I do need to say up front that I have never kayaked in my entire life, so my review is from the…read moreperspective of an absolute novice. I've always wanted to try it, but it's one of those hobbies that seem to have a couple of barriers. Like, friends have invited me, but I didn't have a kayak to join them. Or I've looked at some of the tour groups, but I never wanted to be that first-timer that kind of holds up the rest of the group, y'know? When I found out my friend Kelly was going on this tour and she had only been kayaking once before, I figured that whatever happened, there'd be at least one other person in the same predicament. I am so glad I went!! The tour was PHENOMENAL. The tour guides bring everything you need - kayak, paddles, and life jackets, so you just have to drive yourself to the location and bring some water & snacks. There was some instruction before we all got in the water, but it's definitely one of those things where you just need to do it for a while before "getting" it. (I'm still not 100% that I got it, but I was way better at the end than at the beginning.) It was a smallish group, about 7 or 8 of us, and we were the only kayakers I saw the entire time we were on the creek. I only ran into two people (fortunately, the people I knew!), and only got stuck on a log once. But I got unstuck and learned to watch out for logs. The tour guides gave some follow-up instruction when I needed it (turning is hard), and the other folks in the group were super-nice and not once did I feel like I was THAT person slowing anyone down. You just kinda paddle forward, and sometimes run into logs if you need to stop. It gets easier after that. I saw 30 million turtles sunning themselves on the side of the creek, a baby snake merrily swimming along, some swallow-tailed kites, an orchid native to NE Florida, and someone tried to point out a baby alligator, but I did not see it. The weather was perfect and the setting was gorgeous. It was so blissfully quiet, as well. A lot of St. Augustine is about getting stuck in traffic, and that gets old real quick. Coming out to this quiet little pocket of uninterrupted nature was exactly what my brain and my soul needed. Two thumbs up, five stars, A++, highly recommend, would (and will!) go again!

Went for a two-hour kayak tour in a cove off the St. Johns River yesterday and had a wonderful…read moretime. Highly recommend it.

Nice place to float down the river. Clear, beautiful water. Easy hiking trails. A great place for…read morefamilies.

Amazing adventure sliding along the river in a doughnut except your bottom in the water and I was…read morescared of alligators that was also scared of me))) anyways great experience definitely worth driving and we will be back. The only thing is not mentioned on the website you can't swim here it's in the other direction but again you can stop in the middle of the slide and dip in to cool off.

One of our top 5 favorite springs to visit, perfect for the family and great spot to visit when you…read moretrying to cool down from the sun. You can rent kayaks here and go down the Santa Fe. Lots of parking but sometimes can reach capacity on the weekends. No inflatable floats in the spring is kind of lame but you can bring noodles.

This is a small and very accessible park that has one swimming hole open currently. It was quite…read morewarm the day we were there and don't was pretty crowded. Water is a bit chilly but you get used to it. The blue hole (spring source) is about 20-25 feet down - a pretty easy snorkel. Not a lot of current. Shallow areas are good for kids and there is kayak/canoe rentals to paddle downstream to the Santa Fe River. Bathrooms were a bit disgusting. Smelled of raw sewage. A good place to spend a few hours.

Jennings State Forest is a gem in NE FL. I ventured out with a group yesterday to do the Dunn's…read moreFarm trail. I've also hiked much of the Pioneer Trail. The trails are well maintained and well marked with blazes. The trails take you through a wealth of biological diversity from pine forests to uplands that hug Black Creek and other smaller creeks. I haven't camped so can't speak to the campgrounds but the camp sites are well marked. Cost to visit is $2 pass that can be purchased online. The parking lot does not have good reception so better to purchase in advance. Parts of the trail is shaded but a lot of it is in the sun so be aware if visiting during the hotter months.

Great place to hike .keep your eyes on the trail.hiking these woods you will forget there are…read morecotton mouths and rattle snakes out there.keep your eye on the trail ahead of you.

