Office of Greenways and Trails Withlacoochee Bay Trail is a four and half mile driving trail starting at US19 and following the south side of the barge canal to Withlacoochee Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. This is a newly developed, multiple use trail. Plan to make frequent stops along the trail; get out and walk the areas. (See Birding Opportunities below for details.)

There is a beautiful observation deck at the end of the trail overlooking the Bay, with other observation decks along the canal. Check the map for details of side trails for other habitat and birding opportunities. There is a canoe/kayak launch at mile marker 4. The near shore and islands provide great up close opportunities for birding. The new Felburn Park is under development on the east side of US19 along the barge canal and is designated as a second leg to the Withlacoochee Bay Trail. Check the kiosk at the trailhead for current details about Felburn Park. This section of the trail is easy walking for a mile and half around the lake. Most of it is scrub and secondary growth.

The trail is located at US19 at the old Florida Barge Canal eight miles north of Crystal River and a half mile south of Inglis. Turn west at the south end of the bridge and proceed west along the trail. The Felburn Park section is east of the US 19 bridge and is reach by a connecting road past the State Marine Police Station.

This trail provides a mix of birding habitat from scrub, hardwood hammocks, flatlands, and coastal area. This trail is best birded by making frequent stops along the way and walk the area as habitat changes. The area at the entrance is good scrub habitat for fall, winter and spring passerines.

Fifty to sixty bird species are possible in a morning of birding along this trial. This is the southern boundary for Mississippi Kites and can be seen souring in the summer months.

Start birding at the entrance of the trail along the canal and the scrub area on the south side of the trail. Continue along the trail to the rock pile, left turn to the fence.

Walk this area west along the fence for sparrows in the winter. White-throated, song, savannah, vesper, swamp and eastern towhee have all been spotted in this area.

Continue west on this gravel trail and stop at any of the many overlooks on the canal and at the canoe put-in overlook on the south side of the trail at mile marker 4. A mix of hardwood forest, marsh, and swamp habitat provide for a variety of birds.

There is a 4-mile walk at the end of the driving trail to the coastal observation deck. Look along the trail for wading birds, hawks, bald eagles and ground doves. Spotted sandpipers are common along the canal.

At the end of the trail waders, pelicans, cormorants, hooded and red-breasted mergansers, common loons, American oystercatchers and other shorebirds can be seen. A spotting scope is in order at this site to scan the coastal waters for white pelicans, loons, golden eye and other off shore wintering birds.

Photography by Bill Garvin

The Felburn Trail

The Withlacoochee Bay Trail