The Crystal Cove Trail is an easy-access trail. The trailhead starts at the Mullet Hole parking lot on the north end of Sailboat Avenue. (See details below.) The trail follows a path south along a fresh water pond to a tidal salt-water stream that connects to the Crystal River. Stay on the right hand side of the waterway to the river. Terrain is mixed scrub.

This is a linear trail; therefore, it is necessary to double back on the trail to the parking lot. From the parking lot, walk to Sailboat Avenue and cross over to the marked Boy Scout Trail for a woodland habitat. Sailboat Avenue is a good walking trail from the Mullet Hole to the Visitors Center. Most of the road is upland wooded habitat.

At Days Inn on US19 turn west on State Park Rd. go two miles to Saleboat Rd., continue to the first left turn at the Mullet Hole. Park in parking lot. You are now at the head of the trail. In addition the Boy Scout Trail is at te enterance of the Mullet Hole on Sale Boat Rd. This is a short walk through upland woods for another habitat experance. At the end of Sale Boat Rd.is the park visitors' center and park offices. Be sure to visit the exhabits at the Visitors' Center.

After walking these trails, continue down Sailboat Road (or drive) to the Visitors Center and walk back to the Mullet Hole (half mile).

Crystal Cove is an easy walking, 2-mile trail. It provides a varied habitat of fresh water pond, salt water marsh, a salt water canal to the Crystal River, scrub and a mixture of upland forest of pine, oak and maple.

Fall through May are the best months to bird this trail. Because of the wide variety of habitat, one can find most of the wading birds; shore birds are present at low tide during the winter, especially spotted sandpipers.

Marsh area can provide clapper rails and least bitterns. This is a good warbler area during spring migration. All the local hawks are seen and Mississippi kites are observed during in the summer. Fifty to sixty bird species can be observed on a four-hour walking tour.