Ichetucknee Springs State Park

One of the best springs around for families! And don’t skip the hiking trails at the north entrance, either! You can bring your dog on them! There’s also restroom facilities everywhere you turn, more than one gift shop/store and even a playground right near the main spring head on the north side so kids can get out and warm up periodically! Phenomenal experience all around! There was also lots of picnic tables in the shade and even a food truck!

We had an amazing time! The cabins were lovely, featuring a window air conditioning unit that I didn't expect, along with a table and four chairs, two rocking chairs, and a broom. The beds were comfortable for the kids, and I even managed to fit a full-size inflatable air mattress in there too. The bathrooms were surprisingly clean for a campground. The spring was just a two-minute drive away, with the river where you can canoe, kayak or tube down is like 5 minutes drive away the scenery was stunning all around, making it a really enjoyable experience. The only downside was the lights out at 11:00; the kids were on vacation and wanted to have some fun. Also a little different that we had two houses behind us. However, you can still relax by the campfire with some ambient noise. We definitely plan to visit this campground again.

This was our second visit this summer. I am always impressed with how well-run the park is. I feel safe, the general store is well-stocked with items both useful and fun, the food is excellent and the park is stunning. I am looking forward to seeing the north portion of the river open back up once the hurricane damage is cleaned up!

Super public, so crowded. There are 2 swimming holes. One is shallow and the other is just a deep hole with no where to stand. The deep hole is about a 10 minute walk through the forest. Park Rangers are set upbatbthe spring head. There is a food truck with desserts and drinks. Bathrooms. $6/for my car with 4 people in it.

We took the kids to Ichetucknee for the day on a Monday, had a group of 6. There were more people than I expected at the park, but it wasn't packed. We did the tube run first and we had to launch at Dampier. They do not allow you to launch anywhere else, Midway is closed due to hurricane damage. No food, drinks or disposable items allowed on the river, they will check your things. The run was .75 miles, and the current is very strong. I was snorkeling, but it was hard to stay with the floats and keep my mask on with the fast current, so we tied our tubes to the kayak so we could stay together. There were some shallow spots along the run, so we were able to stop and regroup. The kids found a tree to jump off of, so we hung out there for a while. The kids loved it! Saw lots of turtles and huge fish, but I didn't see any gators. The water is darker than the Silver River or the Rainbow, and it's not as wide or as deep either. But the ecosystem is a little different than the other artesian springs. It reminded me of a river in the mountains. There are lots of rocks near the entry and exit, and they are very slippery. After the run, we caught the shuttle back up to Dampier, then drove to the head springs at the north entrance, which was really just a small swimming hole. There is no way south on the river from there again due to damage along the river. They only allow pool noodles or life jackets in the spring, no large floats. You cannot bring any food or drinks down to the waters edge at the spring, you have to keep your belongings up on the hill at the picnic area where you cannot see it, so be sure to pack light and smart. The water was amazing and cold, just like any other spring. At the end of the day, we walked along the boardwalk to the Blue Hole, and I wish we had gone earlier because it was epic. It's a huge volcano shaped cave with a massive hole that goes very deep. My son took the go pro down into it and got a video. It was surreal. It was also colder than the head spring. Next time, we will go to the Blue Home first while the sun is high, so the visibility is better. Also, there is no parking at the south exit. You can only walk or ride the shuttle back to Dampier where your car is. It is cheap to get in, but it's a mirage because then they charge you $8 per tube and $6 per person to ride the shuttle. You also have to sign a waiver before going down the run, they give you a wrist band that will allow you to get into the spring head and keep your receipt to get a tube again later in the day if you go back to the run. Overall, it was a beautiful place and as always mother nature did not disappoint. We all loved it and will definitely be going again.

The park is absolutely beautiful! We visited both the North and South entrances. At the North entrance, we did a short hike and stayed for a bit, but our main plan was to do the tubing experience at the South side—and it did not disappoint! Floating down the river was incredibly relaxing, and the water felt perfect for such a hot day. We didn’t pay for the shuttle; we carried our tube to the starting point, and after the float, while most people had their tubes picked up by the shuttle, we decided to walk back, which was nice since it gave us time to dry off. Even though we went on a Sunday, it wasn’t overly crowded and we didn’t have to wait in line to rent equipment. The June heat was intense, but it made the water activities feel just right. We loved the whole experience! We went to celebrate my husband’s birthday, and he had a great time. The only thing that could be improved is the customer service. There was little to no explanation about the return process after tubing—no clear signs or guidance. We had to wait for the shuttle just to ask how to walk back. So make sure to ask all your questions before starting the hike with your tube and clarify all the instructions ahead of time. Other than that, it was an amazing visit, and we would absolutely go back again! 💯

Went kayaking down the Ichetucknee river ,on the 3 mile run. The river was beautiful. The water was clear,full of fish and turtles. I would have given it 5 stars,except the kayak i rented sucked. Other than that,everything was great. The shuttle service was very good. The people working there were very pleasant. Took an early morning paddle,had the river all to myself.

My son and his dad went here for Father’s Day. Had a really amazing time. Water was so cold though but lots of fun really enjoyed the camping all the old oak trees, clear water. also had a petting zoo with a curly haired pig.

Beautiful, special place!! Just wish we had the time to see MORE!! Not that there's anything wrong with all the beautiful (but at times EXTREMELY overcrowded/commercialized...) beaches of Florida, and if theme parks are your thing, FL is your place, but this park, in this wonderful, semi-undiscovered (by most travelers from up north, and even other Floridians, it seems...) part of the state is where I hope to return again and again!! Yes, I hear it gets MUCH more crowded on weekends/summer season, but if you plan well and/or get lucky on an "off" day, you'll have as WONDERFUL an experience as my friend and I did during a recent visit, and get busy planning your NEXT visit before you've even left the exit!! We arrived early to tube. The park's website was not quite as user-friendly as it could have been, but we figured it out, and reserved for an early tubing trip down the river. After a quick-ish hike with our tubes on a path through the woods (I think you can also take the tram...) we launched off the dock and took a BEAUTIFUL, peaceful ride down the river. Since we were there on a weekday, crowds were not bad at all, and we had a wonderful, leisurely float down the river, passing kayaks, other tubers, and paddle boards, along with MANY turtles, beautiful birds, and even a stealthy manatee!!

