Information to Florida’s Ichetucknee Springs State Park

For all of Florida’s fame as top-of-the-line states for seashores, the Sunshine State’s lush inside has some freshwater wonders value exploring, too. On a sizzling summer season day (or, let’s face it — within the sultry spring and fall months right here, too), there’s nothing I like higher for a cool-down than bypassing the busy, sunburnt seashores and loading up the automotive with my children to satisfy with pals at one of many state’s greater than 1,000 crystal-clear freshwater springs.

Whereas these pure wonders could be discovered and loved all around the state, the Florida springs I do know and love are discovered across the cities of Ocala, Gainesville, and Lake Metropolis in Central Florida — a simple drive north of Tampa, the place I stay.

Throughout my faculty days on the College of Florida, a favourite springtime ritual was to hit the Ichetucknee River and Ichetucknee Springs State Park to go tubing in waters as clear because the Caribbean.

The six-mile-long river is fed by eight main gin-clear springs, and the water stays a continuing 72 levels year-round. These temps can really feel brisk once you first dip in however provide much-appreciated refreshment when the mercury is pushing into the 80s or 90s in Florida, because it does for many of the yr.

And I’m hardly the one one in love with this place. “Ichetucknee stands out as some of the iconic outside spots within the state,” mentioned journey and outside author Kevin Mims.  “The headsprings and adjoining Blue Gap Spring are each havens for swimmers, snorkelers, divers, or simply anybody seeking to cool off in the summertime months.”

“Add in a basic tubing or paddling journey on the river and you’ve got a combo that simply can’t be beat. It truly is one in all my favourite journeys to take anyplace in Florida,” mentioned Mims.

Between the crystal-clear waters and the cover of historical cypress bushes hanging over its snaking path by way of lovely Florida forest, the surroundings feels straight out of a fairy story.

“It is a spot the place time slows down, inviting you to drift, discover, and lose your self in the fantastic thing about nature’s purest escape,” mentioned Konnie Patke, govt director of Florida’s Springlands, the tourism workplace for Central Florida’s Lake County.

Prepared for an Ichetucknee Springs State Park journey of your personal? Here is what you might want to know. 

Planning Your Go to

Like most of Florida’s lovely state parks, Ichetucknee Springs State Park welcomes guests all year long and is open from 8 a.m. to sundown, each day. Depend on about 2.5 hours to get right here in case you’re driving from Orlando Worldwide Airport (roughly 155 miles away) and a contact longer from Tampa Worldwide Airport (157 miles away). Jacksonville Worldwide Airport is even nearer at simply 1.5 hours (92 miles) away, and in case you’re flying into tiny Gainesville Regional Airport, the park is only a 50-minute (38-mile) drive away.

For those who’re planning to go tubing, be sure you put the park’s south most important entrance, alongside Freeway 27, into your GPS, as that’s the place all tubes and different watercraft are permitted to launch from. There’s restricted parking on the park’s north entrance, however that is the place it is best to head in case you plan to simply picnic and hike or in case you want to swim, snorkel, or scuba dive within the lovely waters of Blue Gap Spring, the place 67 million gallons of water are pumped up from the bottom day-after-day.

Most guests arrive on the park in a personal or rental automotive. Admission prices $6 per car for between two and eight passengers. For those who’re driving right here solo, it’s simply $4 to enter. Pedestrians and bicyclists get in for simply $2 an individual.

Whereas the park stays open till sunset, entry to the river put-in factors closes between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., relying on which launch level you select. All tubers are required to be off the river by 6 p.m.

With regards to the perfect instances to go to the park, the summer season months are usually the busiest however are additionally probably the most snug for floating within the chilly water for the reason that air temperature is sweet and heat.

To keep away from crowds, plan to go to exterior of that point, suggests Patke. “For these seeking to swim and paddle, the spring and fall could be a lot quieter and see much less crowds,” she mentioned.

Facilities listed here are fairly customary for Florida state parks and embody picnic areas with shaded benches and grills for barbecuing. A concessionaire throughout the park referred to as Paddling Adventures rents tubes and lifejackets, and there’s a devoted launch space within the river for canoes, kayaks and paddleboards.

There’s additionally a normal retailer on the park’s south entrance promoting cold and warm meals that embody burgers, wraps, salads, sandwiches, and ice cream in addition to water and different equipment like sunscreen, t-shirts, and paddling and swimming provides. A meals truck is usually parked onsite on the park’s north entrance close to the playground and swimming space, however don’t depend on it being there (so don’t come hungry, simply in case).

Accessible facilities on the park embody a chairlift for accessing the top spring on the north entrance, wheelchair-accessible picnic tables and grills, and wheelchair entry on the tram for tubers.

Showers can be found at bathtub homes on the park’s north and south entrances for rinsing off on the finish of the day.

Issues to Do

It’s simple to spend a complete day having fun with Ichetucknee Springs State Park, even when a tube run alongside the spring (see the subsequent part for more information on that) isn’t your most important mission.

Paddling

Whereas tubing is the preferred water sport on the park in the course of the summer season months, you’ll discover canoers, kayakers, and stand-up paddleboarders transferring quietly by way of these calm waters all yr spherical. You may hire tools on the park’s concessionaire, the place you can even prepare tram transport to retrieve you additional downstream and produce you again to the south entrance parking zone.

Wildlife Viewing

“People who float down the river will see varied species of turtle, fish, birds, and even manatees and river otters,” Patke mentioned. “The river is bordered by forests of oak, cypress, maple, and pine. The setting is true, pure Florida and due to this, there are alligators current.”

In my scores of instances tubing the river right here, I’ve by no means seen an alligator, however it’s finest to not enterprise into the thick crops lining the river, simply in case.