Since my last review was over a decade ago, probably time for an update. I don't come to Ginnie as…read moreoften as other area springs but it's worth a visit now and then--on weekday mornings ideally if you want to freedive, swim, and miss the crowds of the weekend. It's a good camping destination, too. For me, the main draw however is freediving and there's plenty here to see. You cannot and should not by any means enter caves as a freediver--it's forbidden and even for highly-experienced freedivers, dangerous. If we freedivers don't want to wear out our proverbial welcome, yes, we need to behave. Cave-certified SCUBA divers are the only ones to enter caves. I want to address some things which came up between my own observations and what I've read in other reviews here. For one, the food. This isn't a good place to get good food. If you want something nice, get it "in town" in High Springs or bring something to cook if camping. For that matter, bring your snacks and gear because expectedly things are a bit overpriced at the merch store here. If you don't what the place to be loud, busy, and long lines then don't come on weekends and holidays. It's that simple. This is a business and they'll let in as many people as they safely can let in. As far as loud music and uneven enforcement of rules, I think this just comes down to different employees acting their own way. Most summer help is students, they're not going to have the discernment and acumen of a veteran police officer in dealing with people. Most are nice, some are lax, some overzealous. About the bath houses and other facilities. I think things are in pretty good shape--on par with bath houses at campgrounds in the Ocala National Forest, in example. Nothing was horribly dirty any time I was there but folks--this is camping. Remember that. I don't see the need for tram or shuttle, either. Maybe for disabled or infirm folks but most of us can simply walk between springs and should. Overall I feel Ginnie is well-run for what it is, with your normal business caveats like they'll charge what they can get away with in their store which is exactly why you want to buy stuff at Walmart or whatever prior to coming here. It's a great place to camp and unique, beautiful, springs you'll remember your entire lifetime.

Ginnie springs is an amazing private property camping spot for trails, swimming in the springs and…read morea great weekend camping. Highly recommend not coming on the holidays. You get this mix of ghetto hick thugs speeding through the park flashing whatever bs they think is cool. They are trying to crack down but the park is big and there's always someone has to ruin it for visitors. Great spot on week days. One of the few places you can drink and float down the river and hit some springs. I've had many great times

Rum Island offers one of the only free entries into a spring in our state, and certainly the only…read morein the area. It is a county park managed by Columbia County, and is well taken care of. The porta potties are always relatively clean, and it is rare to find liter. The spring is not as deep, blue, or beautiful as other area springs, but you can't beat the free entry. It does offer a larger shallow area than most which is helpful on weekends, holidays, or summer days when it becomes overcrowded. The spring will "brown out" due to overflow of the Santa Fe river when it has rained a lot. It is still safe to swim in however it is not as attractive from the surface. The tanin does however create a neat effect when you free dive/look up. Rum Island Park is a great launch and pick up spot for those wanting to paddle the Santa Fe River. Many outfitters use it, as well as individuals. I personally frequently use it to launch with a paddle board. I like to paddle down to Blue Springs and back before work (in High Springs). Overall, Rum Island Park is a nice launch spot and free swimming hole.

Rum Island Springs County Park is located in the Fort White/High Springs area of North Central…read moreFlorida, 28-miles from Gainesville. It's $5 entry per vehicle and hours are 8am - 7pm daily. Rum Island is a tucked away natural springs pool that's catered towards younger crowds (imo) with mostly shallow waters. There's a row of buoys separating the springs from the Santa Fe River. Visits here can be real quick, under an hour unless you're launching kayaks or barbecuing with family for the day. The white sands of the springs are crystal-clear most times throughout the day and the waters showcase vibrant aquamarine colors when the sun breaks from the clouds. There's even a turquoise limestone cavity that pumps out the pool's 72-degree spring waters. There are some opportunistic moments for worthwhile picture takings and recordings, but...Rum Island is so small and shallow that it feels like standing in the center of the kiddie springs at a waterpark. As much as I enjoyed the views, I felt out of place. It wasn't my favorite Florida springs park to visit, but I still respect it for its scenic surroundings. Finally, there are plenty of kayakers and paddle boarders floating past the springs. Visitors can leave their belongings anywhere on the grass. Overall, I'm glad I got a glimpse into what Rum Island Springs Park is about, which has me motivated to visit the local gold standard benchmarks...Ichetucknee Springs, Ginnie Springs and Gilchrist Blue Springs.