Crystal clear waters.. nice cool and refreshing. Does not cost a lot to get into the park and has lots of options. You can kayak, tube or swim.. there's lots of picnic areas to relax and eat.. there was a food truck as well. Park in season does fill up fast so once parking lot is full they will stop flow of traffic in that area. We decided on tubing and it was a nice long ride.. didn't need paddles the flow of springs was perfect to enjoy nature and there's lots of it! We saw turtles, an alligator on bank and a snake ! When your at gift shop that's where you'll pay for tube and how to get to water..different tubes are different prices and walking to water is an option or you can pay to get on tram. We enjoyed driving thru seeing all options and really had nice tube ride! Highly recommend this spring!

Amazing park but when near max capacity it gets a little harder to get things done. If you go on a peak day and want to paddle board up the river you are sure in for a ride because you will have to figure out how to maneuver around everyone floating the opposite way. After getting past the first entrance point for tubers it was beautiful we only saw a couple of other people who were also paddle boarding and being weary not to disturb the nature. The end of the paddle is getting out at the last stop and removing your paddle boards, I think there should be someone at the last stop making sure there's no one causing issues. Last time I went and tried to get off there was a humongous group blocking the entire exit just playing in the water right there. I would love to see just a little more organization but I am cutting them slack because it's a state park and are more staffed than any other state park I've been recently. I would love to see more organization and happier employees. It is a beautiful park, am always wanting to go paddle here, the pro's will always out weigh the cons:)

Absolutely recommend Ichetucknee Springs! Such a beautiful area! You get to float down a crystal clear river surrounded by huge over hanging trees with little fishies swimming under your feet, it's amazing! A few tips tho: *I would skip peak times, meaning a Saturday in the middle of summer is too packed for me. Going on a Sunday at the end of summer was perfect hardly anyone there! * Pack a picnic lunch, there's not much around the area, but there was a food truck at the Blue swimming hole *Bring some money, tube rental was about $8 per tube, and the ticket to ride on the trolly was about $8 per person *Get one of those plastic waterproof phone protectors to put your phone in so you can take pics going down the springs *Bring water shoes, the ground and even getting in and out of the water can be rough on your feet *Dont disturb the wildlife or plants, look don't touch All around a great day out, big thanks to John R for taking all of us! :)

We had a reservation at 9am, showed up at 8:50 am and waiting in a line to pay for parking until 10. We waited until 10:30 for a tram. Kristopher was our driver, we did the ride all the way to the drop off just for him to realize he forgot the only thing needed, paddles. We then waited for another 30 min for him to drive all the way back to pick up paddles. Completely unprofessional. This was disappointing because we have had good experiences in the past. While the river was still enjoyable it seemed like none of the employees had it together from the shop having boxes lying around, to the takeout employee being snappish and unhelpful. The driver forgetting the paddles being the cherry on top.

Mostly beautiful springs except for the hideous power lines towards the end of our canoe trip. Compared to other springs I've been to in Florida this place was extremely strict with their rules to the point I almost asked for a refund before even starting our paddle trip. After spending over $80 to rent one canoe for less than 2 hours I was told I couldn't bring my water bottle because the plastic wasn't hard enough, you have to give them your car keys for collateral for the canoe rental, you get fined for every 15 minutes each person is on the river after 4pm, and you are subject to being searched if you are suspected of having any items not allowed in the park (which is apparently anything that isn't reusable)

It's been a long time since I visited Ichetucknee, we'd take the family tubing and it was always a good time. Since we were camping nearby we decided to visit, do a hike and hit the springs. Hiking the trails gave me a new perspective of the springs, from a different angle, it made me appreciate how large the area is! The trails were well maintained and varied, sometimes blue springs other times land mass with deep, sandy woods and ravines. We did a short trail and headed to the springs to dip our toes into the nice cold springs. The spring wasn't crowded since we went during the week, we saw fish, turtles and non-venomous snakes, it was so cool. The snake was more afraid of us! They're leaning towards kayaking there more than tubing and I love kayaking so next time I think I'm paddling

Old lady with sunglasses who works the tram was very rude. She ruined our whole experience before we even got on the river. She was extremely unpleasant. Other than that, River was beautiful

One weekend in 2022, we explored several of the natural springs in this area. We rented kayaks, and it was a very nice paddle. Relatively easy... We saw several fish, birds, and even some manatees! We also got to swim and dive to the head Springs. It's a definite, go to!

Ichetucknee is one of my favorite spring park in Florida. Unlike California or Arkansas that famous on the hot springs park, Florida are famous on cold springs park. Ichetucknee is the cold spring park allow tubing, kayaking, paddle boarding, or snorkeling. Ichetucknee Spring is longest natural spring lazy river. It is recommended for great summer fun in Florida. When I was student in University of Florida, I often visit this place. Now I visits them almost once every three years. The spring water is 72 degrees all time. Ichetucknee is local Indian name "beaver pond". It is six miles long before it connects to Santa Fe River. The state park provide 4 miles of river activity. In the past, the tubing is allow on northern entrance. Lately they only allow on midpoint launch to south take out. It is about less than two hours. You also can launch at damper landing and pick up south for lesser time. The tube come in many different types from concessions rental. It has head rest or non head rest tube. Single, Double or triple tube. Tube kayak or raft for family. It has a lot of fun. Snorkeling along the river can see many type of fish. The concession stand also has a shuttle service if you don't want carry the tube yourself and walk on the path. Best time to visit is at the begin of season (May) with less people. The items need to improve is the shuttle service are waiting to fill up before they go. Which sometimes can be more than 20 minutes. They need to cut to minutes wait. They also need shower facilities near concession stand.

