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    Fort Island Trail Beach

    3.4 (43 reviews)

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    Muddy shallow water. To the left of the beach area.
    Roberta H.

    We were actually going to the gulf beach fishing pier and it was closed! And we had our puppy with us and no dogs are allowed on the beach. It was a cute small beach. They had a restroom. You pay to park. And right before you hit the lot for the beach parking. There was a little area to fish. In the marsh. We enjoyed our time there but decided to go somewhere to fish where dogs were allowed.

    Soft sand warm water clean beach perfect for small children.
    Iris M.

    Soft sand warm water clean beach perfect for small children. Great place for families

    Fort Island Trail Beach Boat Ramp

    Small secluded beach. We didn't feel comfortable swimming in it. Not like the typical beaches I am used to. Only one photo would work for this post. I posted the others on my Twitter (X) page.

    Trail
    Derek B.

    In the area and decided to go to the "nearest beach" which happened to be Fort Island Trail Beach. My folks visited the beach a few times during the week and there's only been a handful of people which must be nice... but we went in a Sunday afternoon and there was absolutely no parking, and had to sit in the parking lot for about 45 minutes stuck between cars before we were able to turn around and eventually parked on the road away from the beach. So it was pretty crowded. The walking trail to the pier was nice and picturesque, and this was my first time ever to a gulf beach. The sand was soft and fine and the water was calm enough for swimming. Great beach for some fun with friends or family, though not the greatest for a secluded beach. TBH we used to have quieter beaches next to our home on Kauai. There were accessible bathrooms here and SUP board rentals but there were no other amenities so bring your own snacks and drinks. All in all I'm sure it's a great little spot other than the crowds and the looming nuclear power plant in the background. Three eyed fish anyone? :)

    Sunset with our fire
    Ms C.

    I love this little beach, it's right on the gulf. They have a snack truck on the weekends. It gets busy on the weekends but you can still always find parking. They have covered picnic tables with shade, they have a grass area to where you can bring your dog (although people do walk them on the beach). The sunsets are amazing and there's a lot of tours and restaurants around this area and a cute little town strip for shopping with Bubbaques restaurant.

    Dave O.

    Who doesn't love a tranquil little beach at the end of the road on an island across from a Nuclear Power Station? (LOL) This a secluded beach that although is very small in protected waters offers some peace and quite time with a limited amount of amenities. You won't accidentally drive by here being its about nine miles off the the main road. I was in the area so I decided as I often do to venture off my route and see sometime I've never experienced. The water's edge is a bit mucky so I don't know if I'd be interested in swimming here but that wasn't the intent anyway. The wildlife is amazing and plentiful. This is also the perfect spot to get a view of the Crystal River Nuclear Generating Plant I've always found these facilities to be interesting and necessary. If your paying attention during your drive in you will notice some random towers along the route that appear to be air sampling stations and maybe sirens in the event of an accident, I wouldn't be to concerned though this plant is being shutdown and moth balled and the electrical generation is powered by fossil fuels now using adjacent power plants. Just a few facts: On Feb. 5, 2013, Duke Energy announced its decision to retire the Crystal River Nuclear Plant, known as CR3, located on Florida's Gulf Coast approximately 85 miles north of Tampa. While replacing a 500 ton generators during a scheduled maintenance and refueling outage in October 2009, engineers discovered a delamination, or separation of concrete, within the containment building that surrounds the reactor vessel. Though crews successfully repaired the damage, additional delamination was discovered in two different areas of the containment building in 2011. After completing a comprehensive, months-long analysis of costs, risks and other factors, the company determined that retiring the plant, instead of continuing to pursue a first-of-a-kind repair to the containment building, was in the best interests of customers and shareholders. An independent review commissioned in 2012 confirmed that repairing the containment building was technically feasible but included significant risks that could raise the cost of the repair and extend the repair schedule significantly. Current Status CR3 remains in a safe, stable condition and poses no threat to the health and safety of the public or our employees. Nuclear safety remains our top priority. Our comprehensive emergency preparedness plans and full-time, round-the-clock security force remain in place.

    Fort Island Trail Beach, looking south.
    Mike W.