Wow!! Small park. Big Fun!! If you are in the White Springs area you have to check this place out…read more About an hour and a half west and north of Jacksonville. Just a 1.5 mile trail. 3 miles in all. The scenery is amazing. Beautiful views of the historic Suwannee River all along the trail. Hike ends at the majestic Big Shoals. Your experience will depend on the water level of the river, but ours was pretty impressive. Park is pristine. Trails are well maintained and easily accessible. We went in the middle of the week and were the only people there. It's really hot in the summer,so make sure you have water available. Don't miss the bat house at the very beginning of the trail. If the bats hear your voice they will start moving around and making noise. Great old Florida experience.

Great park and you pretty much have it all to yourself. Nice swimming area with a place to put in…read morekayaks and canoes. Several trails of reasonable distance if you are into hiking. Slightly off the beaten path past White Springs, but if you missed it in my opening statement, it is a nice facility, well maintained, and you will probably be the only human there.

Great communication and beautiful river! Safety is #1. The owner Dawn is very informative!read more

Best river I've ever kayaked, gorgeous springs and beaches. Untouched nature at it finest. Thanks…read moreto the crew who shuttled us around, yall are awesome! I'll be back very soon.

What a great event for our family. The kayak tour was the highlight of our 2 week trip. The water…read moreis crystal clear and FULL of fish and fauna and a few gators! Definitely will be back again when visiting the central Florida area. The staff is super helpful and they take care of everything except the paddling when you book a tour with them. Truly an unforgettable experience for our entire family.

Pretty place but dont use a credit card here for the use fees. Someone stole the number and used it…read moreto buy sporting goods.

From Tampa, it took an hour and 30 minutes to get to the river. We first wanted to take a swim in…read morethe swimming area so we went there first before it got really crazy. The area is a bit small and there isn't really a lot of sun spots for you to chill at. It is cool to experience once but I think if you tube, you still will be able to get a swim in because parts of the river are pretty deep. After the swim area, we headed to the tubing section. It is a 15 minute drive from the main park entrance. The fee was 54 for two people that had an annual pass. Highly recommend bringing a small cooler with snacks and drinks and an extra tube for it. It took us about 2 hours to float back to our car and the river is very calm and relaxing. I've floated a river in San Antonio but wasn't as nice as Rainbow springs. Very clean and the water is sooo clear. Overall, really enjoyed our day visit to this state park!

I almost lost my life at Rainbow River, and I feel like I need to share this for anyone considering…read moretubing there. I came expecting a peaceful, relaxing experience because that's what you see in the pictures and reviews. Instead, I ended up in one of the scariest moments of my life. I fell out of my tube and got stuck in deep mud. My water shoe was literally sucked into the mud, and I couldn't push myself up from the bottom. I couldn't get back on my tube because my legs were stuck, and I had already gone underwater and was coughing. What made it even worse was that my daughter, who cannot swim, had drifted away and I couldn't see her. I truly thought I might drown and that something could happen to my daughter. I was panicking, crying, and shaking. By the grace of God, I saw the only boat nearby and flagged them down. They went back and picked up me and my daughter too. I will never forget the people who helped us. I truly believe they prevented a tragedy that day. Another important thing to mention is that this happened toward the evening on a weekday, and there were almost no people left on the river. We were some of the last people out there. I got incredibly lucky that there happened to be a boat nearby because otherwise, I don't know what would have happened to me or my daughter. What upsets me the most is that there was no real safety briefing or warning about the risks. We were given tubes and sent off. No one explained the currents, deep areas, muddy bottoms, or what to do in an emergency. No one recommended life jackets to us, even though not everyone in our group could swim. Please understand that there are no lifeguards. Depending on the time of day, you may find yourself with very few people around to help in an emergency. If I hadn't been able to flag down that boat, this story could have ended very differently. I later learned that other people have had similar frightening experiences here, and I understand why. Please, if you decide to go: * Wear a life jacket, especially if you are not a strong swimmer. * Do not assume the water is shallow because it's a spring. * Do not bring children or adults who cannot swim without extra precautions. * Understand that there are no lifeguards and you are responsible for your own safety. This experience was so traumatic for me that I still have flashbacks and cannot imagine ever returning. A beautiful place can still be dangerous, and I wish I had known that before I went. Please stay safe.