Hello, Summer! It's our time to shine, Florida! (Literally) I'm a South Florida girl til the day I die. Born and bred in Ft. Lauderdale and a Pisces, being in the water out in the sun is truly a favorite for me. So when I moved to Gainesville years ago and learned of the amazing natural springs here for our enjoyment, relaxation and preservation, I just fell in love. I've visited most of the local springs so far and each one has its own vibe, amenities and patrons that flock to the water for an afternoon of bliss. We arrived a few minutes before the park arrived in an attempt to beat the pre-Memorial Day crowds and thank God! With a cheap entry fee per car, it's only a few minutes drive to the parking lot full of ample space for cars, guests and all their floats. It took a few minutes in line to pay for the tram for our party but listen - A TRAM?! This is something many of the other springs don't offer, and with my preferred floats being about 2 ft taller than me, those walks can be brutal! So I happily paid and waited my turn for an offer OG convenience lol. When I realized that I didn't have my waterproof cases on me or waterproof bag OR Fanny pack, (like, I'm a traveler! I usually know better smh), I was happy to see the great variety of options in the gift shop! I snagged a super cute white/pink water bag for under $30, which isn't bad! We hopped on the tram along with about 50 others. Actually not a bad ride! I wasn't too stoked to see how floats were being tossed on and off of the cargo area as floats aren't cheap and they're easily popped. But we've all had times at work when we move a little quickly lol nothing popped so all is well, lol! The ride itself wasn't bad as we got to check out the scenery as we took the (maybe 5-min ride?) to the springs entrance. So convenient! I really recommend Ichetucknee to families especially as they're strict about what you can bring in unlike some other local springs. I know that because my friends and I tried to bring in like two cases of White Claws and were asked to take them back to the car LOL so I guess there really are laws with White Claws! At least at Ichetucknee lol. But that's a great way to keep the area and springs clean, keep guests safe and keep it as a family friendly environment, so I appreciate it!! ...a White Claw would have really set that floating off though LOL. Floating down the lazy River was absolutely amazing and the tram made the activity even better. So beautiful and well-kept, it was truly a treat to check out Ichetucknee and can't wait to return!

I'm on a mission to visit as many springs as possible! I decided to make the drive up to Ichetucknee and it was a little bit of a hike for me. I came from Orlando, so roughly a 3 hour drive (a little shy of it). This spring has two spots that's aren't connected via car/road. There is a trail that you could walk but it would be a far walk! You have the north entrance and the south entrance. Our Florida state parks are unfortunately short of staff, which most likely makes up for the fact there weren't any rangers at the entrance of each side. However, they go based on a honor system. You take an envelope, insert your cash, put the envelope back into the drop box and hang the parking tag in your window. I'm sure some people don't do this but I do because the money is going back to helping our state parks. The north is quiet, less people. This is the side that you launch your paddle board/kayak from and float down to the south. The north has the bluest water hole for swimming! It's simply amazing! The rest of the river doesn't look the same way, so it's definitely a spot to stop! From here you're able to swim, snorkel, and sit in your tube (but you can't float down river from here). There are bathrooms, plenty of picnic tables, a small play set for children to swing on. Just be cautious bc the water is deep and there aren't lifeguards. Then I went down to the south entrance. Again you have the ranger station and honor system for paying to park. There's plenty of parking on this side. Much busier than the north entrance. Inside, they have a Grill that sells food and then the pay station to pay for tubes, the tram service, any fees for kayaking, as well as necessities if you forgot to bring your own. I brought my own tubes, but I decided to pay extra for the tram service. It was about $7 and change per person. They will give you a wrist band to indicate you're allowed to ride the tram. They put your floats in the back, you take a seat and they bring you about half way of the river. It took about 2 hours to float naturally down river. From the tram, it's maybe a 5 minute walk down to the entrance of the spring. Make sure you have some type of shoes bc you're walking through the dirt, trees and debris. There will be a wooden ramp with stairs to walk down. From there, you throw your tubes in the water and jump in. You will get wet from this, so be prepared!! What I did was had my tubes connected before getting in. I had my regular tube to get in and then a storage tube for my bag, water and shoes. In my storage tube, I had everything clipped to a tied string so nothing would fall off if the tube flipped! Made my trip slightly better! Maybe about 30 minutes - an hour after floating you come to the next entrance/exit. Please be careful here, the algae is thick and slimy! Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt here. I kept going right passed this! You have to kind of steer throughout the water. You can easily get stuck on branches. I got stuck and wasn't moving anywhere. The only way to move was to get out and try to get back in. When you come up on the exit point, you'll see a ramp and a buoy thingy directing you to exit the left side of the river. Here you'll bring your kayaks and/or floats up the stairs and ramp and then the tram will pick you up if you paid for it at the beginning. If not, you will be walking back about a mile to your car. Couple things to note: keep your eyes open! We saw two manatees or the same one bc it did look very similar in side going up and down river! Please be careful with them. They are general giants but they are endangered. So don't mess with them but simply enjoy their quick presence. Also saw a few snakes. The ones I saw looked like water banded snakes. They were in the trees but just know they are there. I didn't see gators, I'm not sure if they normally are there or not. Also, the water isn't moving too rapidly, but it is moving enough that if you drop something in the water, it'll be hard to get it back. Someone dropped their phone in the water and couldn't find it. The water in a lot of areas is really deep! Bring sunscreen, bug spray, and water!! Tobacco products aren't allowed and tbh it's disgusting! The people who lost their phone were smoking so a good portion of the way it's all I could smell. Disposable items and glass aren't allowed on the river so put your water in reusable water bottles first! If you do some how end up with trash, please store it until you exit! Other than that, have fun! When I got out, my storage float was covered in spiders. Towards the end it was getting really hot but I just splashed myself with water to help.

I'm an outdoorsy girl, love being fit. I have returned to Ichetucknee recently and plan on continuing to return soon! Thank Lord it's a State Park - entrance is reasonably priced, only $6/car for 4 people compared to Ginnie Springs, which is privately owned & charges $20/person for entrance/ access to the Springs as well as additional costs, such as $6-$7 for a tube. At Ichetucknee, they not only beat Ginnie on price, they have several locations to access different Springs. The lesser known one is only 15 min. Away - North Entrance with trails & two smaller Springs, one you can even cave dive in! Just ask a ranger for directions or plug into GPS! The main Spring allows you to kayak, canoe, do SUP & is a longer stretch of the Spring compared to Tubing, which is a shorter length of the Spring & gets flooded with people especially in the summer with several launch locations. Kayaks & Tubing gets picked up at the same location and only need to pull Kayak to side of the Spring because fit employees will drag it up the hill to return.

