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Nature Coast

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Map of Florida's Nature Coast<---Map hasn't been colored in to show the counties. 15 Mar 2015.

The Nature Coast is a region of the U.S. state of Florida. The Nature Coast State Trail is officially designated as part of Florida’s Statewide System of Greenways and Trails.[1][dead link] It comprises the inside curve or Big Bend area of the western coast of the state and encompasses Citrus, Dixie, Hernando, Jefferson, Pasco, Levy, Taylor, and Wakulla counties. This region of Florida is culturally partially southern, with the Deep South culture extending to Levy County.

The lower southern end (Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus County) are often considered part of the Tampa Bay Area.

The Nature Coast covers eight different counties and part of one county (Dunnellon is a part of Marion County). It encompasses 980,000 acres (4,000 km2).

The name "Nature Coast" was devised in 1991 as part of a marketing campaign to attract vacationers to the nine county area. The name eventually began to be used locally, and describes the area formally known as the "Big Bend" of Florida.[2][dead link]

Activities common in this area include hunting, fishing, boating, bird watching and nature hiking. Snorkeling spots are found in the rivers along the Nature Coast. Diving and manatee tours are available, predominantly in areas such as Crystal River, Homosassa and Homosassa Springs.

The Naturecoast is home to wildlife including deer, wild pigs, roseate spoonbills, alligators, raccoons, opossums, snakes, great blue herons, egrets, turtles and at least 19 endangered species.

There are also 50 golf courses in the area.

See also

Citrus

Crystal River Archaeological State Park
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
Crystal River Preserve State Park
Hitters Hall of Fame
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Lake Rousseau
Ted Williams Baseball Museum
Withlacoochee State Trail
Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins State Historic Site

Hernando

The Heritage Museum
Weeki Wachee Springs
Nature Coast Botanical Gardens

Jefferson

Letchworth Mounds

Levy

Cedar Key Museum State Park
Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve
Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge
Fanning Springs State Park
Manatee Springs State Park
Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park
Goethe State Forest
Devil's Hammock Wildlife Management Area

Marion

Rainbow Springs State Park

Pasco

Pioneer Florida Museum and Village

Taylor

Forest Capital Museum State Park

Wakulla

Bradwell Bay Wilderness
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park
Ochlockonee River State Park
San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad Trail State Park

See also

References

  1. ^ "Nature Coast State Trail". State of Florida. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
  2. ^ St. Petersburg Times article, St. Petersburg Times - Feb 23, 1994