Crystal River Archaelogical State Park - Crystal River, FL - Florida State Parks

A National Historic Landmark, this 61-acre, pre-Columbian, Native American site has burial mounds, temple/platform mounds, a plaza area and a substantial midden. The six-mound complex is one of the longest continuously occupied sites in Florida. For 1,600 years the site served as an imposing ceremonial center for Native Americans. People traveled to the complex from great distances to bury their dead and conduct trade. It is estimated that as many as 7,500 Native Americans may have visited the complex every year. Although primarily an archaeological site, the park sits on the edge of an expansive coastal marsh. Anglers may catch saltwater and freshwater fish. As part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, the park offers bird-watchers the chance to observe a variety of birds. The Crystal River Archaeological State Park has gone through some changes in the past several months. When you visit you will notice that a great deal of vegetation has been removed from the cultural features and other areas of the mound complex. This was done to allow effective cultural management and for research to be conducted by an archaeological field school using archaeologists and students from the University of West Florida and the University of South Florida. This research recorded data from a variety of remote sensing techniques that will provide some knowledge of sub-surface strata with out actual ground disturbance. This will heighten our understanding of the site and the people that used it.