Beautiful well loved park. Great swimming areas at north entrance. Tubing at south- gets little too crazy in the summer, but people do love it. I paddle board and love to go do I north to south. North end has limit of 2pm right now last launch. The only problem is their last south to north shuttle ends same time. So if you launch late you'd better have your own way back to the north. I love the state park part of it and protections. Not so crazy about vendor. Most paddlers I know in the area work around by putting in and going upstream a ways then easy return. It has a pretty good current. I just prefer downstream distance. The north is closed to tubing now. Thank goodness as the sea grass has returned for the manatees. Kudos to them for making the change.

Great location and easy to find using your GPS. I have a FL state park pass, which is very handy when visiting state parks in FL. Entrance $6 Very popular spot with pretty crystal clear water in some areas. Go early to start at the North to South to float down the river. You will have to pay for shuttle service, driver, and all the nondrivers over 5yrs who are floating. I didn't have time for the experience, but I will surely come back and update my review in due time. It sounds like you must have time and patience on your side! I did take some pics and watch others from the dock.

TICKS BY THE HUNDREDS Wanted to check out the park to get the scoop for the following day and thought I would take my puppy on a short walk. Since it's a little humid for her we chose the shortest trail that allowed dogs on a leash, located behind the education center at the South Entrance. We came in late so everything was closed but upon completing the .3 miles I noticed something on my leg and upon closer inspection I had not one but HUNDREDS!!!!!!!!!!! Of TINYYYY ticks crawling up my legs by the DOZENS. Wish I would have had my lint roller in the car but I had just taken it in to the room where I was staying before we left. We brushed off what we could and immediately headed back for a shower and inspection. So far, I had 3. He had 4. Dog had 8. Gave them two stars because at least they allowed dogs to a certain extent. Not even sure I want to go back to swim. Side note: I'm into the outdoors and wilderness and have done many camping/backpacking trips and had my fair share of ticks amongst other pests. But I was completely caught off guard by that many ticks in that short of a walk with no signage on a trail that is attached to the education center, so I'm assuming they take kids on this.

It is beautiful and magical. This has to be on your must see list. Swim in the springs, Kayak/paddle boarding/canoe down the river. Also there is much history here.

Been here several times and always enjoy it. Pay for your tube, get on the tram, head over to the springs, and jump in. It's a very leisurely float down to the end, about 1 1/2 hours-2 hours. The water is crystal clear, so if you want to jump off your tube to swim or snorkel, go ahead. When you get to the end, get the tram back to the parking lot. You can either do it again, (as many times as you want), or head over to the spring lake area for a swim. There's some food available if you get hungry. I'd recommend bringing some bungee cord or string to tie your tubes together so you can float down together with your friends. Also a thermos with something to drink. No plastic bottles allowed. Best tip I can give...get your ass out of bed and get there about 1/2 an hour before they open, especially on the weekend. They only let a certain number of people in and then they close the gate till people start to leave again, so if you think you're waltzing in there at 10 or 11 am, HA! You will be sitting in your car on a mile long line hoping they open the gate again soon. But I'd definitely recommend this.

Great state park. Getting into the springs is very easy and you catch a ride from the south to the north so you can float down back to your car. There is a swimming hole no the north end as well as a food truck. If you take the long trip it is a nice 1.5 hour float until you get to the mid point where most people join and it gets crowded. A lot of fun.

Excellent experience except I'm disappointed that you can't float the whole river from the North gate anymore. Upper river is the most beautiful and natural part of the trip.

Such a beautiful place all around and so much wildlife to see. The natural lazy river is the best part. Beware however. There was one employee at the front desk rentals who was very passive aggressive to my friends and I for absolutely no reason. She did her job just fine but she needs to work on her people skills.

The river tubing was so nice. I had a great experience here, despite Monica's attitude. She was very rude to me and my friends for no reason. Other than that, great experience I would definitely recommend

We started by the south entrance to go tubing. It was so beautiful! Clear water, manageable temperature, and and a good time! The area is very clean. It took about an hour to complete and right after, we stopped at the concession store and bought some food which was pretty decent and well priced! We then drove to the north entrance to go to the spring section. It was not what I expected... very small spring. We did not know that tubes aren't allowed until we got there and saw the sign so we just left them outside with our items with my mother who did not get in the water or even had her bathing suit on and a ranger came and told her "no tubes! " there were several people inside the spring with tubes and even 2 dogs inside the water and the ranger did not say anything to them. The bathrooms were pretty dirty in the north side of the park. I will definitely be back but just to the south entrance for tubing as that was a beautiful experience.

Very pleasant, lots of parking available and it was Memorial Day weekend so there were many many people but not overwhelmingly. We went to both north and south entrances- south for the river float, plenty of rental tubes and wide variety available at the actual park for reasonable cost. Float took about 1- 1:30 hr. Shuttle fees or you can walk. The north entrance is the one with the spring pool- lovely clean cold water but area kind of small, not really an issue being how ppl can only stand the cold springs for only so long. Bring your googles/ snorkel. Heavily monitored by forest service but they don't seem to care if you drink, at least on the day I visited.

"The best" is far over used. And to be fair, I haven't been to every lazy river in Florida and Georgia. But I had an amazing time and I asked a few other people that get around too, and it's agreed, Ichetucknee is the best! Why? cause it has a nice pace, it's all nature(no residential parts of the river with peoples houses), and with the perfect canopy its not shady, just peaceful. we went last weekend. we got there a little after the park opened. we got word that if you get there later you may not get in due to the max # of people allowed on the river. We skipped the shuttle and walked to the start point. We saved a few bucks there. once we dropped back into the river it was almost quiet. due to the limitations of people on the river we sorta had it all to ourselves at the moment. we floated down the river with a majestic canopy always lopping overhead. I had brought music but the wilderness was interesting in site and sound that we turned it off and just enjoyed the moment. The couple hours it took to end up at the end went by faster than I would have imagined. We almost went a second time. But we will be back, soon.