    Your experience with Fort Island Trail Beach will be fully predicated on your desires and what you're seeking. This park offers a beach on the Gulf of Mexico, a boat launch ramp, a fishing pier, and a short boardwalk through a forested area. Certainly, it's a great place to catch those amazing Gulf sunsets and not a bad--if small--beach to lay out on, though the swimming area is blocked off by roped warning balls so that swimmers won't wander too far out into where boat traffic is common. Being the Gulf, there are almost no waves and the locals seem to be more interested in boating and fishing than swimming, anyways. Parking is ample--and free--and the bathrooms are fairly new and nice enough (much, much, nicer than ones at Crescent Beach on the Atlantic in way of contrast). For a beach, I would much rather go anywhere on Florida's Atlantic coast. You can't surf here, and it just doesn't have that feel the Atlantic has. I've never liked the Gulf much anyways, to be honest. However, it's a nice local facility and very good to get a sense of local life and Gulf ecosystems. The drive out isn't bad, either, and also interesting. You'll see from the boat launch area the Crystal River power plant complex including the recently shut-down CR #3 nuclear plant. There's a lot to consider in a trip out here about local economy, environment, and associated matters. Fishing is very important in this region on a cultural level and you'll get a sense of that, too. Citrus County has done a good job with this park, and it deserves a visit if in the area.

    Hannah C.

    Small beach that is family friendly. Roped off area to swim but the water doesn't get deeper than 3 feet. The bottom 'feels like poop' as the many kids liked to scream. No waves, water is very warm but it isn't crowded.

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    1 year ago

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    For being in crystal river, it's a nice "beach" the view is very pretty - was also nice to have a bathroom

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    3 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Cute little beach right on the gulf. Small but pristine and clean. White sands and beautiful scenery. Many flowers and butterflies

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    10 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Long ride to find out no dogs allowed. Better swimming for dogs than people. Very shallow.

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    8 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    11 years ago

    This is a cool beach. It's definitely not Clearwater Beach or St. Pete Beach but it's a nice lil Nature Coast beach.

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    5 years ago

    Beautiful beach. Free entry and parking. Lots of covered picnic areas. The white sand was beautiful.

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    12 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Full of mosquitoes and stinky water. It's not really a beach just a spot with some sand and really shallow water. I would not come back.

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    6 years ago

    I'm gonna turn into hulk with all that radioactive waste! Really good job! And I didn't get my spongebob ice cream

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    12 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Great Little Beach peace and quite time with a limited amount of amenities.

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    8 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Fort Island Trail Beach

    Do you allow service animal?

    They do…on a leash.

    Do you have to pay for parking?

    No parking fees

    Are dogs allowed on the beach?

    They have a sign posted that animals are not allowed

    View All 4 Questions

    Review Highlights - Fort Island Trail Beach

    However, it's a nice local facility and very good to get a sense of local life and Gulf ecosystems.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Manatee Paddle

    Manatee Paddle

    5.0
    (50 reviews)
    6.0 mi

    Highly recommend! Very nice and accommodating. Great family business. Convenient location for…read moreCrystal River. Will definitely use them again not even a question!

    Manatee Paddle truly went above and beyond to make our experience positive, exciting, and…read moreeducational. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with genuine smiles, warmth, and encouragement. I was personally a bit nervous since I hadn't paddle boarded much before, but every step of the way we felt supported and truly cared for. Hearing about the family's passion for protecting the ecosystem and the manatees, along with all the helpful tips they shared to optimize our experience, was absolutely incredible. When we got to the dock, we were guided so kindly - Mike even held our shoes in his truck for us! When he noticed me struggling a bit, he took the time to give me multiple tips on how to better move in the water and maneuver the board, which made such a difference. We saw so many manatees, including mama and baby pairs, which was unforgettable. When we returned to the dock and shared how excited we were, Mike went above and beyond once again by recommending another nearby location we could walk to where we ended up seeing even more manatees up close and personal. I would 10/10 recommend Manatee Paddle to anyone looking for an incredible manatee experience. I am so grateful to Mike and his family for making our day so special. THANK YOU!!

