Experiences & Amenities

Ichetucknee Springs State Park is a part of the Great Florida Birding Trail and offers visitors ample opportunity to bird-watch throughout the park.

Bird enthusiasts might see a variety of water birds, American kestrel, Northern bobwhite, Eastern wild turkey, barred owl, red-headed woodpecker, Bachman’s sparrows and many more.

Bring your binoculars and checklist on your next visit!

Geocaching is an outdoor game using hand-held global positioning systems (GPS) devices. It's effectively an inexpensive, interactive, high-tech treasure hunt that's a great way to learn geography. Participants use location coordinates to find caches. Some caches are easy to find; others are more difficult.

Geocaching should have minimal impact to the environment and conscientious land-use ethics should be followed.

• Ichetucknee Springs State Park manages one geocache.
• No geocaches can be placed within the park without written park manager approval.
• To learn more about geo-caching our park or other Florida State Parks, check out our webpage: Operation Recreation GeoTour 

There are three hiking trails located at the north entrance of the park. Trail maps are available at the ranger station or visitor center. 

1. Blue Hole Trail: A half-mile walk through the Ichetucknee forest and cypress floodplain leads to Blue Hole Spring, the largest spring in the park. Blue Hole Trail closes one hour before sunset.
2. Trestle Point Trail: This shaded path winds along the crystal-clear waters of the Ichetucknee River. The self-guided trail will take you back in time to the early 1900s when phosphate ore was mined in the area. This trail is approximately .75 miles. 
3. Pine Ridge Trail: A frequently overlooked area of the park is the majestic sandhill with its towering longleaf pine and wide open vistas. View the natural diversity of this unique and vanishing ecosystem. The is a self-guided, two-mile loop trail. 

Trestle Point and Pine Ridge Trails are pet-friendly. Pets are not allowed on trails which lead to launches and swimming areas. This map shows locations of pet-friendly hikes. For information about where service animals have trail access, see Ichetucknee Springs State Park’s Service Animal Policy.

Canoeing and kayaking are great ways to enjoy the natural beauty of the river. They also provide an opportunity to see an abundance of wildlife, including wading birds, manatees and river otters. See all of this while enjoying the views of moss-draped cypress trees, limestone banks and some of the nine different springs that make up the Ichetucknee River. Paddling is accessible year-round from the north or south entrances.

• Canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards can be rented and transportation arrangements made through Paddling Adventures at the general store located in the south entrance.

For the safety of our furrier family members, pets are not allowed in your vessel while in the park. Service animals on duty may accompany their owners on the Ichetucknee River in a dry vessel with a durable, stable bottom and minimum 6” sides that are defined as Class A Recreational Vessels by the FWC. These hard bottomed vessels provide for a different interaction with the water in a way that may be considered safer for the service animal, the owner and other visitors. 

For more information about our service animal policies, see our “Accessible Ammenities” page. 

Picnicking is available at the south and north entrances of the park. Picnic areas include picnic tables and grills. Wheelchair accessible picnic tables placed on concrete pads are located at the south day-use area. An accessible picnic pad is also available in the north day-use area by the headspring.

Scuba diving is allowed at Blue Hole Spring. There is a half-mile trail to Blue Hole Spring. It is suggested that divers bring their own cart or wheelbarrow to transport gear.

• Divers must be cavern or cave certified if they intend to enter though the spring vent.
• Scuba diving is not permitted in the river or other springs.

For everyone's safety, the following rules must be observed:

• All persons participating in scuba diving activities do so at their own risk.
• Each diver must dive within the limits of their certification.
• A dive party must consist of at least two divers.
• Fossils and artifacts must not be disturbed or removed. Aquatic plants must not be trampled or disturbed.
• Do not carve or otherwise deface rocks or any other surfaces.
• Keep a minimum distance of 50 feet between you and manatees at all times.
• Dives must be completed one hour before sunset.

Swimming/snorkeling is available every day of the year from 8 a.m. until sundown at the north entrance. Here, you may swim at either Ichetucknee Spring (head spring) or Blue Hole Spring.

Ichetucknee Spring provides for excellent swimming; however, Blue Hole Spring should be used by experienced swimmers only, due to the depth and strong current.

There is no swimming or snorkeling at any point on the river without a vessel or other floatation device. Paddlers are reminded to stay on their vessels while enjoying the North half of the river for the protection of the park’s sensitive ecosystem.

Pets and service animals are not permitted to enter the water anywhere within the park. For more information about how you can enjoy the park alongside your animal companion, see Pets.

Swim at your own risk; no lifeguard on duty.

For your convenience, tubes are available for rent within the park. Visitors are also welcome to bring their own tubes or rent from outside vendors. Tubes cannot exceed 60” in any two directions or contain glitter.

The shallow and sensitive north section of the river is closed to tubing. Tubing is available year-round from Midpoint or Dampier's Landing located in the south main entrance off Highway 27.

For more information, please view Tubing Information under the park menu.

Please help us protect the pristine waters of the Ichetucknee. 

The following items are prohibited on the water:

• Disposable items, such as Ziplock bags, grocery sacks, plastic water bottles or sports drinks.
• Food.
• Coolers, including cooler backpacks.
• Pets.
• Tobacco and nicotine items, including vapes.
• Radios and speakers.
• Tubes containing glitter, “beans”, confetti, or similar contents.
• Water guns or blasters.
• Fishing gear.
• Items over 60 inches in length, width or height.

Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on the river and within the park’s boundaries. All items brought onto the river and springs may be inspected for compliance. 

Visitors are not permitted to enter the river without some form of floatation device or vessel. All visitors are to be off the river by 6 p.m.

Wildlife is most often spotted along the river as visitors paddle or float down the river. Wildlife may include wading birds, manatees and river otters.

Alligators and snakes are present along trails and waterways of this park. They usually eat fish, turtles and other small animals. However, alligators may attack larger animals such as deer and have been known to attack humans.

• For your safety, do not approach, frighten or feed wildlife.