Springs Fever: A Field & Recreation Guide to 500 Florida Springs.

Spring Lists

Superlative Springs, Springs Recommended for Swimming, Snorkeling, Young Children, Canoeing, Camping, and with Access for People with Disabilities

Superlative Springs

The springs that follow should be on every spring lover's must-see list.  They are included below because they possess one or more (often several) of the following attributes:


As the authors have not visited every Florida spring (alas), this list and all the lists that follow are necessarily incomplete.  The authors' judgments are also subjective; each spring visitor will make her or his own decision about what makes a spring special, appealing, or unique.  This list and those that follow are in alphabetical order.  Some of the springs on this list are not currently accessible - such sites are marked with an asterisk (*).  All these springs have full descriptions with photos and directions in the Guide.

Springs Recommended for Swimming

The following springs are generally recommended as having good opportunities for swimming.  The list does not include sites that are on private property or that otherwise have limited access, dangerous conditions, or other conditions that mitigate against safe and enjoyable swimming.

1. 47 Boatramp Spring
2. Alexander Spring
3. Betty Spring
4. Big (or Big Blue) Spring
5. Blue Hole (or Blue Spring or Jug Spring, Ichetucknee)
6. Blue Hole Spring (Florida Caverns State Park)
7. Blue Spring (Citrus)
8. Blue Spring (Gilchrist)
9. Blue Spring (Levy)
10. Blue Spring (Madison)
11. Blue Spring (Marianna)
12. Blue Springs (Volusia)
13. Blue Spring (Washington)
14. Blue Spring (Lafayette)
15. Branford Springs
16. Charles Spring
17. Chassahowitzka Solution Holes Group
18. Convict Spring
19. Cow Spring
20. Cypress Springs
21. DeLeon Spring
22. Devil's Eye (or Boiling) Spring (Ichetucknee)
23. Devil's Eye Spring (Santa Fe)
24. Dogwood Spring
25. Falmouth Spring
26. Fanning Springs
27. Ginnie Spring
28. Green Cove Spring at pool adjacent to spring
29. Hart Springs Group
30. Homosassa Spring (Main)
31. Hornsby Spring
32. Ichetucknee (or Head) Spring
33. Idiot's Delight
34. July Spring
35. Juniper Springs
36. Lily Springs
37. Lithia Springs
38. Little Devil Spring
39. Little Gem Spring' wading and play area
40. Manatee Springs
41. Mearson Spring
42. Morrison Spring
43. Naked Spring
44. Oasis Spring
45. Pitt Spring
46. Poe Springs
47. Ponce de Leon Spring
48. Pot Spring
49. Rainbow Springs Group
50. Rock Bluff Springs
51. Rock Springs
52. Royal Spring
53. Rum Island Spring
54. Salt Springs (Marion)
55. Shangri-La Spring
56. Silver Glen Springs
57. Sweetwater Spring
58. Telford Spring
59. Three Sisters Springs
60. Troy Spring
61. Vortex (Blue) Spring
62. Wakulla Springs
63. Wekiwa Springs
64. Williford Spring
 
 

Springs Recommended for Snorkeling

The following springs are generally recommended as having good opportunities for snorkeling.  A distinction is made between swimming and good snorkeling.  Snorkelers are particularly interested in seeing what is going on beneath the surface, while swimmers typically are not.  Some good swimming spots (e.g., Blue Hole Spring in Florida Caverns State Park) are not particularly good for snorkeling, and vice versa.  As noted in the introduction, this publication does not focus on scuba diving.  However, most of the springs listed below would also make for good scuba diving as well.
 