Eleven of us (six adults and four children) decided to make the trek to Ichetucknee on Monday for a tubing adventure. We left before sunrise and arrived at the park about 10 minutes before the official 8:00 AM open. We were able to pay our entry fee ($6 per car, with up to eight people) and proceed to the parking lot, snagging great spots. The concern is always crowds and the park filling to capacity, so it was definitely a treat to be among the first. Our group opted for the three hour ride from the North Entrance. Some of us had brought tubes from home and some needed to rent, and we all needed tram/shuttle wristbands. For the three hour ride, the wristbands cost $7 per person, and tube rentals started at $5 for a basic tube and went up to around $15 or so for an inflatable boat type raft. For those who rented, we were provided a receipt which we could present to the employees at the top of the river to claim our tubes. Just some advice: if you bring tubes/boats/rafts from home, do not inflate them in advance. You will not be allowed to bring them on the shuttle to the launch points already inflated. Hand pumps are available at the launch points for free, or you can pay a small fee (+ tax) to use an air compressor to inflate your tube. The employees are not permitted to inflate your things for you just in case something pops. Also, please note that disposable bottles and food are not allowed on the river. You may be bring water in reusable bottles, but that is all. After a few minutes of inflating and getting organized, we were able to enter the river. It was a beautiful day. The water was freezing (74ish degrees), as always, and in some places was fairly shallow with the river grass brushing against us, but that's the beauty of nature. It took a little while for us to get into a groove on the current, but we settled in and enjoyed the ride. There were plenty of turtles and birds, and the view of the trees and flowers was stunning. The kids all had snorkel gear, and floated most of the way face down, checking out the fish. Once we got past the halfway point, the current picked up and the water got a little deeper, making the ride much more enjoyable (less navigating around logs and rocks). Three hours was a long time, but I'm glad we didn't opt for the shorter ride. At the end of the river, we were helped out by an employee, gathered our things and got in line for the tram back to the South Parking Lot. There was a trailer for all the tubes, and once we got to the lot, staff handled the rental returns and everyone else toted their gear back to the cars. We had all packed coolers for a picnic lunch and were able to snag picnic tables in the parking lot. There is a concessionaire and general store, but we were good with sandwiches, fruit, pasta salad and snacks. One of the employees had told us about the swimming hole that was also available in the North Parking Lot, so after lunch, we packed up the cars and drove about ten minutes to that lot. We had already paid for our park entrance, so we were just guided to a lot. The swimming hole isn't huge but nor was it crowded. The water was just as cold, but so sparkling and blue, with some rock structures and still plenty of fish to see with the snorkels. There was a small set of stairs and a platform that the kids used to jump, and we spent the rest of the afternoon swimming over the fairly deep drop off. We are so lucky to live in an area where these natural wonders are so readily available. All of us had a blast enjoying the beauty of the springs and we can't wait to go again.

For the 5th year in a row, a core group of friends went tubing down the Ichetucknee River today (side note: I still can't spell it!) with a few new friends joining the crew. It's a bit complicated of a process, so three big tips: 1. Go EARLY and start at the North Entrance. If they're full, they'll send you to the South which is okay but doesn't give you the full experience. 2. Have patience with the process to get started 3. Listen to their instructions and read the papers they give when you enter. We're coming from about 90 mins away, so we meet about 6am if it's a Saturday, or a bit later other days and caravan over. The process has changed a LOT in the past several years, so even when renting tubes you go straight to the park. If you get in the North Entrance, you'll check out tube options there, drop off most of your crew and have one person take each vehicle to the South lot. Getting in the park is $6 per car. Once parked, you walk to the building and you pay $7.50 for the driver and $5.50 for each non driver who is tubing and over 5. You also pay for your tubes there, and get your receipt and arm bands. You then take a shuttle back to the North Entrance (or skip this part if it was full and your group is in South) and pick up all your tubes before getting in. That took a solid hour, from entering the park to getting to the launch with tubes. They have changed this process and made it WAY worse. The shuttles used to also be included in your park entrance fee. So the price has gone way up too. But for my double tube with headrests and mesh bottom plus my band and a band for one child (other was under 5) plus the admission, I was at $41. Still well worth it. Note that no food or disposable items can be on the river! Once you're in the freezing water (72 year round) you adjust quickly, and can relax and enjoy the ride. It can be crowded, but spaces out as the river widens. It's easy to have your group separated actually. We often bring light rope to tie some tubes together. Be on the lookout for jumping fish (at least 20 spotted today), turtles (20+ today), river otters (none today but have seen them previously), and unfortunately for me, snakes. We saw a very large moccasin in a tree above our head on our first trip, and a few here and there since. We've also seen deer on the paths. The halfway point/South Entrance is where your car is, and we always stop for lunch. That takes about 90 mins to reach. There is a cafe, but most people bring coolers and use the plentiful picnic tables. Some even grill on the charcoal grills there. After a rest, we take the tram to the entry point just a bit further North (not the North Entrance) and finish the rest of the river, about 90 minutes more. You can take the tram back to your car, walk about 25 mins back, or take it back to tube more. We sometimes do the second half again, or even drive to the North Entrance for swimming at the Blue Hole. Note that is is COLD! But also beautiful and very deep. Have patience, relax and enjoy the day!

This was the highlight of our family's 9 day drive around Florida. It's like a lazy river through Jurassic Park. Very memorable. Saw turtles, Owls, wild Turkeys and many birds.

Went on a camping trip last weekend here. Affordable little cabins, friendly service.

Go here. This place was definitely out of the way, but dayum! there are two springs here, and you can dip into both. One, the Blue Hole, is pretty isolated but very easy to get to. It's a bit creepy, especially if you're alone, since there are signs about watching out for gators! But the water is warm (it's the beginning of February) and steps lead right into the water off a very nice deck, with big old turtles sunning themselves just a few yards away. The other spring is the main one and is more developed, allowing less mobile people to enjoy a dip. For my money ($4) the less developed Blue Hole was preferable, but glad to see the accessibility at the Head Spring. There was even a lift available to lower the least mobile visitors into the water to enjoy the experience. Amenities include a food truck (closed during my visit), restrooms, rentals of float tubes, canoes, and kayaks, and very nice trails and beautiful trees. I would most certainly recommend this spot, especially in summer, for a refreshing cool-off!

