Chassahowitzka River County Park

Chassahowitzka River County Park provides access to the Chassahowitzka River, a medium-sized river in Citrus County, Florida that flows toward the Gulf of Mexico. The river is approximately 5.57 miles long with very minimal elevation change, creating a slow-moving, calm waterway ideal for recreational paddling. With an average flow of 36.84 cubic feet per second and a slow velocity of 0.65 feet per second, this is a gentle paddling destination suitable for various skill levels.

The access point at the county park allows boaters to explore a river system with a substantial 43 square mile drainage area. Being located just 5 miles from the river mouth, paddlers have the opportunity to experience tidal influences and potential views of coastal wildlife. The flat terrain and slow current make this an accessible option for kayakers, canoeists, and small motorboat operators looking for a peaceful water experience in Florida's Nature Coast region.

As a county park facility, this location offers structured public access to the Chassahowitzka River system. Visitors should plan for typical county park amenities and hours, and should be aware that conditions may vary seasonally with water levels and tidal influences common to coastal Florida rivers.

The Chassahowitzka Wilderness now contains a total of 23,579 acres and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service's Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Complex. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Florida. In 1976 the Chassahowitzka Wilderness became part of the now over 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System.
In the language of the Seminole Indians, Chassahowitzka means...

The Chassahowitzka Wilderness now contains a total of 23,579 acres and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service's Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Complex. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Florida. In 1976 the Chassahowitzka Wilderness became part of the now over 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System.
In the language of the Seminole Indians, Chassahowitzka means "Hanging Pumpkin," although no one seems to remember just how this region earned that moniker. Regardless, Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 30,500 acres of mangrove islands, saltwater bays, estuaries, and brackish marshes, fringed with an oak-cypress-cedar hardwood swamp on the eastern side. Except for a northeastern portion, the entire refuge is designated Wilderness. The Homosassa River runs through the northern Wilderness, while the Chassahowitzka River marks the uppermost boundary of the southern Wilderness.
Originally established for the benefit of waterfowl, the area now provides critical habitat to a diversity of wildlife, including endangered species such as the West Indian manatee and whooping crane. The tidal bays, rivers, and creeks of Chassahowitzka NWR provide summer habitat for the West Indian manatee. These gentle aquatic mammals consume 10 to 15 percent of their body weight each day. With some animals exceeding 1,000 pounds, the abundance growth of musk grass in Chassahowitzka's shallow bays provides an important food source for manatees. While manatees frequent the refuge most often during the summer months, whooping cranes can only be seen on the refuge during the winter months. An experimental migratory population of whooping cranes has been migrating to the refuge to winter in the saltmarsh since 2001.

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