Bayport Park

4140 Cortez Blvd., Spring Hill, FL, 34607

At the end of Cortez Boulevard, where the Weeki Wachee River meets the Gulf, Bayport Park is the sort of place that rewards the drive. A narrow peninsula runs out into salt marsh and open water, and the park fills most of it: a fishing pier at the tip, two boat ramps, a kayak and canoe launch, a boardwalk with wide views of the river mouth, and picnic areas along the way. Hernando County Parks and Recreation manages the park, which is marketed alongside the Weekiwachee Preserve and is shared with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, which owns land added in a 2008 expansion. The grounds now cover roughly seven acres. Visitors will find picnic tables, barbecue grills and picnic shelters, one pavilion that can be reserved, restrooms, and extra parking for cars and boat trailers. The county lists bird watching among the park's draws, and visitors often come for the sunsets and the chance to see manatees from the dock. There are no lifeguards, and the county advises swimmers to swim at their own risk. The site has a long history. The park opened in the 1950s with a boat launch and a fishing pier on a small historic tract, and the point is known as the site of a Confederate battery during the Civil War. The nearby town of Bayport was a busy supply and shipping port in the 1850s, and for a short time was the county seat. A $1.4 million renovation led to a rededication in 2008, and the pier was rebuilt after Hurricane Hermine's 2016 storm surge, reopening in September 2020 at a cost of nearly $920,000, about three-quarters of it covered by federal disaster funds. Practicalities: online map listings show the park open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, though the county does not publish official hours on its park page, and the boat ramp area is described by several sources as open around the clock. Parking is listed as a fee amenity, and the county's All Parks Parking Pass, which covers boat-ramp parking, is listed at $53.25 per vehicle. Pavilion rentals go through the county Recreation Office at (352) 754-4031, which takes applications by email or fax and issues permits by email. Facilities at older waterfront parks can close for repairs, particularly after storms, and the county has a restroom replacement planned in its capital program. Visitors planning a trip, especially with boats or a reserved pavilion, should call the Parks and Recreation office to confirm conditions before heading out.