    Photos
    Single kayak
    Single kayak
    Fun activity for friends and family!
    Fun activity for friends and family!
    Spring

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    Spring
    Hunter Springs Kayaks & Tours

    Hunter Springs Kayaks & Tours

    4.5
    (112 reviews)
    6.1 mi
    Free parking
    Walk-ins welcome

    If you're looking for any kind of rental for Crystal River this is your place. Locked our keys out…read moreof our car and Luke helped us get our car open.huge thanks to you guys from start to finish they made our stressful trip enjoyable. From hunter's kayaks and tours it's a 2 min walk to hunters spring. We saw atleast 10 manatees in the spring and three dolphins were even in the swim area. 10/10 would recommend

    The girl at the front desk was an air head when I first arrived I went inside because it was…read morefreezing and she made me walk around to the outside front of the building so that I could grab a clip board and walk inside which she could have easily handed me. That was weird Then she didn't tell us we had to pay for parking at the dock neither did the guy that was at the dock when we got there! I overheard him telling someone after we were done for the day he said that they can park at the rental place and walk so they don't have to pay but we were already unloading and done with our rental. We got back to the car and had a $50 ticket. I would be fine with paying but I didn't see any of the signs or where to meter even was. I also told her I wasn't swimming and she said to get in the water you have to have an wetsuit which costs extra and I kept saying I'm not getting in the water but I she just ignored me and then I saw SO MANY PEOPLE not in wetsuits so that was irritating. And the wetsuits were in terrible shape they had holes and stains all over it she handed it to me and I was like thins is what I paid $100 for ? And she was like yeah they are all old. This is a CRAP Buisness!!! Especially what you get for the price!! The manatees are cool and I recommend doing it but NOT using this company.

    Photos
    Hunter Springs Kayaks, Paddle boards, Canoes, and Water bikes
    Hunter Springs Kayaks, Paddle boards, Canoes, and Water bikes
    Hunter Springs Kayaks & Tours
    Snorkeling at Three Sisters Springs

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    Snorkeling at Three Sisters Springs
    Crystal River Florida Fishing Adventures

    Crystal River Florida Fishing Adventures

    4.4
    (7 reviews)
    6.5 mi

    Unforgettable Scalloping & Fishing Experience with Capt. Louie in Crystal River, FL…read more If you're looking for the ultimate Gulf Coast adventure, look no further than Capt. Louie's scalloping and fishing charter in Crystal River, Florida. From the moment we arrived, everything was top-notch -- professional, welcoming, and fun! Capt. Louie is the real deal. His knowledge of the area, the water, and the best scalloping and fishing spots is unmatched. He made the whole experience smooth and enjoyable, whether it was diving for scallops in the clear grass beds or reeling in fish . He's incredibly professional, patient, and clearly passionate about what he does. Whether you're a seasoned angler or a first-timer, you're in great hands with him. On top of that, we stayed at Capt. Louie's Airbnb -- and WOW. It was spotless, spacious, and just minutes from the water. It had everything we needed for a relaxing stay after a full day on the boat. You can tell a lot of thought was put into making it feel like a true home away from home. This trip was the perfect combination of adventure and relaxation, and we're already planning our next visit. If you're in Crystal River and want a first-class scalloping and fishing experience, book with Capt. Louie -- you won't regret it! A little late on the review , this was last year

    Don't waste time doing any more research - book your trip with Florida Fishing Adventures…read more I've been fishing for most of my life, and living in Los Angeles the past 20+ years, I've spent a lot of time on short- and long-range trips fishing California and Mexican waters for tuna, yellowtail, dorado, Calico bass, etc., so suffice it to say I've done a lot of fishing. But when it comes to fishing for grouper, redfish and other species around Crystal River, I was clueless, so on a recent trip there I was smart enough to set up a charter for my buddies and me with Captain Louie at Florida Fishing Adventures. It was epic. First off, I saw a lot of different boats from the various outfitters and Cpt. Louie's rig rides like a dream, has a huge beam, and a ton of fishing space - a much better layout than any of the other boats I saw. Louie also didn't cut any corners when it comes to his fishing gear, with top-of-the line setups for our day on the water. But most importantly, Louie put us on the fish immediately, and coached us up on how to hook and land those grumpy grouper. We caught our limits of quality fish, which made for a great meal and ton of filets for the freezer. I won't even think about booking with another guide next time we're in town. So be sure to book your outing with FFA and you won't be disappointed!

    Photos
    Double hookup
    Double hookup
    Crystal River Florida Fishing Adventures
    Crystal River Florida Fishing Adventures

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    Fort Island Trail Beach - beaches - Updated June 2026

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