Tubing was great. Food at the general store...hit or miss. Crispy chicken wraps & fries were the bomb. Coffee slushie, not so much. And the $7.50 chili cheese dog was bland with a bun that was split completely in two. Do NOT get the chicken sandwich. Hard gristle throughout the chicken that made it totally unchewable.

Great time! I prefer this park to Ginnie, I found it to be less buggy and was much more affordable. $6 for park entry, and tubes start at $8. I got a 2 seater with a headrest and it was $18. We entered at midpoint and floated for about 2hrs, we also stopped for a while on a log so we were out there for a while. The river is pretty narrow so it would probably not be great when super busy; I went on a Thursday around 2pm and it was all good! One thing-- dont pay for for the tram. The walks there and back were not more than about 15min and it was nice! Overall, really awesome experience

SO breathtaking here! Floating down this river really made me stop and think about how beautiful nature is and this earth is. The water is so clear you can see the bottom. Huge turtles sunbathe on nearby logs - we got so close and they didn't move. I wish we could see a manatee, but I don't think they were out! Not sure of the nature of them and what they do in certain times of the year.. The blue hole is super deep and creepy (lol!). The current coming from the spring was strong, I didn't like it too much. But the main spring where you swim is gorgeous. The only thing I didn't like was how crowded it was. All the younger people were screaming the whole time and it sort of ruined how relaxing it should be for some. They also would get out their floats and wade through the river, which was upsetting- I don't think you're supposed to do that. If you can just withstand the noisy crowds, this place is awesome.

We came for a vacation to experience the Florida springs and Ichetucknee Springs State Park delivered! We visited two blue water springs: the Head Spring and the Blue Hole. The water is super clear! We also took a quick hike on a 3/4 mile trip along the river called Testle Point Loop. HEAD SPRING This was my favorite of the two springs we visited. Both had beautiful blue water. This one had a much larger blue area. We brought snorkel gear which made it easy to stay under and enjoy the fish, vegetation and the deep spring hole that creates the blue color. This spring also has a shallow limestone entry area which makes it easier to ease into if you don't want to take a plunge into the cool waters all at once. BLUE HOLE This requires a 10-15 min walk on a well-prepared trail from the parking area. This was not nearly as busy with people as the Head Spring. The blue area was smaller but it was still spectacular. This is great for scuba divers that swim into the spring hole and explore the large underwater caverns It sounds amazing but underwater caverns are not for me. FOOD TRUCK A food truck was parked at the north entrance soon after you enter from parking area. Perfect spot to get a refresher drink or a bite of food. We ordered the chili cheese fries which were heavenly! It was a really nice touch to provide food, even though some choose to bring their own in the cars. TIPS - The water stays about 72F as it is fed by cold water from deep underground. This makes it a little chilly but don't be intimidated. Your body adjusts quickly after the shock and it's worth it for the view! - Bring your snorkel gear, or at least some goggles so you can enjoy the view beneath the water! - If you bring scuba gear then you can swim into the underwater caverns...not my cup of tea though - Entrance Fee - it's only a few dollars and helps support this beautiful wilderness area. Pay it with joy knowing that you are supporting the cause that maintains this natural wonder. - No Alcohol - bring food and non-alcoholic drinks - Bathrooms on-site with changing rooms so you can get in and out of your swim gear (at the North Entrance, not sure about south entrance). - Alligators and water snakes live in this area. It's their home so don't be surprised to see them. They tend to want to stay away from you, just as you want to avoid them. We didn't see any gators but we did see a couple snakes. There are venomous cottonmouth snakes (water moccasins) but we only saw harmless water snakes.

One of my favorite springs . From Hollywood FLA is about a 5 and a half hour drive. Make sure to get there when it first opens at 8 am because there is a quota and once it's filled you have to wait hours to get in. What you do in this spring is go tubbing for 1and a half hours . You can rent the tub at the site for 8 dollars and above for bigger tubes and the trolley ride is about 6 dollars extra. Once you get off the trolley with your tube it's a short five minute walk where you launch off best to aim your behind to the hole on the tube and if you have a friend tie a rope to the tubes . Disposable water bottles are not allowed but regular water bottles are ,no food, no smoking, no drinking alcohol. Don't make the mistake I made of jumping off the inner tube because you won't get back on ,the water is crystal clear and deep icy cold 72 degrees . As you drift down this spring you can see wild life , birds, big fish, alligators ,snakes and turtles. I swam the entire 1 and a half a little bit frighten because of the large fish and snakes but I was not harmed at all.Once you finish you hop back on trolly with inner tube and you can do it all over again . Admission to park is 6 dollars and it is worth the trip to be in this beautiful spring.

What a great adventure. Tubing - After plenty of research we went on a Sunday and prepaid everything through the Ichnetucknee springs website. Arrived there a little before 10, parked at the south entrance, took the bus to the north, got our double raft and off we went. We brought a lifewater bottle as they do not allow for disposable plastic. The double raft kept our items dry but we also had a water proof bag. They only thing I wish we brought was out snorkel gear. Water was clear and refreshing. Some groups of loud families but we were able to grab a branch and let them pass. Snorkeling the Blue Hole - that was amazing. Was very cold and the current coming out of it was somewhat strong presenting a challenge of getting down deep in there. Definitely bring a noodle as it's deep and helps keep you feet off the ground to protect the bottom. Will be back for sure.

Springs area is beautiful HOWEVER, kayakers beware, if you plan to bring your own kayaks, it is about a 1/4 mile walk to put in your kayaks. Although there is a service road, they don't allow the public to use it. The return walk is even worse due to the steep uphill portage. We witnessed people start the trek and come back and pack back up because of the porterage distance. Apparently they used to have wheels to borrow, but people stole them. Personally, I'd have paid to rent them or maybe a credit card hold for the safe return would be a good idea. Staff was unhelpful and looked like they really didn't want to be there.

