Pull up a map of Kings Bay and mark seven spots. One sits along the shoreline by Banana Island and takes in King Spring. One is the canal around Paradise Isle. Others cover the water off Sunset Shores, Buzzard Island, Warden Key, a second pocket near Banana Island called Tarpon Springs, and the Three Sisters springs. From November 15 through March 31, federal rules close all seven to every kind of waterborne activity.
That covers kayaks, paddleboards, swimmers and johnboats alike. For about four and a half months, the bay's most famous water belongs to the manatees. People who want to see them use a different route in, and that route runs on land. The city runs it, prices it with a tier for locals, and this year it leads to a boardwalk the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is in the middle of replacing.
The Speed Rules Already Changed. The Entry Rules Are Next.
Most of the Kings Bay seasonal calendar doesn't start in November. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules put Kings Bay under a slow-speed season from September 1 through April 30, and some areas stay idle-speed all year. If you've had a boat on the bay since Labor Day, you've been running under winter speed rules for six weeks.
November 15 adds closures on top of the speed rules. The seven sanctuaries listed in the federal Kings Bay Manatee Refuge regulation go off-limits. The one exception is for owners of adjoining property or their designees, who may pass through only with Fish and Wildlife Service authorization and at idle or no-wake speed. According to the eCFR, that section hasn't changed since January 2017. The rules are old. What's new this year is the land side.
| Sanctuary | Where it sits |
|---|---|
| Banana Island | Kings Bay shoreline by Banana Island, including King Spring |
| Sunset Shores | Water by the Sunset Shores Addition to Woodward Park, including its canal |
| Magnolia Springs | Canal around Paradise Isle, including Gator Hole |
| Buzzard Island | Around Buzzard Island |
| Tarpon Springs | By Banana Island |
| Warden Key | At Warden Key |
| Three Sisters Spring | At the Three Sisters springs |
The map can also grow during the season. When manatees need shelter, the 2012 rule lets the Fish and Wildlife Service post temporary no-entry areas next to the sanctuaries and around House Spring, Jurassic Spring and Idiot's Delight No. 2. Those temporary closures can also apply outside the season during cold snaps. FWC's own map warns that posted signs govern, and its Citrus County zone graphic is labeled accurate only as of April 2016. The buoys on the water are the current rulebook.
The Last Paddle Into Three Sisters Is November 14
The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge allows paddle craft inside Three Sisters Springs only from April 1 through November 14. If paddling into the springs is part of your year, the next five weeks are the last chance until spring.
After that, nobody reaches the spring basin from the water, and nobody gets in the water from the land side either. The refuge and the city don't allow water access from the Three Sisters property at any time of year, or land access from the water. The city also notes that the Fish and Wildlife Service can close in-water spring access when Gulf water drops below 62.2°F. The boardwalk is separate from those in-water rules and isn't affected by them.
Cold Gulf water closes the springs to swimmers, and it's the same weather that fills them with manatees. On cold winter days, the city says, hundreds of manatees move into the springs for warm water. The worse the morning feels, the more there is to see from the railing.
The Land Route Starts at a City Building, Not the Spring
You can't drive to Three Sisters Springs and park, because there's no public parking at the refuge beyond a limited number of permitted handicapped spaces. The way in is the City of Crystal River's Three Sisters Springs Center at 917 Three Sisters Springs Trail. The front gate at 601 Three Sisters Springs Trail takes cards only and admits walk-ins and bicycles.
A day ticket includes a trolley that runs continuously from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Its stops are:
- The boardwalk at Three Sisters Springs
- The USFWS Visitor Center, 1502 SE Kings Bay Drive
- The NW 3rd parking lot, a two-minute walk from Hunter Springs Park at 45 NE 3rd Street
- Town Square, 559 N Citrus Avenue
- Heritage Village, 657 N Citrus Avenue
The last tickets sell at 3:30 p.m., and you need a wristband to ride.
The trolley route also changes how the town works in winter. A visitor on the Three Sisters trolley gets dropped at Citrus Avenue and Hunter Springs Park. The Visitor Center stop matters more after November 15 too. Its hours expand from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day through March 31.
What the Switch Costs, and What It Costs Locals
On November 15, Three Sisters admission moves to winter pricing. The city's ticket page lists a separate tier for Citrus County residents who show ID, and the gap between the two tiers grows in winter.
| Ticket | General, summer | General, winter | County resident, summer | County resident, winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | $12.50 | $20.00 | $8.75 | $12.50 |
| Senior, 55+ | $12.50 | $17.50 | $8.75 | $11.25 |
| Military | $11.50 | $15.00 | $8.25 | $10.00 |
| Child, 6 to 15 | $7.50 | $7.50 | $3.75 | $3.75 |
| Child, 5 and under | Free | Free | Free | Free |
As of October 2026, an adult county resident pays $7.50 less than a general adult ticket in winter, compared with $3.75 less in summer. Federal Recreational Land Pass and Duck Stamp holders get $5 off general adult, senior and military tickets.
