Editor’s note: This is the next in a series on outdoor water activities available in northwest Florida.

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Chassahowitizka: Hidden gem in southwest Citrus County

Haven for kayaks, canoes

BUSTER THOMPSON/Chronicle fileVisitors launch their kayaks from the Chassahowitzka River Campground into the river.

The Chassahowitzka river is a gorgeous six-mile river that runs to the Gulf of Mexico and is a favorite of kayakers, photographers, and wildlife enthusiasts.

The first half of the river is fed by spring-fed tributaries and features a forest of wet-land trees and jungle-type scenery. Three miles out, it widens into a broad view of saw grass, bright blue skies and the occasional hardwood haddock.

Visitors get the chance to see everything from dolphins and turtles to hawks, hummingbirds, and herons.

The river entrance lays inside the Chassahowitzka campground, which offers kayak, canoe, johnboat rentals for $35 and paddleboard rentals for $40. There are no hiking trails on the campground.

Fishing is also a popular activity, both saltwater and freshwater.

RV hookup sites cost $38, primitive camping sites are $23 and RV rentals are $70 per day for two people. Each additional adult or child over 12 are $5.

Parking is $25 per vehicle and $7 for a trailer. Two leashed pets are allowed with proof of shots.

The campground is located at 8600 W Miss Maggie Drive, Chassahowitzka, Fl 34448. Take a left from the Suncoast parkway

onto US 98, then keep straight through the US 19 intersection to the end of Miss Maggie Drive.

Amenities include a camp store, bathrooms, showers, WiFi, a recreation building with a/c and kayak storage.

The park is open from 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year.

The swimming area opens at 9 a.m.

352-382-2200 u chassahowitzkaflorida.com

compiled by Julia Grady-Weil/Citrus County Chronicle

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