend time there. We launched our boards from Hunter Springs park to paddle to Three Sisters.
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Three Sisters Springs is located in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. It is primarily accessed by water. Visitors paddle into the springs or swim into the springs.
We wanted to swim in the water so we decided to paddle from Hunter’s Springs. We had two of our own paddle boards and needed to rent a kayak. We rented from Hunter Springs Kayaks. Their office is located a few blocks from the Hunter Springs launch. You can park on the on the streets around Hunter Springs or there is a small parking lot one can pay to park in.
The parking lot was full when we visited so we had to park on the street. Hunter Springs Kayaks had the rental ready at the launch area for us when we arrived.
We did not think about checking the marine forecast before renting the kayak. It was quite windy and later we found out there was a small craft advisory. It was not going to be a leisure paddle for us, but we were determined to make it to the springs.
We paddled by the swimming area at Hunter Springs, through the canal and made it to Pete’s Pier. At this point we had to reassess the situation. The wind was strong and the waves were picking up. Paddlers who were not experienced were unable to paddle through the wind and waves. We saw a few individuals get towed by a jet ski to calmer waters. We also knew it was going to be more challenging for us because two of us were on paddle boards and not kayaks.
After a quick stop at Pete’s Pier we decided to continue on. Paddling around the corner of Pete’s Pier was rough. If we stopped paddling at any point the wind would push us back. Very slowly we paddled by the marina and made it to the bridge we had to paddle under to make it to Three Sisters. Once under the bridge the water was much calmer. We had about a five minute paddle through a residential area and then we reached the entrance to the springs. We did capture video footage of rough paddle so check out our video at the end of this post.
There were many kayakers and snorkelers enjoying the springs. We paddled around and found a place to keep our boards for a bit. There are rules for where you can park boards and kayaks – to not impact the vegetation. Hunter Springs Kayaks will show a video to educate new visitors when renting from them.
We enjoyed swimming around and snorkeling. Three Sisters Springs is a refuge for the manatees in the winter. We visited in April and were too late for the manatees but still enjoyed our time at the springs. During the winter paddlers are not allowed in the springs. In the winter visitors can swim into the springs and snorkel in designated areas or view the springs from the boardwalk.
For land viewing visitors can enter through the Three Sisters Springs Center or on the Three Sisters Springs Trail. One can walk, bike or ride a trolley to visit the boardwalk at Three Sisters Springs. Information about the entrance fee and the trolley is located on the Three Sisters Springs website. When accessing the springs by land there is no water access. Visitors can observe the springs from above, but can not access the water. It is recommended to check out the site above before planning a trip. This site identifies how the springs can be accessed any time of the year.
After relaxing at Three Sisters Springs we started our paddle back to Hunter Springs. The wind was still fierce, but this time it worked to our advantage, we were pushed most of the way back to Hunter Springs. Thank goodness the wind didn’t shift because I used all my energy paddling to the springs. After the boards were strapped to the top of our vehicle we decided we deserved to go eat at a buffet. That is exactly what we did to end our Florida natural springs tour.
For video footage of our time at Three Sisters Springs check out the video below on our YouTube Channel Explorcation:
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Thanks to Linda for accompanying us on our Florida natural springs tour and for helping us document our time at the springs.
If you are planning a trip to any Florida natural spring Florida Spring Life is a great resource for maps, pictures, videos and blog experiences.