Extending for four miles along the Gulf coast of Pasco County, Werner-Boyce Salt Springs is one of Florida's newest state parks. Land acquisition began in 1992 with a combinations of purchases and gifts from Pasco County, the state of Florida, and the Werner and Boyce families.  While most of the park is undeveloped, new facilities are currently underway.

Most of the park's 3,999 acres are wetlands consisting of mangrove islands and salt marshes. This makes it a fisherman's and kayaker's paradise where it is easy to get lost in the numerous tidal creeks and lakes. There are no beaches or swimming areas ... so once you leave your launch point, you are face-to-face with the "Real Florida". Motorboating - including airboats and jetskis, are allowed in the coastal waters of the park. But kayaks, stand-up-paddleboards, and canoes are the preferred mode for exploring.

Even though the main entrance to Werner-Boyce Salt Springs is from U.S. 19 in a bustling business district, you quickly leave all that behind as you enter the park. A new kayak launch, restroom facility, and concession area were completed in the summer of 2017. Hiking trails lead from the main parking area, taking you through marshy and forested areas, and along spring fed streams and bayous. Although the park is home to several natural springs, the main "Salt Spring" is in a secluded section just off one of the trails. While not impressive to view from the surface, the second-magnitude spring is 320 feet deep. While much of it has been explored by professional diving expeditions, portions remain a mystery.

There are two other public access points to the park. There is an entrance at the west end of State Road 52 where you'll find a short trail leading out onto into the salt marsh. Along Scenic Drive at Cinema Drive there is also an entrance that includes a small picnic area, restrooms, and a half mile loop trail that winds through a densely forested hammock. See the Maps page for links to maps for all the hiking and paddling trails in Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park.

Along the Gulf coast, midway into the park, there is an overnight camping shelter at Hope Bayou.  Often used as a meeting spot for air-boaters, the covered pavilion is a popular kayaker's waypoint while paddling the Florida circumnavigational trail. All together there are 12 different tidal streams that feed into the Gulf of Mexico within the boundaries of the park. All can be explored by adventurous and ambitious kayakers - but beware of the tides.

Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park is home to a large number of water fowl ... including egrets, great blue heron, white ibis, wood storks, osprey, eagles, and roseate spoonbills. Many of these species are endangered, but they are easy to spot here. Several pairs of bald eagles make their home in the park - you can see one nest from the main parking area.Activities & Facilities

Dogs allowedShort hiking trailsLong hiking trailsPaved bike trailsMountain bike trailsOpen gulf kayakingRiver or lake kayakingFishing

• Florida State Park website for Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park
• Salt Springs Alliance Citizen Support Organization
• Main entrance map
• 2013 Unit Management Plan