1. 47 Boatramp Spring
2. Adams Spring
3. ALA112971
4. ALA930972
5. Alexander Spring
6. Allen Spring (or COL428982, Columbia)
7. Baltzell (or Bosel or Bozell) Springs Group (4)
8. Bathtub Spring
9. Beckton Spring
10. Betty Spring
11. Big (or Big Blue) Spring
12. Blue Hole (or Blue Spring or Jug Spring, Ichetucknee)
13. Blue Spring (Citrus)
14. Blue Spring (Gilchrist)
15. Blue Spring (Levy)
16. Blue Spring (Econfina Creek)
17. Blue Spring (Madison)
18. Blue Spring (Marianna)
19. Blue Springs (Volusia)
20. Blue Spring (Lafayette)
21. Buzzard (or Buzzer's) Log Spring
22. Cassidy (or Cassida) Spring
23. Catfish Spring
24. Cedar Island Spring
25. Charles Spring
26. Chassahowitzka Solution Holes Group
27. COL1012972
28. COL101971
29. COL928971
30. Columbia Spring
31. Convict Spring
32. Cow Spring
33. The Crack (or Miss Maggie's Crack)
34. Crystal River Springs Group
35. Cypress Springs
36. DeLeon Spring
37. Devil's Ear Spring
38. Devil's Eye (or Boiling) Spring (Ichetucknee)
39. Devil's Eye Spring (Santa Fe)
40. Dogwood Spring
41. Ellaville Spring
42. Emerald Spring
43. Falmouth Spring
44. Fanning Springs
45. Gainer Springs Group
46. Gator (or Gator Hole) Springs
47. GIL1012971
48. GIL1012973
49. GIL107971
50. GIL99972
51. Ginnie Spring
52. Grand Canyon Spring
53. Hart Springs Group
54. Homosassa Spring (Main)
55. Hornsby Spring
56. Ichetucknee (or Head) Spring
57. Idiot's Delight
58. July Spring
59. Juniper Springs
60. Jurassic Spring
61. King's (or Tarpon) Spring
62. Lily Springs
63. Lithia Springs
64. Little Devil Spring
65. Little Gem Spring
66. Little River Spring
67. Manatee Springs
68. McCormick Springs
69. Mearson Spring
70. Morrison Spring
71. Mullet's Gullet Spring
72. Myrtle's Fissure
73. Naked Spring
74. Oasis Spring
75. Otter Springs
76. Peacock Spring
77. Pitt Spring
78. Poe Springs
79. Ponce de Leon Spring
80. Pot Spring
81. Rainbow Springs Group
82. Rock Bluff Springs
83. Rock Springs
84. Royal Spring
85. Running Springs
86. Salt Springs (Marion)
87. Shangri-La Spring
88. Silver Glen Springs
89. Spring Creek Group
90. Sunbeam Spring
91. Sweetwater Spring
92. Sylvian (or Sullivan) Springs
93. Telford Spring
94. Three Sisters Springs
95. Trail/Pleasant Grove Spring
96. Treehouse Spring
97. Troy Spring
98. Vortex (Blue) Spring
99. Wakulla Springs
100. Wekiwa Springs
101. Williford Spring
 
 

Springs Recommended for Young Children

The following springs are generally recommended as being good and safe for children, especially young children.  Most of these sites have shallow and open areas and little or no danger from alligators.  Only a few springs have lifeguards.  Some of the springs are in park areas that can keep young children happy and occupied, but the spring itself at the site may not be appropriate for little kids to swim or wade.  These sites are marked with an asterisk*.

1. Alexander Spring
2. Betty Spring
3. Blue Hole Spring (Florida Caverns State Park)
4. Blue Spring (Gilchrist)
5. Blue Spring (Lafayette) - good wading area at mouth of spring run
6. Blue Spring (Levy)
7. Blue Spring (Madison)
8. Blue Spring (Marianna)
9. Blue Springs* (Volusia)
10. Blue Spring (Washington)
11. Cedar Island Spring*
12. Charles Spring*
13. Crystal River Springs Group*
14. Cypress Springs
15. Eureka Springs*
16. Fanning Springs
17. Fern Hammock Springs*
18. Gemini Springs*
19. Ginnie Spring
20. Green Cove Spring - at pool adjacent to spring
21. Hart Springs Group
22. Hornsby Spring*
23. Ichetucknee (or Head) Spring
24. Juniper Springs
25. Lily Springs
26. Lime Spring's--mouth of run fun for playing when flowing
27. Lithia Springs
28. Little Gem Spring's wading and play area
29. Little River Spring - crowds can be rowdy
30.  Manatee Mineral Spring*
31. Manatee Springs
32. Myrtle's Fissure*
33. Naked Spring*
34. Oasis Spring
35. Otter Springs
36. Philippe Spring*
37. Pitt Spring--crowds can be rowdy
38. Poe Springs
39. Ponce de Leon Spring
40. Pot Spring
41. Rainbow Springs Group--not much of a shallow area
42. Ravine State Gardens Spring Group/Whitewater Springs*
43. Rock Springs*
44. Royal Spring - crowds can be rowdy
45. Rum Island Spring - crowds can be rowdy
46. Salt Springs (Marion)
47. Silver Glen Spring*
48. Silver Springs
49. Suwannee Springs*--beach and shallow areas fun for playing
50. Sweetwater Spring
51. Telford Spring--crowds can be rowdy
52. Vortex (Blue) Spring--crowds can be rowdy
53. Wakulla Springs
54. Wekiwa Springs*
55. White Sulfur Springs*
56. Williford Spring
57.  Zolfo Spring*
 
 

Springs With Canoeing Opportunities

The following springs offer canoeing at or near the spring.  In many cases, the spring is along or adjacent to a river with canoe access.  The full descriptions in the document identify places where canoes or small boats may be launched--in most cases it is not at the spring itself.  Some springs are much harder to reach than others.