This is my second time coming to the springs. 2015 experience: We went on a weekend and it was super crowded, head spring had reached its capacity of 750 people, so we parked at the South lot. The line for the trams was long so we walked approx. 0.65 mile through the trail to the Midpoint dock. When we were done, we hopped on the tram to the area where we started, purchased food at the open concession stand. For a family of four, we were able to go tubing for $6 or whatever the cost of park admission was since we brought our own tubes. 2017 experience: We went on a Thursday, it was much less crowded. Arrived at before 9 am at the North entrance, paid $6 for parking and proceeded to the parking lot to blow up our tubes. There are two parking lots, I was confused at the beginning so I couldn't even tell ya which was closest to the North end dock. Here is where the drivers drop off all passengers (and tubes if you brought your own). There are two springs to swim in while waiting. I didn't trust my girls to go on their own so I had them wait on the lawn. I then drove to the South entrance of the park, purchased my combo wristband (shuttle & tram) and two tram wristband for my girls at the General Store and then shuttled back up to the North entrance. We went in the head spring for a bit. It was kinda slippery because of the algae and the rocks were uneven so proceed with caution. We then went to North dock and started floating. We saw a lot of turtles, even an entire family of turtles, some birds, someone said their was a water snake by the Midpoint dock. Since we started at the North dock, we were not allowed to get off at Midpoint and had to continue floating another 25 mins to Dampier's Landing. We got off there, walked 0.25 miles back to our car and ate on one of the many picnic tables. I bought food for my oldest at the concession stand which is now located in the General Store. The food was good and reasonable priced. The wait can be very long if you don't time it right. Although it was relaxing, we were a bit drained from the sun, but because I had already purchased the tram wristbands, we walked back to Dampier's Landing to float an additional 45 min - 1 hr to the Last Take-Out and rode the tram back to the South lot. It was just three of us this time and it cost me $24 with my own tubes. For a full day activity, it's not too bad, but definitely not as affordable as it used to be. It can see how it can add up quickly if we rented tubes and had more people. In hindsight, I should have packed food and ate it at the North lot before dropping off the girls and enjoyed the springs longer before floating. I should have just purchased the combo ticket for myself and not the two tram tickets and called it a day after getting off at Dampier's Landing. This link as the most comprehensive information RE activities avail at the park. https://www.floridastateparks.org/park-activities/Ichetucknee-Springs#Concession-and-Restaurant

Wow ust sit right back and you'll hear a tale. A tale of a fateful trip. I had an awesome time my partner in the other hand I think was a little scared and found God lol. We were caught in the middle of a storm with thunder and lightning. A funny thing happened when it started to rain. The current stopped moving us. We had to wait for the storm to stop to start moving again. Fyi pedaling with your hands to not get you very far lol. Mental note to self and advice to others check the weather. You have a choice of three different times to get off once you are in the water. We originally chosed the 3-hour tubing ride, but got off on the first exit a lot sooner then that lol. The tubbing place has diferent tubes to choose from. I recomend the ones with a back support, you want comfort and plenty of sunblock. The water was crystal clear absolutely beautiful. The fish life plentiful was very easily seen. Beautiful blue fish jumping everywhere.The river has diferent types of fish. Some of the fish were jumping right in front of me. There were many turtles all around us. I think it was turtle mating season. they were all bunched up in conga lines everywhere. This was a beautiful experience for me. There is a relaxing peaceful feeling that a place like this brings. To float on a raft down a clean crystal clear river, surrounded by a beautiful scenery. Can't put words to it the feeling of how relaxing it is to disconect. Fyi park does not allow plastic bottles, imagine my surprise. I do advice to bring water in a cooler just in case you get to have an adventure like mine either way you'll have fun.

Beautiful nature trails. The blue hole is great for diving or just to swim around. Summer crowds have left. Much more relaxing and sparsely attended. They have onsite tube and kayaking rentals. You can rent them cheaper outside park but not worth the hassle of getting them inside and returning them to outside vendors. They have pick up and drop off Service from the south and north entrances. Float down the current without the need to make it back to same spot.

I have wanted to take this tubing trip for years! I finally got my chance on Wednesday. The park is 5 hours from my home so I piggy backed the trip on another trip I had to take to Orlando. From Orlando it was only 2 hours to the springs. We stayed in the area so we could be at the park early in the morning. On a typical Saturday morning in the summer the park will close to tubers at 8:45 AM. It was still busy on a weekday but less so than Saturday. I was told by our van driver that the park gets busy on Sunday when church lets out. If you have never been there before it can be a little confusing but park employees are very helpful about explaining everything. You want to park at the South entrance. It was $6 to enter for a carload of people. You can rent a tube outside of the park but it is certainly easier to do it inside. When you arrive you go up to the concession stand and choose your flotation choice. Here you will also find a small gift shop selling items you may have forgot like sunscreen or goggles, snacks like ice cream, and hot lunch items like chicken, pizza, and burgers. You can rent a single tube, double, tube, lounger or canoes and kayaks. We went with the single tubes for $5 each. If you are going to do the full three hour ride you will also want to purchase a tram ride for $7. You just hop in the van and they take you on a 5 minute ride to the North entrance and you can pick up your tube there. Just make sure you save your receipt to hand to the concession up there. At the North entrance you can find the tube launch as well as two springs. The Blue Hole is a ten minute walk through the woods and the Headspring is located along the road. You can swim in both areas. Once you have enjoyed the springs you can grab your tubes and head down to the tube launch. The tube ride is approximately three hours long and it is 7 miles to the final takeout point. The water was cold but I would call it refreshing. The river pulls you along with trees on either side. During our trip we saw many birds such as herons and ibis as well as turtles and large alligator gar that swam below us. Speaking of alligators we did see and hear one but he was far away on the bank and they do not like the cold water. Apparently you are more likely to be struck by lightening than be attacked by an alligator. You can exit the river at Dampier's landing which would be the South entrance you parked at. If you continue on it is another 45 minutes to the final take out point. Once you exit you can hop on a tram that takes you back to your car at the South entrance. Your wrist band gets you one trip to the North entrance but you can enter Dampier's point and go to the final takeout as many times as you would like. This trip was worth the wait. I would rather be on this river than at any water park in Florida. I love nature and the beauty of this area is beyond compare. You could never guess what you would see as you meandered around another bend in the river. If it wasn't so far I would be here all the time. I will never be able to enjoy a man made lazy river again after experiencing the one created by mother nature.

