Picture this: manatees drifting through clear blue waters, just feet away from where you’re standing. That’s the magic of Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River, Florida. Whether you’re here to learn about these gentle giants or simply enjoy the outdoors, this guide has everything you need to plan your visit.
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Table of Contents
- Quick Intro to Three Sisters Springs
- Where Is Three Sisters Springs Located?
- Wildlife at Three Sisters Springs
- When Is Three Sisters Springs Open?
- Do you need reservations?
- Is Three Sisters Springs Accessible?
- Are Dogs Allowed?
- Can I Swim or Fish at Three Sisters Springs?
- Three Sisters Springs – Land Access vs. Water Access
- The Springs at Three Sisters Springs
- Visitor Center and Nature Store
- Hiking at Three Sisters Springs
- Paddling at Three Sisters Springs
- My Experience Visiting Three Sisters Springs During Manatee Season
- Learn More
Quick Intro to Three Sisters Springs
Three Sisters Springs is part of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge and is a renowned spot for viewing manatees in its crystal-clear waters. Famous for its three shallow sister springs—Pretty Sister, Big Sister, and Little Sister—it is a vital sanctuary where manatees gather to warm up during the winter. The springs are a breathtaking sight, often captured in aerial photos showing hundreds of manatees seeking shelter from the cold waters of the Crystal River and the Gulf of Mexico. Visitors can observe these chubby mermaids up close from the boardwalk or while paddling nearby.
Where Is Three Sisters Springs Located?
At Three Sisters Springs, you might find yourself watching manatees while also catching a glimpse of someone’s backyard. It’s a little jarring at first, but it’s also a unique reminder of how nature and community are closely connected in this area.
Location: 917 Three Sisters Springs Trail, Crystal River, FL
- About a 90-minute drive northwest of Orlando
- Around 2.5 hours from Daytona Beach
Wildlife at Three Sisters Springs
The really big draw here at Three Sisters are the manatees. However, many other wild animals call Three Sisters home, even if it’s just a place to migrate to or hang out for the day. You’ll mainly see marine life and a variety of birds.
Manatees
You will see the most manatees during the winter months when they seek out warm water, but there will also be some throughout the year. Manatees are curious and gentle mammals. If you encounter one, please keep your distance. We want them to stay wild, and if they get used to humans, it could become dangerous for them in the future.
If you are interested in swimming near manatees, check out my guide! Crystal River is the only place you can legally swim with them. And my experience was right here, just outside of Three Sisters.
Alligators
Even though Three Sisters is connected to brackish water, alligators can be found here. Alligators can live in fresh and brackish water.
Alligators are both a pro and a con—they are exciting to see but also a bit nerve-wracking when you stumble upon them.
Never feed or harass gators. If you want to be extra cautious, avoid paddling or other water activities during mating season between April and July.
There were some hanging out on logs when we went paddling, but you know what? I never saw them! My fellow paddlers did. So, I guess I only see what I want to see.
Snakes
Yes, snakes. Florida is home to so many different types. Remember that Three Sisters is a natural place with natural living things. It is their home and we are merely visitors.
When Is Three Sisters Springs Open?
You can visit Three Sisters Springs anytime between 8:40 am to 4:30 pm, 365 days a year. The entry fee is a little bit complicated with different prices for summer and winter.
You should always check the website or call (352) 586-1170 before going to make sure everything you want to explore is open, especially if you are traveling a bit to get there.
Do you need reservations?
No, at this time there is no reservation system.
Is Three Sisters Springs Accessible?
Three Sisters Springs has accessible areas and amenities:
- The boardwalk
- Restrooms
- The shuttle bus
Are Dogs Allowed?
No, dogs are not allowed at Three Sisters Springs. Service animals are exempt.
Can I Swim or Fish at Three Sisters Springs?
Swimming is allowed at Three Sisters Springs, but there are few rules:
- You cannot access the water from land. You must arrive from the water by paddling or boating in.
- The spring is closed to swimmers during manatee season, which is November 15th to March 31st, and at the discretion of Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
Fishing is prohibited.
According to the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge (they oversee Three Sisters Springs and other springs in the refuge), “There is no fishing allowed in refuge waters (less than 5 percent of all waters in King Bay), including the interior springs of Three Sisters Springs, the King Spring/Tarpon Hole area, and Warden Key’s surrounding waters.”
Three Sisters Springs – Land Access vs. Water Access
There’s a lot of confusion about visiting Three Sisters Springs. So, I’m going to list the activities that you can do on land and the ones you can do on water. You might be wondering why I’m going into so much detail, but you can’t access the water from land and you can access the land from water. And, the visitor center is actually in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center that’s just a short drive or shuttle ride from Three Sisters Springs.
A lot of people complain about not being able to access the water from inside the park. There was a time when visitors could do just that, back before the boardwalk. So why the change? The simple answer is to prevent erosion. When you have hundreds of people coming in and trampling the shoreline, it damages it. So the restriction was put in to protect the spring.
Activities on land:
- Guided walking tours during manatee season
- Explore the springs via boardwalk with overlooks
- Nature trails
- Birding
- Visit the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Activities on the water:
- Swimming and paddling into the springs inside Three Sisters Springs:
- Only allowed between April 1st and November 14th or at the discretion of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
- During manatee season:
- Swimming and snorkeling outside of Three Sisters Springs
- Closed areas will be roped off and have buoys noting the closure
The Springs at Three Sisters Springs
As the name suggests, there are three springs at Three Sisters Springs: Pretty Sister, Big Sister, and Little Sister. All three of these springs can only be seen via the boardwalk or by paddling or swimming in from outside of the park.