47 Boatramp Spring
ALA112971
Treehouse Spring
ALA930972
Alapaha Rise
Alexander Spring
Allen Mill Pond Spring--mouth of run only
Allen Spring (or COL428982, Columbia)
Allen Spring (Jefferson)
Baltzell (or Bosel or Bozell) Springs Group (4)
Beckton Spring
Betty Spring
Big (or Big Blue) Spring
Black Spring
Blue Spring (Citrus)
Blue Spring (Gilchrist)
Blue Spring (Econfina Creek)
Blue Spring (Madison)
Blue Spring (Marianna)
Blue Spring (Lafayette)
Buzzard (or Buzzer's) Log Spring
Campground Spring
Cassidy (or Cassida) Spring
Catfish Spring
Cedar Head Spring
Charles Spring
Chassahowitzka Solution Holes Group (4-5)
Chassahowitzka Spring (Devil's Punchbowl)
Coffee Springs
COL1012972
COL1012971
COL101971
COL101974
COL101975
COL428981
COL917971
COL928971
COL930971
Columbia Spring
Convict Spring
Copper Spring
Cork Spring
Crab Spring (or McCrabb spring)
The Crack (or Miss Maggie's Crack)
Crystal River Springs Group (30)
Cypress Springs (2)
Darby Spring
Deer Spring
DeLeon Spring
Devil's Ear Spring
Devil's Eye (or Boiling) Spring (Ichetucknee)
Devil's Eye Spring (Santa Fe)
Dogwood Spring
Double Spring
Ellaville Spring
Emerald Spring
Fanning Springs
Fern Hammock Springs
Flynn Spring
Gainer Springs Group (3+)
Gator Spring
GIL1012971
GIL1012972
GIL1012973
GIL101971
GIL107971
GIL729971
GIL729972
GIL729973
GIL917971
GIL928971
GIL928972
GIL99971
GIL99972
GIL99974
Ginnie Spring
Glowing Spring
Grassy Hole Spring
Guaranto Spring
Hart Springs Group (4)
Hidden Spring
Homosassa Spring (Main)
Horsehead Spring
Ichetucknee (or Head) Spring
Gator (or Gator Hole) Springs
Grand Canyon Spring
Hunter (or American Legion) Spring
Idiot's Delight
Independence Spring
Indian Washtub Spring
Iron (or Wesson's Iron) Spring
JEF312991
JEF64991
JEF64992
JEF64993
Jonathan Spring (or COL101972)
July Spring
Jurassic Spring
King's (or Tarpon) Spring
LAF924971
Lettuce Spring
Lily Springs
Lime Spring
Lithia Springs (2)
Little Blue Spring
Little Copper Spring
Little Devil Spring
Little Gem Spring
Little Hidden Spring
Little River Spring
Log Spring
Louisa Spring
Manatee Springs
Mattair Spring
McCormick Springs (3+)
McCrabb Spring
Mearson Spring
Mill Pond Springs
Minnow Spring
Mission/Fig/Roaring/Singing Springs (5+)
Morrison Spring
Mullet's Gullet
Myrtle's Fissure
Nutall Rise
Oak Spring
Oasis Spring
Perry Spring
Pickard Spring
Pitt Spring
Poe Springs
Pot Spring
Pothole Spring
Potter Spring
Priest Springs
Rainbow Springs Group (10+)
Rock Bluff Springs
Rock Springs
Rosseter Spring
Royal Spring
Rum Island Spring
Running Springs (1 & 2)
Salt Springs (Citrus)
Salt Springs (Marion)
Sandbag Spring
Santa Fe Rise
Sawdust Spring
Shangri-La Spring
Shepherd Spring
Shingle Spring
Silver Springs
Springboard Spring
Spring Creek Group (8+)
Steinhatchee Rise
Sulfur Spring
Sunbeam Spring
SUW107971
SUW917971
SUW917972
Suwannacoochie Spring
Suwannee Blue Spring
Suwannee Springs
Sweetwater Spring
Sylvian (or Sullivan) Springs
Tanner (or Morgan's) Spring
Telford Spring
Thomas Spring (Jefferson)
Thomas Spring (Suwannee)
Three Sisters Springs
Trail/Pleasant Grove Spring
Troy Spring
Turtle Spring
Twin Caves Spring
Twin Spring
Unnamed Banana Island Spring #1-5
Vortex (Blue) Spring
Wacissa Spring
Walsingham Spring
Wekiwa Springs (2)
White Sulfur Springs
Williford Spring
Wilson Springs
 
 

Springs With or Near for Camping

The following springs have camping--from primitive sites to facilities including bathrooms, running water, electricity, and other amenities - either at the spring or nearby.  Some of the campgrounds are part of the state or federal park system, and others are owned privately.  Some sites require reservations and others do not.  If the full spring descriptions for these sites include contact information, it is recommended that you call in advance and ask about availability, amenities, and related details.
 

