Three Sisters Springs

The Crystal River is just seven miles long. And though it might not seem like much, there is real magic in those seven miles. As the river winds its way to the Gulf of Mexico, its warm waters are fed by the 80 natural springs in King’s Bay—sparkling pools created by groundwater and gravity. One of those springs the jewel of Crystal River, is Three Sisters Springs which is fed by 20 natural vents. In winter, hundreds of migrating manatees call this home. Due to conservation and preservation efforts, Three Sisters Springs is open year-round for a variety of ways to experience these gentle giants. One option is to walk the boardwalk built over the springs for spectacular views of the visiting manatees. During Manatee Season (November 15 - March 31), Three Sisters Springs is closed off to water access for kayakers, when it becomes an undisturbed safe haven for hundreds of manatees seeking warmer water. However, the second option occurs in the off season when, typically, paddle craft and snorkelers are allowed into the springs when the number of manatees is mild compared to the colder times of the year. Also, just outside the springs, kayaking and snorkeling are permitted year-round, and you can swim in the company of manatees in their natural habitant as part of a guided eco tour. Crystal River is home to around 75 manatees year-round, with the population swelling to over a thousand in winter.

Three Sisters Springs is a manatee sanctuary, but that wasn’t always the case. At one point the 60-acre plot of land, which is now part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, was zoned for development for as many as 400 houses. But through an agreement with local conservationists and government, in 2011 the land was protected as a haven for both manatees and nature-lovers. The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge is the only site in the nation dedicated to the preservation and protection of a single species. 

The manatees are drawn to the springs each winter as the temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic dip below the comfort level (68 degrees Fahrenheit) for the state’s official marine mammal. The warm springs around the river hover at around 72 degrees, bringing the chill-averse manatees to their winter vacation spot. From November until March, hundreds of them flock to Three Sisters Springs.

This cozy spring–part of a 57-acre refuge–is surrounded by majestic trees rising from its banks, curious manatees often approach kayakers and swimmers. “Manatee-initiated encounters, where manatees approach and interact with people in the water, are common here,” Joyce Palmer, manager of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Complex told Garden & Gun magazine. They can also be viewed from the boardwalk, which offers views of the spring and surrounding wetlands, as well as some of the refuge’s 100-plus species of native and migratory birds. 

Swimming with the manatees is one of those things that just has to be done to really describe, but you’ll come away changed and with a deeper love for the animals and the natural world. “It promotes awareness of manatees and their habitats,” Palmer said. “People who swim with manatees are more likely to support manatee and springs conservation.”