There are three other springs just outside of Three Sisters Springs and they can also be seen from inside the park via the boardwalk or one of the trails (Magnolia Springs Loop): Idiots Delight I, Idiots Delight II, and Magnolia Springs.
If you’re wondering about the names, Idiots Delight, that name comes from people thinking that they are seeing the Three Sisters Springs, but in reality they are further in and completely surrounded by land.
Magnolia Springs, often referred to as Gator Hole or Manatee Sanctuary Spring, is really deep, so you don’t get that clear water like you do with the other springs near Three Sisters.
Visitor Center and Nature Store
Another confusing bit is the visitor center at Three Sisters Springs. The visitor center for Three Sisters Springs, located next to a shopping plaza, is where you’ll park, get your tickets, and board the shuttle to the park entrance just behind the plaza. It should be called the ticketing building because that’s all it really is. You go in, get your tickets and maybe hit the restrooms before boarding the shuttle. This might seem a little weird, but the real visitor center is actually the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Complex Headquarters. It’s only a short drive from Three Sisters Springs and the shuttle will take you there.
It is worth taking the time to visit. It’s included in your admission fee and is quite spectacular. You can tell that they put a lot of time and money into making it a place to learn about Three Sisters Springs and all the surrounding Crystal River area and what makes it so special. There are interactive displays – who doesn’t love a hands-on learning experience?
Inside the complex is a really cute nature store. The way it’s set up, it’s possible to bypass it pretty easily if you are on a tight budget and don’t want to spend.
Make sure you exit the building and head towards the water! The building sits right on Kings Bay and has a gorgeous view. You can launch your kayak, canoe, and paddleboards here. If you didn’t bring them with you, no worries, just enjoy walking the area and taking in the views.
Check out this video for a quick tour!
Hiking at Three Sisters Springs
There are quite a few hiking opportunities at Three Sisters Springs. They are all fairly short, but in some cases you have to complete a trail to get to the next. They are all interconnected in one way or another.
None of them are challenging and I encourage folks to explore beyond the boardwalk if you are physically able to.
Trails:
| Trail Name | Length |
|---|---|
| Magnolia Springs Loop | 0.5-mile loop |
| Beyond the Boardwalk Trail | 0.4 miles |
| Red Cedar Trail | 0.3 miles |
| Walk the Wetlands Trail | 0.5 miles |
| Boardwalk | 0.3 miles |
Paddling at Three Sisters Springs
A lot of people paddle at Three Sisters Springs. Outside of manatee season, you can paddle the spring run to the Three Sisters: Pretty Sister, Big Sister, and Little Sister. During manatee season (November 15th to March 31st), paddling is not allowed inside the springs. Paddlers can go into the water outside of Idiots Delight I and II.
Visitors must paddle to the area. Those with their own paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes can launch from public launches: Hunter Springs Park and King’s Bay Park. Neither park has rentals and there is a fee to launch.
If you are looking to rent paddlecraft, there are a number of rental companies near Three Sisters Springs. I’ve listed a few picked at random here, but the full list is here for your research:
- Plantation Adventure Center & Diver Shop (1.6 mile one-way paddle to Three Sisters)
- Paddle Outdoor Rentals (25 to 40 minutes paddle from launch to Three Sisters)
- Kacey’s Custom Adventures (less than 1 mile one-way paddle to Three Sisters)
My Experience Visiting Three Sisters Springs During Manatee Season
My family of four (hubby, two teens, and yours truly) visited in mid-December, early on a Monday. It was pretty warm, so we didn’t see as many manatees as usual during manatee season—but we still saw plenty! Even if the air temperature is in the 70s, the nearby bay water can still drop to 68°F or colder in winter, which is too chilly for manatees. That’s why they seek out the springs, which stay at a near-constant 72°F, offering them the warmth they need to survive. Since the springs at Three Sisters connect to Kings Bay and other spring-fed waterways that lead to the Gulf of Mexico, there are almost always manatees hanging out, even on warmer winter days.
We spent most of our visit walking the well-maintained, accessible boardwalks that circle the springs—Pretty Sister, Big Sister, and Little Sister. Most of the manatees were just outside the springs at Idiots Delight I and Idiots Delight II, but a few began moving into Three Sisters as evening approached. From a distance, they looked like grey boulders until they moved or surfaced for air.
Paddlers and snorkelers were visible just beyond the roped-off sanctuary, where manatees can rest undisturbed. Along the boardwalk, friendly volunteers shared manatee facts and answered questions. One volunteer even gave a talk featuring manatee bones visitors could touch—a hands-on learning moment my kids enjoyed.
My kids, who are usually hard to please (and somehow prefer being indoors!), genuinely loved this visit. They were especially excited to see baby manatees. Even though Three Sisters is completely outdoors, they didn’t complain once. They love nature walks and hikes with great views—honestly, who doesn’t?
Magnolia Springs was a bit of a surprise. The water is much darker here since the spring is so deep, so we mostly spotted manatees’ backs—like grey boulders poking out of the water. Occasionally, one would surface to breathe. From this area, we also spotted more manatee backs in the distance.
This wasn’t my first visit to the area. Years ago, I swam with manatees, though I now realize it wasn’t in Three Sisters itself but just outside at Idiots Delight springs. This time, I enjoyed learning more about the springs and even added another stamp to my Florida Springs Passport!
Learn More
You can learn more about Three Sisters Springs and other fantastic locations by visiting the following:
Kayaking in the springs, seeing manatees and baby manatees, sounds like a must-do in Three Sisters Springs.
It is Sonia!!
swimming with manatees? Wow that must have been an incredible experience
It was! Absolutely life-changing!