Anclote River Park
North coast launch
Anclote River Park is a north-coast kayak and paddleboard launch, free to park, clearest on an incoming tide.
A wide, easy launch at the river's mouth where Tarpon Springs meets the Gulf. The sandy beach put-in means no slippery ramp drama, and from the water you can see the historic sponge docks a mile upriver. Tarpon Springs has been the sponge-diving capital of the U.S. since Greek divers settled here in 1905, and the docks still smell faintly of the Mediterranean. Paddle west and you're in open Gulf within fifteen minutes; paddle east and the river narrows into mangrove. Dolphins work the river mouth when the tide pushes in, herding mullet into the shallows. Manatees come through on warm winter days, nosing into the protected pockets. The park itself has shaded picnic areas if you want to make a half-day of it.
Where do I park, and is it free?
- Cost
- Free
- Parking
- Ample
Big county park at the river mouth: free car parking, around 80 trailer spots, restrooms, and rinse-off showers. Launch your board off the sandy beach, away from the boat-ramp lanes, which get busy and a little chaotic on weekends.
How clear is the water?
Cleanest when the tide is coming in: fresh Gulf water washes the river-mouth murk back upstream
What will I see?
- Dolphins work the river mouth on incoming tide
- Manatees move through on warm days
What's the fishing like?
Snook, redfish, and trout at the river mouth; sheepshead around structure, with Spanish mackerel and tarpon near the islands in season.
How do I share the water here?
Dolphins work this river mouth on the incoming tide and manatees nose into the protected pockets here in winter, so keep a slow, quiet line and let them pass without following. If you head east into the narrowing mangrove, watch your fin over the seagrass and oyster edges and stay in the deeper water rather than pushing across the flats.