Wow!!! What a great time I had at Ichetucknee Springs this past Sunday. This place is great adventure for all who slip into the cool 72 degree water and take a tube trip down the crystal blue waterways. This was my first time at this spring and it was great time. I went with a friend on Sunday. Some things to point out. They only allow 750 tubers on the springs per day so you will want to make sure you get to the spring early. They say if you are there later than 10 am you may not get on the spring. The drive is about 32 miles from Gainesville and it is a lot of fun! The float takes around 3 hours to complete and the water is amazing. The water is always about 72 degrees and it is crystal clear so you can see the bottom. Most of the float you are only in about 4 feet of water but there are some deep points. When you choose your raft I would recommend one with a back. I did not use one with a back and sure wished I did. It is also a good idea to bring a paddle because you do tend to drift towards the banks. When you go you can pay to have a shuttle take you to the drop off location either at the mid-point or the north starting area. If you do not pay for the shuttle then after the float is done, it takes about 25 minutes to walk back to your car, and most people do not wear shoes, so you would have to do it in your bare feet. Everyone on the river was really friendly and nice and everyone kind of helped each other out at different points. We saw a lot of fish and turtles but not many other animals. What a great relaxing Sunday! I cannot wait to go back and have fun again!!!

We stayed at nearby Ichetucknee Campground, which I loved it, very country, farm animals, rustic. The showers, bathrooms, get the job done, and there is a lounge club house with pool tables arcade and juke box. Also an old defunct biker bar with momentos from the day. Anyway, I will give you the info that I needed to navigate fun on the river. This campground is about 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the entrance to North Entrance to Ichetucknee Springs. I rode my bike there but a short part of the way is no bike lane, two lanes country road. There is also the South Entrance to Ichetucknee Springs State park. The main spring head is at the north entrance. You can drop off your "boat" (canoe or kayak) there and then drive down to the South entrance (about 4 1/2 mile drive) and leave your vehicle there for pick up. There is a shuttle than you can take back up north but the charge some $. It's 6 dollars per car to get into either N or S entrance. You get a receipt, and tape it on your windshield so you can use it all day. Also at the north is the swim hole and hiking trails. Blue Hole Springs is up there. Picnic area and food truck. If you want to do tubing, you go to south entrance. There, you can rent tubes, buy a tram bracelet, and tube down the river 1 1/2 mile run from midpoint of the river to the pick up area. You can shuttle back up to the put in as many times as time allows. There is no swim hole at south entrance but you can jump off your tube and swim along in the river. There is no launch right at the South Entrance, though it is a 30-25 minute walk to Dampiers Launch. So there are only two places you can launch a kayak or canoe, Dampiers, just past the South Entrance Parking lot, and the North Entrance launch. Only 100 boats are allowed on the river for the day so get there before noon or earlier. No tubing is allowed from the midpoint up north to the North entrance. The current I would saw is about 1 1/2 miles per hour and the total run is 3 miles. Tubing is 1 1/2 miles ( the lower half of river). There were plenty of people that paddled back all the way north but I believe you should be in good shape. One of the most beautiful rivers I have seen in Florida. C C

We had the chance to paddle board down the Ichetucknee Springs this weekend with my friends and really was amazed how beautiful this place was. I suggest that you arrive when the gates open or it may be full by noon. The price is $6 per vehicle and there is a extra few to take the shuttle. This is about a 45-1 hour float I suggest to paddle up stream then float.

Definitely a place to visit. Me & my husband took our own tube & floated down the water. The water was cold but tolerable & clear. The staff were friendly. If you're ever around the area it's for sure a thing to do to enjoy the weather & relax.

Great spring to enjoy with family. Picnic tables, grills and restrooms available on site. There is a food truck as well. Parts of the springs are shallow but deeper toward the middle of the spring. No floats and rafts allowed.

Lost a gift I bought in the gift shop and they threw it out and refused to help me at all. Made ME look through the trash and said I was being reckless and dropped it in the river. Like I'm some stupid kid. Also their food is absolutely disgusting. We were the first to order our food in a rush and it all came out cold. This place is over priced as hell and their "employees" have no customer service skills. I know there's a pandemic and people are desperate to hire people but do a better screening. Their manager or whatever Josh really need to refresher course on how to be personable.

This was my first time kayaking, so I really appreciated the variety of kayaks available to rent. The spring itself is kept in excellent condition and I really appreciate all of the areas restricted to the public for the purpose of conservation. I have been to several springs in the past, but something was especially magical about this one. Can't wait to come back and enjoy the scenery again!

I discovered Ichetucknee Springs and river back in the 80's while living in Jacksonville. It's about 1-1/2 hour ride from Jacksonville to reach the park. You stop along the road in and rent tubes and then spend the next 2 to 4 hours floating down the river. The park itself is well maintained. There's a ranger station when you arrive and if it's unoccupied there's an "honor system" to leave the entrance fee in an envelope and slip it in the collection box. This doesn't exist much anymore this day and age. Luckily we had the $6 bones and were on our way. Next, you'll find the general store/welcome center where you can order cafeteria food, (burgers, dogs, fries, etc). There's also some general merchandise for souvenirs and a cashier window to pay for the tram ride down and back if you desire. We were thankful they now have a key watch program to leave your car keys and not worry about losing them somewhere down the river. For $3.21 well worth it however I the area was a little more secure and comforting. We found the room left open and unattended so anyone could slip in there and make off with your keys and ride. You can start at the north entrance of the park and float to the mid point or all the way down. You're floating along at the pace of the river amongst the serenity of the lush tree canopy. The water, a brisk 72 degrees will freeze your butt off but you'll get used to it. The only bad tip we got was to walk down to the water with our tubes vs riding the tram. Bad idea, especially with 2 small kids carrying their own double tube. Trust me, take the tram, it's a long hike down otherwise. This is a great family outing and a terrific spot to unplug and relax. The sounds and sights of the river are pure tranquility and a lot of fun at the same time.