“Whereas most wildlife has little curiosity in people, it’s suggested to not feed, method, or try and frighten these animals,” mentioned Patke.

Swimming

You will have a couple of choices for going for a dip on the park. If I’m not planning to go tubing, I at all times head for the park’s north entrance to dip into the headspring, the place the freshwater bubbles up from deep within the Florida aquifer and the water’s depths replicate unbelievable shades of blue and inexperienced. I additionally like swimming at Blue Gap Spring right here, a brief stroll by way of the forest downstream. However take into account that the waters are deeper right here (bottoming out at about 32 toes, the place a protracted underground cave attracts divers). Currents could be stronger right here, too, so it’s not a spot to go along with younger children or weak swimmers.

All swimmers on the Ichetucknee River itself, exterior of the spring heads, are required to have a flotation system with them for security.

Scuba Diving

The visibility is just about countless for licensed scuba divers who descend into the beautiful waters right here, even when the marine life is proscribed to gar, catfish, turtles, and the like. Stroll the half-mile path from the headspring together with your gear to scuba dive at Blue Gap Spring (most divers consult with this spring as Jug Spring; carry a cart or wheelbarrow alongside to lighten the load). Solely cavern- or cave-certified divers are permitted to enter the spring vent because of the excessive danger of getting disoriented within the darkness inside. Swimmers and free divers ought to steer effectively away from the doorway.

Climbing

Hikers head to the north entrance of the park to entry three simple trails. The Blue Gap Path is simply half-mile lengthy and a straightforward meander by way of the forest and cypress floodplain to Blue Gap Spring. A contact longer, the Trestle Level Path has lovely views because it follows Ichetucknee River alongside a route used within the 1900s when phosphate was mined within the space. For an extended stroll, go for the two-mile loop referred to as the Pine Ridge Path to see fascinating sights like sandhill ecosystems the place longleaf pine bushes rise.You’ll wish to carry loads of water, bug spray, and sunscreen.

Tubing on the Park

Significantly in the course of the warmest months of the yr, renting a tube to drift down the Ichetucknee River is probably the most beloved exercise on the state park. You may carry your personal tube when you’ve got one, however it will probably’t be larger than 60 inches in diameter or include glitter, confetti, or different supplies which can be damaging to the setting.

Whereas the shallow northern a part of the river is closed to tubers, you may enter the water to tube from Midpoint or Dampier’s Touchdown (accessed through the south most important entrance of the park) all yr spherical. Make sure to not carry disposable objects like plastic baggage, plastic water bottles, and the like. Alcoholic drinks are additionally prohibited on the river.

Tubes and life jackets can be found for hire from the park’s concessionaire, and you’ll head to the Common Retailer, additionally on the south entrance, for tram schedules for the transport from the top of the tube run again to the south entrance parking space. Be sure to buy a wristband in case you plan to journey the tram again earlier than setting off.

For those who put in at Midpoint Touchdown (accessed by strolling together with your tube about .65 miles from the rental space), it’s roughly an hour float to Dampier’s Touchdown, relying on the movement price. From there, you may exit the water to stroll a quarter-mile again to the parking zone on the south entrance or select to proceed floating for one more hour onward to the ultimate take out level (from there, catch the tram service or stroll roughly half a mile again to the parking zone). Alternatively, comply with a path from behind the concessionaire’s constructing roughly 1 / 4 of a mile to the river and Dampier’s Touchdown for a shorter float of roughly an hour to the ultimate takeout level. Understand that float instances fluctuate with the movement price of the river, which might change in keeping with climate circumstances and different elements all year long.

Wildlife and Nature

You’re exploring the actual and wild Florida right here, so that you by no means know what you’re going to see. It’s enjoyable to carry a snorkel masks or goggles to see beneath the river’s floor and spot passing gar fish, diving birds, and turtles. Florida manatees can generally be seen within the Ichetucknee River in the course of the winter months, from October by way of March, after they arrive to feed on pastures of eelgrass and start their calves within the calm and guarded waters.

Different Florida wildlife you could get fortunate sufficient to identify within the space embody softshell turtles, wooden geese, gopher tortoises, wild turkeys, and even perhaps the elusive and endemic Bachman’s sparrow.

Alligators and snakes additionally dwell within the park, however it’s uncommon to see alligators within the river since they are usually shy and the water is cooler than they like. That mentioned, bear in mind that alligators can at all times be current in any freshwater space in Florida.

Ideas for Visiting

Plan to reach early in case you’re visiting over the weekend or in the course of the busy summer season months and public holidays, all of which have a tendency to attract massive teams seeking to tube.  “The state park does have each day limits on the variety of paddlers and tubers, and making a reservation forward of time is very beneficial,” mentioned Patke.

Go away your radios and waterproof audio system at dwelling; the purpose is to chill out in nature right here, and such objects are prohibited on the water.

Coolers and backpacks are additionally prohibited on the river. To remain refreshed, I at all times carry a reusable water bottle together with me and a carabiner to connect it to my tube’s deal with.

Pop by the customer middle — or higher but, name forward of your go to — to see what kind of particular programming may be occurring throughout your go to. You would possibly discover packages like moonlit paddles, guided historical past excursions, and even story time and pancakes feasts with the rangers.

To kick off the yr on a enjoyable be aware, each New 12 months’s Day on the park options guided hikes with rangers alongside the Pine Ridge and Trestle Level trails.

October is one in all my favourite instances to go to the park (after the crowds of summer season are gone). It often ushers in cooler climate and is a good time to see native wildflowers in bloom right here, too, significantly alongside the sandy ground of the Pine Ridge Path.

Throughout the summer season months, massive teams are inclined to arrive en masse initially of the day. To keep away from the crowds, plan to begin your tube run someday after noon as an alternative.