1. Alexander Spring
2. Bosel (or Bozell) Springs Group
3. Blue Hole (or Blue Spring or Jug Spring, Ichetucknee)
4. Blue Hole Spring (Florida Caverns State Park)
5. Blue Spring (Citrus)
6. Blue Spring (Gilchrist)
7. Blue Spring (Lafayette)
8. Blue Spring (Madison)
9. Blue Springs (Volusia)
10. Blue Spring (Washington)
11. Campground Spring
12. Chassahowitzka Solution Holes Group
13. Chassahowitzka Spring (Devil's Punchbowl)
14. Chattahoochee Spring
15. Coffee Springs
16. Convict Spring
17. Crab Spring (or McCrabb spring)
18. The Crack (or Miss Maggie's Crack)
19. Crystal River Springs Group
20. Cypress Springs
21. Deer Spring
22. Devil's Ear Spring
23. Devil's Eye (or Boiling) Spring (Ichetucknee)
24. Devil's Eye Spring (Santa Fe)
25. Dogwood Spring
26. Ellaville Spring
27. Falmouth Spring
28. Fern Hammock Springs
29. Ginnie Spring
30. Grassy Hole Spring
31. Hart Springs Group
32. Homosassa Spring (Main)
33. Homosassa Spring (headwaters)
34. Hornsby Spring
35. Ichetucknee (or Head) Spring
36. Indian Springs (Wakulla)
37. Johnson Spring
38. July Spring
39. Juniper Springs
40. Lily Springs
41. Lime Spring
42. Lithia Springs
43. Little Blue Spring
44. Little Devil Spring
45. Little Gem Spring
46. Manatee Springs
47. McBride Slough Spring
48. McCrabb Spring
49. Mission/Fig/Roaring/Singing Springs
50. Naked Spring
51. Otter Springs
52. Pickard Spring
53. Potter Spring
54. Rainbow Springs Group
55. Ruth Spring (Citrus)
56. Salt Springs (Citrus)
57. Salt Springs (Marion)
58. Sawdust Spring
59. Silver Glen Springs
60. Suwannacoochie Spring
61. Sweetwater Spring
62. Trail/Pleasant Grove Spring
63. Vortex (Blue) Spring
64. Wekiwa Springs
 
 

Springs With Good Access for People with Disabilities

The following 50 springs sites have areas with level or paved trails, boardwalks, easy access to or near the water (i.e., no steps), handicap-accessible restrooms, and/or other ADA-complying facilities.  In several cases, it is possible to drive to within a few feet of the spring.  In other cases, there are paved sidewalks to or near the springs, but one must travel some distance on the path to the spring (as much ¼ mile at Poe and Blue Hole Springs).  Note:  Springs that only have access by canoe or boat are not included.  Once in a boat or canoe, however, one can go right up to most of the springs on the canoe list above.
 

Blue Hole (or Blue Spring or Jug Spring, Ichetucknee)--long walk, part of path is dirt.  Currently closed for plant restoration.
Blue Hole Spring (Florida Caverns State Park)
Blue Spring (Marianna)
Blue Springs (Volusia)
Cypress Springs
DeLeon Spring
Devil's Ear Spring
Devil's Eye (or Boiling) Spring (Ichetucknee)
Devil's Eye Spring (Santa Fe)
Dogwood Spring
Eureka Springs
Fanning Springs
Fern Hammock Springs
Gemini Springs (long path)
Ginnie Spring
Green Cove Spring
Guaranto Spring
Hart Springs Group
Hightower Springs
Homosassa Spring (Main)
Hornsby Spring
Ichetucknee (or Head) Spring
Independence Spring
Juniper Springs
Lithia Springs
Little Devil Spring
Manatee Springs
Morrison Spring
Orange Grove Spring
Panacea Mineral Springs
Peacock Spring
Philippi Spring
Pitt Spring
Poe Springs (v. long pathway)
Ponce de Leon Spring
Rainbow Springs Group
Rock Springs
Sally Ward Spring
Salt Springs (Marion)
Silver Glen Springs
Silver Springs
Steinhatchee Spring
Sulphur Spring (Hillsborough)
Tarpon Spring
Vortex (Blue) Spring
Wacissa Spring
Wakulla Springs
Waldo Spring
Warm Mineral Spring
Wekiwa Springs
White Sulfur Springs