Fort Island Trail

Continuing our Nature Coast road trip, we headed to Fort Island Trail, another scenic drive in Citrus County.  Located just south of the city of Crystal River, this drive includes stops on the Gulf and on the river.

All the way at the end of Ft. Island Trail is a boat ramp directly on the Gulf.

Boat Ramp on Ft. Island Trail
Pier beside boat ramp on Ft. Island Trail.
No Fishing Sign On Ft. Island Trail
First NO sign
Pier by Boat Ramp on Ft. Island Trail
Breakin’ the law!
Fort Island Trail
Everywhere you go on the gulf in the Nature Coast, there’s always a great view of controversial Crystal River Power Plant!

Next we stopped at a fishing pier which includes a boardwalk.  One part of the boardwalk goes to the Ft. Island Trail beach–a public swimming beach on the Gulf.  Thanks to the numerous septic tanks in the area, this beach is quite often closed because of e-coli contamination.  Not a place that I send our guests to swim!

Fort Island Trail
So much NO! This is why we can’t take Maggie with us on some of our adventures!  No dogs, no swimming, no firearms!  Not that Maggie carries a firearm.  And what’s going on with those crazy letters?
Fort Island Trail
Boardwalk to Fishing Pier
Fort Island Trail
Fishing Pier
Fort Island Trail
Picnic Pavilion on Boardwalk
Fort Island Trail
Boardwalk to Beach
Fort Island Trail
View of Public Beach

Heading back towards 19, on the north side of the road there is a public park and boat ramp onto the Crystal River.

Fort Island Trail
Another sign of NO. But these letters are a little more well behaved. We did see a couple with a Jack Russell terrier that was marking every little spot he could. Breakin’ the law!
Fort Island Trail
Fort Island Trail Park
Fort Island Trail
Fishing Pier on Crystal River
Fort Island Trail
View from Park

That’s the end of this road trip.  If the weather stays wonderful, we’ll be hitting more beaches and parks in the weeks to come.

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