The best deal is limited to people living inside Crystal River city limits. With an ID showing a local address, they can buy a $40 annual walk-in and bicycle pass. The general annual pass is $100 for walk-in and bicycle access, or $140 with the trolley. Each lasts 365 days and lets the holder bring up to three guests a day. If you live in town and host family over the holidays, walking or biking to the front gate makes the season pass worth it quickly. The city notes that all prices are subject to change.
The Boardwalk Is Mid-Rebuild, and Winter Is the Pause
This winter is different on the boardwalk itself. As the Citrus County Chronicle reported this year, the Fish and Wildlife Service started the first phase of a roughly $10.7 million project at the beginning of July. The project replaces the aging Three Sisters boardwalk and repairs the eroding bulkhead around the spring basin. Most of the funding is an $8.06 million award from the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund.
According to the Chronicle, the plan originally looked like a year-long shutdown. Gerry Mulligan, president of the Crystal River Area Council and a member of the Friends group, described the change:
"They'll keep two thirds of the boardwalk open, rebuild one third, then move to the next, and then move to the next. So that the viewing areas will remain open."
The Chronicle reports that phase one runs until manatee season starts in November. Work then pauses so the springs stay fully accessible through the winter, and the remaining two phases resume after April 1, 2027. So the project's schedule follows the same November 15 line as the sanctuary rules. As of this month, though, the city's boardwalk page still says portions are under construction and temporarily closed. Checking before your first winter visit is a good idea.
The Friends of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge are running a second, separate project on the property. It adds observation platforms, an elevated nature walkway, a fishing dock and a manatee release chute.
The manatees these projects protect had a hard 2025. According to the Chronicle, Citrus County recorded a record 43 manatee deaths that year. Through June 25, 2026, the county had recorded 24, compared with 36 by the same date in 2025.
Where the Water Stays Open
The sanctuaries cover specific water. They don't close the bay. Hunter Springs Park keeps its beach, roped-off freshwater swim area, kayak and canoe launch and boardwalk, and the city lists no manatee-season swimming closure there. The change at Hunter Springs is the clock. From November 1, or the day after daylight saving time ends if that's later, through March 31, the park closes at 5:30 p.m. and opens at 8 a.m. Kings Bay Park keeps its kayak launches, docking, fishing facilities and trailer parking, open from 8 a.m. to sunset with no winter change listed.
The city runs two boat ramps, one on NW 3rd Avenue and one at Pete's Pier. The ramps on Fort Island Trail belong to Citrus County Parks & Recreation. Pete's Pier charges a per-vessel launch fee, and parking is paid separately to the lot attendant. A slip rental there doesn't cover the city's launch fee. Every boat launched from any of these ramps goes into water governed by the same sanctuary boundaries and speed zones.
Guests who want to see manatees from the water still can, just outside the seven closed areas. The refuge doesn't run manatee tours itself. Instead, it issues Special Use Permits to Kings Bay businesses and publishes a list of permitted operators.
The Weeks Before and After the Line
The calendar around November 15 is full:
- Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Scarecrow Fest downtown, rescheduled to this date. The city lists it as free, with costumes, games, vendors and live music.
- Saturday, Nov. 7, noon to 10 p.m. Stone Crab Jam, the open-street festival held the first Saturday of every November. The Kings Bay Rotary Club Charitable Foundation presents it, with six bands on three stages and proceeds going to area charities. Stone crab season usually opens October 15, the date in FWC's most recent season notice.
- Saturday, Nov. 14. The last day paddle craft can go into Three Sisters Springs until April 1.
- Sunday, Nov. 15. The seven sanctuaries close, winter admission begins at Three Sisters, and the Visitor Center starts opening daily.
- Friday, Dec. 4, 5 to 9 p.m. The city's Christmas Tree Lighting Festival at Town Square, one of the trolley stops.
- Jan. 16 and 17, 2027. The Florida Manatee Festival downtown, with Kings Bay kayak and manatee boat tours on the schedule.
If you own a place near Kings Bay that you rent to seasonal guests, they'll arrive during the months when the water is closed and the boardwalk is the main way to see manatees. The team at Edward Johnston manages rentals across Crystal River and Citrus County, and we're glad to help you get a guest-ready winter guide together before November 15.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
