Discover Port Richey

If you’re planning to paddle, explore trails, or learn about local history during your stay, Port Richey offers several distinct themes. The destinations represent different types of outings. Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park combines coastal scenery with paddling opportunities; Old Post Road and Scenic Drive are reference points for trails, while Oelsner Mound provides a historical and archaeological focus.

Coastal Scenery and Paddling

Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park is located within Port Richey and protects four miles of coastline along the Gulf of America in western Pasco County. Visitors can bring their own kayaks and canoes or rent them in the park. This means both the protected coastline and specific paddling opportunities are themes you can consider when planning your stay.

Mangroves line the coast, so there are no beaches or swimming areas in the park. If you’re planning to visit this park for a beach or swimming getaway, keep this distinction in mind. The focus here is on coastal scenery and paddling, not on a beach or swimming area.

Port Richey’s only municipal boat ramp is located in Nick’s Park. Together with the kayak and canoe options at Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park, this gives you different starting points for activities on the water. When planning your trip, you can weigh these options according to the type of activity you have in mind.

Trails along Old Post Road and Scenic Drive

The Old Post Road Hike & Bike Trail runs along Old Post Road in Port Richey. Its name and connection to the road give you a specific point of reference if you’d like to include a walking or biking trail in your plans.

The Springs Trail is part of the Scenic Drive Trailhead at 10333 Scenic Drive in Port Richey. It is a short trail, about half a mile long. The two trail references differ in their location: the Old Post Road Hike & Bike Trail runs along a road, while the Springs Trail is located at the trailhead on Scenic Drive. This distinction can help you compare the trail options based on which location references are relevant to your plans.

Oelsner Mound and Its History

Oelsner Mound is the surviving remnant of a community from the late Weeden Island period, which was probably inhabited around 1000 AD. This approximate date makes the site a historical destination that reaches much further back than the later dates of its designation and preservation.

In 1983, the Pasco County Commission and the Historic Preservation Committee designated Oelsner Mound as a historic site. The property was transferred to Pasco County in 1989, with the requirement that the historic and archaeological significance of the Indian mound be preserved. The designation and subsequent transfer were separate milestones: the former recognized it as a historic site, while the latter ensured the preservation of the mound’s significance.

When choosing where to stay, you can weigh these themes against one another: paddling and coastal scenery, trails and their respective locations, or the history of Oelsner Mound. Then look for hotels in Port Richey that meet your personal needs, and review the specific options based on your travel plans.

Explore more destinations: Holiday, Bayonet Point, Trinity, Hudson, Zephyrhills, New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Dade City

Return to the main travel overview: Pasco.