Step Back In Time At Crystal River Archaeological State Park

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Even though it’s my last Crystal River post, our first stop when we got here was Crystal River Archaeological State Park!

I figured this was just a little museum but there ended up being a lovely trail, too.

We started in the museum and there were a few other people there but it wasn’t too busy. It was also right when it opened.

There are dioramas of the area showing what it would have looked like, as well as artifacts found here.

It’s a great place to learn about the Native American heritage and history in the Crystal River area. It would pair well with a visit to the Shell Mound Trail in Cedar Key.

Right outside of the museum there is a little pond and we saw a baby alligator here!

Then in the tree across from the pond, we saw an owl! That was very exciting to see.

From here (with the museum behind us) we went to the right and headed to the highest (of six) burial mound in the park.

There are 55 steps to the top of Temple Mound A, so it’s not too bad but it’s enough for some people.

The view from the top is really nice and definitely worth the climb.

From here, we went down the continued to the right to the water where the views were (I think) even better than up on the mound.

It was pretty windy right here but the rest of the trail was fine. The trail heads back into the main area of the park and is pretty similar the rest of the way.

It’s a paved path that winds through an open grassy area with plenty of towering oaks and Spanish moss, which is always beautiful.

There are some signs along the trail with information about the park and history but not too many.

Temple Mound A is the largest in the park, but the trail takes you past the other smaller mounds, too, and a dugout construction area.

Most of the mounds just look like small grassy hills, and if you didn’t know where you were, you probably wouldn’t have any idea that they are burial mounds!

The trail is kind of a figure eight H shape, so there will be a little back tracking but not much.

And before you know it, you’re back at the museum! I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this park but I was pleasantly surprised.

I’m glad we decided to visit and would definitely recommend it if you’re in the area, even if you’re not a huge history buff.

Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.

Where is Crystal River Archaeological State Park?

Crystal River Archaeological State Park is about five minutes from Crystal River, 15 from Redfish Hole Trail, and five from the Churchhouse Hammock trail.

In the bigger picture, it’s about one hour 15 minutes from Ocala, 1.5 hours from Gainesville, an hour from Cedar Key, and about two hours from Clearwater.