Crews Lake Wilderness Park is located off Shady Hills Road in

Pasco County, Florida Pasco County is located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. According to the 2020 census, the population was 561,691. Its county seat is Dade City, and its largest city is Zephyrhills. The county is named after Samuel Pasco ...

. The park includes hiking trails, a short paved bike trail, playground, wooden tower, athletic fields, and the gauge Central Pasco & Gulf Railroad. Rides on the

miniature A miniature is a small-scale reproduction, or a small version. It may refer to: * Portrait miniature, a miniature portrait painting * Miniature art, miniature painting, engraving and sculpture * Miniature (chess), a masterful chess game or problem ...

railroad are offered the second Saturday of every month. The lake is the source for the

Pithlachascotee River The Pithlachascotee River, often called the Cotee or "Cootie" River, is a blackwater river in Pasco County, Florida. Originating near Crews Lake, the river flows for over U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flo ...

Jumping Gully Preserve Jumping Gully Preserve is an area of protected land in Spring Hill, Florida. The are located north of SR 52 and west of U.S. Highway 41 at 18812 Fishburne Drive, northeast of the Crews Lake Wilderness Area. Prescribed burns are used to maintain t ...

is adjacent to the park. Crews Lake, along with Moon Lake, reached its lowest recorded level in 2009 before slowly regaining some depth with heavier rains in the summer of 2010.Eric Horch
Study helps explain Moons and Crews lakes slow recharge rate despite recent rains and aquifer recovery
; Geology, topography of north-central Pasco make area lakes especially dependent on rainfall August 22, 2010 Sunoast News The lake has recovered further due to the rains produced by

Tropical Storm Debby (2012) Tropical Storm Debby was a tropical cyclone that caused extensive flooding in North Florida and Central Florida during late June 2012. The fourth tropical cyclone and Tropical cyclone naming, named storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, Deb ...

, up to the point of flooding dirt pathways and areas near pavilions, as of October, 2016.

References

External links

Florida Nature Coast - Pasco County - Crews Lake Wilderness Park
Visitor's information (includes short video tour)
Central Pasco & Gulf Railroad
official website Parks in Pasco County, Florida Geography of Florida 7½ in gauge railways {{PascoCountyFL-geo-stub