Route #104 — Yankeetown · Inglis · Crystal River · Homosassa Springs · Freeman

This 75-mile route follows Florida’s Gulf Coast through Levy, Citrus, and Hernando counties, linking coastal towns, natural springs, and protected landscapes. The ride begins in Yankeetown at the mouth of the Withlacoochee River and continues through communities such as Inglis, Crystal River, Ozello, and Homosassa Springs before reaching the former settlement of Freeman.

The region is known for its remarkable freshwater springs, where clear water flows from underground caverns into rivers like the Crystal and Chassahowitzka. Thousands of acres of conservation land surround the route, including the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area, and sections of the Cross Florida Greenway, all part of a vast natural corridor along the Nature Coast.

Historic traces appear throughout the journey, from phosphate quarries rich in fossils to the remains of David Levy Yulee’s nineteenth-century sugar plantation near Homosassa. Fishing villages, early settlements, and long-lost towns reflect the area’s shifting economy and the changing use of the land over time.

In the final miles, the route passes through planned communities like Sugarmill Woods and Royal Highlands before reaching the sites of former lumber towns such as Centralia and Freeman. The ride offers a blend of coastal scenery, ecological diversity, and layers of history along Florida’s western shoreline.

The complete route, along with its detailed historical context, is part of Discovering Florida – Volume 5.