crystal river archaeological state park

This is a beautiful setting with Indian burial mounds along the Crystal River. We were privileged to have a manatee come right up to where we were resting on a park bench. The visitor center was closed when we visited, but it is beautiful nonetheless.

Beautiful day for a walk around. We visited on a Tuesday. The museum was closed. Come on people, this is Florida. You get visitors all year round. It was very disappointing. We are not sure we will be able to go back before we will leave the area. So, warning to anyone else....museum closed Tuesdays AND Wednesdays. There were enough people showing up there to warrant being open, by the way.

The pre-Columbian history of Florida is gradually making itself known to tourists who may come to Florida for the beaches, but discover more through sites like this one. This is one of the more extensive sites I have been to and the small museum was very educational. The short film is a must. We still know so little about the early aborigines, but this site explained what we do know. Well worth a quick visit.

I enjoy learning about the history of the area were I live. Nearby is the Archaeological Park where the native Indians made their home as far back as the B.C. period. To see the artifacts from these days and the time periods that followed I found very interesting. We had a guide who explained the meanings of the different mounds, the remains of their villages and how they lived along the river. Several times a year they offer a night time walk Moon over the Mounds (full moon) which I think would be very interesting and will have to do .

We love to walk through the Archaelogical Park, enjoy the areas rich history and enjoy the scenic views of Crystal River. Well worth getting off the beaten path to enjoy this park!

The small museum was surprisingly full of hundreds of artifacts and information dating back thousands of years. The park was truly a unique experience with the ancient temples and the burial mounds.

lots of trash on the paths. I guess our $3 will be used to pay for cleanup. Please mention the parks that have fees. We stopped here for one geocache, and had to pay $3 for parking even though we were the only ones in the park. More interesting chatting with the volunteer about Crystal river than can be learned in a casual walk around this site.

This look at pre Columbian Native American culture is interesting because usually it seems as if that sort of thing id always West of the Mississippi, if not further.The mounds are presented with aids of a few signs and steps to help keep them safe and the visitor though none are really imposing anyone with a aversion the climbing can enjoy a tree shaded (Spanish Moss covered) bench or the small but concise museum.Well worth a stop when looking for manatees, makes you wonder how these folks interacted with them way back when.

A little history, with a nice walk and a great view of the area. Only $3.00 a car. really nice. ps: take a picnic.

The museum was wonderful. Terrific displays, very informative and it had lots of interesting pottery pieces, tools and weapons to see. The displays did a great job of explaining the timeline of the site. The park itself is gorgeous, and it made for a very pleasant hour of touring the museum and then walking around the park. Except for climbing the steps to the main mound, the site is accessible to everyone.

Even visitors with no interest in the history of this site may wish to consider a visit anyway, as the grounds are attractive, with huge trees covered in Spanish moss, a great subject for photographers. Most people would likely consider the modest museum at the site to be worth a look-see; I was impressed by the number and diversity of arrow heads on display. The museum guide was most informative and friendly.

Very clean, very well taken care of, nice lay out, great for a summer stroll under the large oaks, a lot of Florida Indian history in this park.Huge mounds with walk ways to the top, it's like walking in histories footsteps.The museum in the park has a lot of artifacts to look at, and the park itself is a nice place for a family picnic.

We were greeted by a very knowledgeable volunteer who gave us a rubdown on the museum & upcoming activities. There a quite a few displays with artifacts found in the area/. There is also a walking tour to the mounds. Unfortunately it was raining so we did not get that far. I did learn quite a bit about the area. There is a $3 fee per car - honor system.

First thing in the morning, the view from the top of the Temple Mound observation deck was incredibly beautiful .

Educational, good exercise, and fun for the family. Your self-guided tour will fascinate you if you have any interest in early Florida history. Lots of wildlife to be seen. Very interesting.