? about Fl natural Springs

[Janet Hill]

I've looked at a lot of the state parks with natural springs and places to swim. This is definately a type of thing my kids love to do; however, how often does one hear of a gator attack at these places. I now these springs are not typical gator habitat (or so I hear), but it's Florida so I'm sure every now and again they make their way here.

 

[Lisa P.]

If you go to a park where they allow swimming in or near the headsprings, that water is simply too cool for the gators. So you generally won't see them in the water there at all. You won't find me swimming there either, too cool for my blood, but the kids seem to love it in hot weather. Anyway, the headsprings typically have few fish and minimal growing plant material. So the gators are more likely to hang out a good distance downstream where there's more food readily available. They also are not zoo animals (which are used to humans feeding them) and they tend to avoid heavy human activity which may scare off many of the smaller creatures that the gators consider lunch. Lastly, they are most active when the temps outside are around 70 degrees F. They're more sluggish when it's much colder or much hotter, so you may like to plan accordingly.

The great thing about the state parks that have local freshwater springs is that the water is completely crystal clear, like looking in a deep aquarium. You can see everything from a distance - nothing lurking in murky lake or swamp waters, no scary surprises. Go and enjoy!!!

 

[donaldduck352]

Oh the springs in Fla are great.Central Fla has so many to choose from.
We always goto Rainbow Springs state park.It only cost a buck to get in for the day!!We go allmost every weekend and never seen a gator at the swimming area!!

 

[safetymom]

Figure that anywhere there is water is the chance for there to be a gator. There have been reports of gator attacks at this park close to Orlando. http://orlando.about.com/od/parksplaygrounds/qt/kellypark.htm We have gone to one up near Gainesville that was awesome.

 

[kinghorse]

There is only one natural spring park to go to which is the best. Some of them have manatees to see but you can't swim with them. The one that is most popular is about 1 hour from Orlando but worth the drive, it is clled Deleon Springs and is amazing not like any of the others.

 

[shelemm]

I've visited eight springs that are to the north of Orlando. The springs of Central Florida are among the great treasures of the USA and are swimmin' holes out of some exotic fantasy. The four closest to Orlando are Rock Spring at Kelly Park, Blue Spring State Park, Wekiva Spring, and Gemini.

It's cold water swimming and snorkeling - definitely bring snorkel gear. Everybody winds up going in, but it does take some serious getting used to. Once you're in, then you're ok.

Both Rock Spring and Blue Spring are runs - as soon as the water comes up, it creates a riverway to swim in. Rock Spring is very shallow and does widen to a landscaped area with some retaining walls. Blue Spring is bigger, deeper, wider. Both are very beautiful and a lot of fun. Wekiva is a beautiful sppring where retaining walls have been built around the spring (1930's?) to create a large pool. This is quite a shady spring, so the water will be cooler at the surface. Some nice trails around the spring.

Further north, there are another four springs, Deleon Springs State Park, Juniper, Alexander, and Salt. The last three in Ocala National Forest, quite a bit aways from Orlando. Juniper is the most beautiful and you might recognize it from magazine covers. Salt Spring is spectacular and large, Alexander the most natural, and Deleon has been made into a pool and is the least natural. However, at Deleon Spring is a fun old mill pancake restaurant where the flour is ground right at the mill. Griddles are built into the tables and you cook the pancakes yourself at the table. This is loads of fun. but I don't see any point in going swimming at Deleon, since it is like going swimming in a pool (albeit with no chemicals).

The following website is THE website for visiting the springs:

http://tfn.net/Springs/OtherCentralFloridaChapter.html

 

[shelemm]

Just to add:

There is so little chance of an alligator attack or gator activity at any of these springs I've mentioned above. Keep your worries for more likely things like getting killed in a car accident, getting struck by lightning, or contracting the Plague.

 

[hts]

I thought you *could* swim with the manatees--is that no longer allowed?

 

[shelemm]

I thought you *could* swim with the manatees--is that no longer allowed?

Swimming with the manatees in done on the Crystal River, nowhere near the headwaters of the springs, but near the Gulf of Mexico, about 90 miles west of Orlando.

Website below:

http://www.crystalrivertours.com/