Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

About Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

The park's full name is Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. It is in Citrus County, Florida, near the community of Homosassa Springs, and it is managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as part of the state park system. The Florida Birding Trail describes the site as a state park of about 200 acres that offers opportunities to see wildlife for both birders and families.

The park is named for Elmyra Felburn Schiller, who lived from 1943 to 2009 and is described by Wikipedia as a benefactor of the Florida state park system.

The Florida Birding Trail lists two entrances. The main entrance is at 1 SW 1st Pl in Crystal River, and the west entrance is at 4150 S. Suncoast Blvd in Homosassa. The park's listed phone number is (352) 423-5600.

History

Wikipedia traces tourism at the spring to documented accounts from the early 1900s, when the site had railroad access. In the 1920s the property was expanded with additional structures and a public swimming area. The first underwater observatory, which Wikipedia describes as an iron tank with windows, was built in the 1940s.

In 1964 the Norris Development Company bought the original 50-acre property, and an additional 100 acres was added with entertainment facilities and animal exhibits. Wikipedia reports that the property then changed hands several times between 1978 and 1984, until the Citrus County Commission purchased it as an environmentally sensitive area, holding it until the State of Florida could purchase the property as a state park.

Wikipedia records that many of the animals kept at the attraction were trained for television and film by Ivan Tors Animal Actors. One of them was a hippopotamus named Lu, born at the San Diego Zoo on January 26, 1960, and resident at the park from February 1966. Wikipedia notes he was the only animal in the park not native to Florida. Wikipedia says that Lu appeared in television shows including Daktari and Cowboy in Africa, and that Governor Lawton Chiles declared him an honorary citizen of Florida in the 1990s. Lu died on June 8, 2025, and Wikipedia describes him as the oldest known hippopotamus on record. A bear named Buck, which Wikipedia says stood in for the bear in the 1960s television show Gentle Ben, is also mentioned in the article.

Exhibits and habitats

The park's signature feature is manatee viewing. Wikipedia describes the park as one of the notable places in Florida to view manatees, with a floating observatory that brings visitors close to the animals, and the Florida Birding Trail lists an underwater observatory for viewing manatees and fish.

The Florida Birding Trail lists the Pepper Creek Trail, a free, paved, accessible route through hardwood hammock and wetlands. It also lists interpretive pontoon boat tours and wildlife rehabilitation exhibits. Wikipedia gives a boat service from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and a tram service from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., although the park's own website should be checked for current schedules.

Wikipedia lists native species observed at the park as manatees, black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, American alligators, and river otters. The Florida Birding Trail names manatees, alligators, northern river otters, bobcats, whooping cranes, and red wolves. For birds, the trail lists wood stork, yellow-bellied sapsucker, black-and-white warbler, and wood duck. The birding site describes the habitats as hardwood hammock, wetlands, waterways, and spring areas.

Conservation and programs

The Florida Birding Trail notes that the park has wildlife rehabilitation exhibits and educational programs throughout the day. Current program schedules are listed on the Florida State Parks website.

Planning your visit

The Florida Birding Trail lists the park as open daily, year-round, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It notes that an admission fee is required for the main park, while the Pepper Creek Trail is free. The visitor center is at the main entrance, and restrooms and parking are listed as accessible. Ticket details and any seasonal changes are on the Florida State Parks website.

Two entrances serve the park, so visitors using a GPS should confirm which one they are heading to. The main entrance is in Crystal River and the west entrance in Homosassa, per the birding trail.