If you’ve been missing that little ferry ride and the feeling of stepping onto a quiet river island, you’re not alone. Keep reading to learn what’s new as historic hontoon island park reopens, how to make the most of your visit, and what you’ll miss—calm trails, river light, and easy adventure—if you only read the headline and move on.

A long-awaited return to the river

After three years of closure following hurricane damage, Hontoon Island State Park in DeLand, Florida, is welcoming visitors back at last. The park sits on a 1,648-acre island in the St. Johns River, surrounded by wetlands, hammocks, and cypress swamp, and it can only be reached by boat or the park-operated passenger ferry.

That short crossing is part of the magic. You leave your car behind on the mainland, step onto the ferry, and glide across a narrow stretch of water with tall trees closing in around you. As you dock and walk up from the river, hontoon island park feels like a small, self-contained world where time moves at a gentler pace.

Daily ferry service is back, typically running from 8:00 a.m. until two hours before sundown, with the last boat leaving the island one hour before closing. It’s a simple system, but it shapes the rhythm of your day: arrive early, linger long, and let the river crossing bookend your time on the island. Getting to hontoon island park already feels like an adventure before you even set foot on a trail.

What you can do on the island now

Once you’re on the island, the big joy is how quiet it is. No motor vehicles are allowed other than mobility devices, so you explore on foot, by bike, or by paddle. That alone makes conversations softer, bird calls clearer, and the crunch of sand and leaves underfoot oddly satisfying. On hontoon island park, the travel itself becomes part of the experience.

Hiking is one of the best ways to get a feel for the landscape. A 3.4-mile nature trail and other sandy roads and paths take you through pine flatwoods, palm and oak hammocks, and out to river overlooks. You’re walking in a place shaped by centuries of Indigenous history, with shell mounds and cultural sites that hint at how people once lived along this river. Even if you’re just out for a casual stroll, every step on hontoon island park carries a sense of that deeper story.

The water is another star of the show. You can paddle along the St. Johns River and nearby channels, watching for herons, egrets, turtles, and other wildlife that thrive in this quiet stretch of Central Florida. Guided by rentals and services operated under the Adventures Unbound Sunshine Collection umbrella, visitors can connect this island experience with other nearby parks and waterways for a bigger, nature-focused escape.

Overnight stays—whether in primitive tent sites or rustic cabins—have long been part of the park’s charm. Amenities at Hontoon include tent sites, simple cabins, and overnight boat slips, though some facilities have been reopening in phases after the storms. If you’re dreaming of waking up to river mist and birdsong on hontoon island park, it’s wise to check the latest status before you book.

Planning your visit to Hontoon Island

The first step in planning is timing. Because ferry hours are tied to daylight, your day naturally stretches from a calm, mid-morning arrival to a golden-hour departure. Building your schedule around those crossings encourages you to slow down: maybe start with a hike, pause for a long picnic, then finish with a short paddle or riverside wander before heading back from hontoon island park.

Next, think about how active you want to be. You can treat this as a full adventure day—hike a loop, rent a kayak, ride bikes along the sandy roads—or keep it simple with short walks, quiet reading spots, and wildlife watching from shaded picnic tables. Because the island is compact and car-free, it’s easy to adjust on the fly based on the weather, your energy, or the mood of your group.

Finally, remember that this is now part of a bigger story. Outdoor activities, ferry service, and rentals here are operated by Adventures Unbound, connecting hontoon island park with other Sunshine Collection destinations across Florida. That means your day on the island can be one chapter in a longer journey that includes springs, rivers, beaches, and more time outside.

So yes, “Historic Hontoon Island State Park reopens after three-year closure” is more than just a headline—it’s a fresh invitation. If you stop here, you’ll know the basics. But if you keep going, plan your crossing, and give yourself a full day on hontoon island park, you’ll remember the feeling of that quiet river island long after you’ve stepped back onto the mainland.