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NO LIGHTS OR REFLECTORS: The state park is off of a stretch of highway that goes to a smaller stretch of road, to a yet smaller stretch of road, to the gate of the park. Did I mention at night it's pitch dark? We arrived at night - the 6 hours it took was longer than anticipated. CABINS 1 FLIGHT UP: The cabin was deep in the woods - not riverside - but it was the last of the cluster so it was private and beautiful. This is not roughing it. These are like homes. Well insulated, appointed with 2 bedrooms (sheets, pillows & blankets provided), full kitchen (side by side fridge with ice/water on the door, silverware/dishes/cutting boards and knives, detergent, sponges, hand soap, etc.), electric fireplace, etc. (There's a fire pit outside of each cabin and for $6 they'll deliver wood.) The cabin was so well insulated, we had to step outside to the wraparound porch to check the weather. WOODS: Look up at night and be dazzled by all the stars. You'll see TONS more than you do here. And in the morning, do what we did - we grabbed coffee (there's a coffeemaker) and sit on the porch to view of cardinals, quick oak-nut-eating squirrels, wrens and other birds. Just know that if you return to the park after dark - as we did every night - you're going to be driving in an incredibly dark area and will have to open a padlock and remove a chain to open the gate to get into the park. See the pics...notice how pitch dark it is? Remember that when you're driving there - no lit up street signs, nothing. CONNECTION: We didn't notice until the day before we checked out that there wasn't a tv. We didn't turn on the radio they provided but we did run the electric fireplace and used it's heat function one night. But wifi fades - just what the hell is 1X? I saw that where I usually see 3G or 4G on my phone. Is that dial-up connection? Beyond the usual BS reasons we want our phones, it's unacceptable because this state park fails to provide a strong signal for emergencies. The cabin has a binder of phone numbers and directions for medical help. But if you can't call for help and you're in the middle of nowhere you're screwed. This is our tax dollars at work and we should insist that wifi be made available to help protect the area and its people. Interestingly, we went into town and saw the fire station. There is a thick layer of dust on the old trucks. We went by 3 times - the door was locked and no one was there. The people are the nicest and the town is filled with decaying buildings and as many empty storefronts as open businesses. This is not a rich community. Nor is it densely populated - Mayo has about 800 residents and when you add all the towns in Lafayette county, the number swells to 8800. FOOD: This is the land of tan, fried food. Do what we did and stop at a Publix in Alachua to get ANYTHING reminiscent of healthy food. We actually preferred to eat at the cabin than in town because of the few restaurants and food choices. I packed my NuWave and we used it! SHOWER: The water was steamy hot. But the tiny shower head isn't set up for short people. (If you're short, good luck getting into bed! This cabin was made for really tall people.) They need to provide a hand held shower head so short people have a chance to remove the soap from their lower halves without having to stand against the back wall of the tub to try to catch the water. PARK MAP: There's no park map in the cabin binder. I didn't have connectivity to use the Pocket Ranger app I downloaded. They need to provide a paper map to each guest. They also didn't have one posted on the bulletin boards where info about mosquitoes was provided. OVERALL: This was a visually beautiful vacation spot. The cabin was set up to provide comfort and great views of nature. The "roughing it" comes by way of no wifi, civilization (drive for an hour to a chain store for provisions - local stores are mostly Family Dollar, Subway and independents like Mayo's Thriftway market), or map of the park. Small tweaks would make a HUGE difference...from 4 to 5 stars.
This place is a gem. It sits along the Suwanee river and from what I'm told, it is never too busy (according to my brother who is a local), and from my own observation, it wasn't too busy. The water was higher than normal due to the recent rain, so the limestone bridge that people usually put their stuff on, was covered with water. Check out my video! But that's no matter, we just put our stuff up on a patch of grass next to one of the many trees surrounding this little swimming hole. Of course, away from the water is a picnic area with lots of tables, BBQ grilles, and shaded pavilions you could use. Like any other spring, the water was crystal clear and cold-it was refreshing! One thing you might learn about me is that I love to snorkel. So, in true Shannon form, I took the opportunity to snorkel around the rocks and to my surprise, we found several small bullets. We also watched 2 turtles sun themselves, schools of mullet swim by, and a couple of snakes high up on the ledges (away from people). For the most part, the water is too deep to stand, so beware with little ones. However, the limestone edges made a great little shallow area for kids to play. There's a bathroom up on stilts, so you have to climb stairs to get to them. It also has a manual elevator to use if you have a wheelchair. There's cabins that can be rented through ReserveAmerica and those are also up on stilts. I promply added it to my bucket list. The cabins looked huge and they have porches that overlook the river. I've never been inside but I plan to, at some point. Overall it was a wonderful escape into the woods surrounded by mother nature.
We practically had the whole place to ourselves. The water level in the river is so high, it flooded out the springs, so no swimming. We walked the trail, which had some smaller springs to look at, more like large sinkholes filled with water. Beautiful views of the river. We stayed in a cabin, which is very nice. The bed is a bit uncomfortable, time for a new mattress. Staff is very friendly.
Lafayette Blue Springs State Parks is, I believe, along with Troy Springs State Park (also in Lafayette County) one of the newer parks in the Florida State Park system. It is focused on the namesake springs which are on the Suwannee River and the spring-run goes right into the Suwannee. There is also a boat launch and thus access to the park from watercraft on Suwannee as well as by land. There are cabins that can be rented for the night--and when they say "cabins", actually they're talking about pretty posh affairs and not what I would expect nor desire for a camping cabin. More like a very nice fishing lodge is what they remind me of, really. You can find tent camping here, also, on a walk-up basis (that is, not to be reserved but first come, first serve). When my friend and I arrived here, the springs were in a "brownout" phase which is what happens when the Suwannee gets a great deal of rain, or in this specific case, a decent rainfall after a period of little rain. Then, the river's flow is stronger than that of the springs along the river and it overflows the springs and turns their crystal-clear water dirty brown. This also throws off the water balance and thus makes the springs warmer than their typical year-round 72°F and in theory alligators and snakes that would avoid swimming in the springs due to the cooler water now may make their way into the springs from the river. Due to the inability to see underwater and possible presence of reptiles, the State Park rangers close the springs to swimming and SCUBA diving in these circumstances. Fully understandable, but the problem is, with Lafayette Blue Springs they didn't announce that it was in brownout conditions on their website but did announce that Troy Springs downriver was . . . so my friend and I presumed maybe Blue Springs was clear since it wasn't indicated otherwise . . . until we got there and discovered while the park is open the springs are closed to swimming. And we wanted to swim and free-dive. Thus, three stars for what would otherwise be a four-star park. Also, the restrooms were locked and no one on staff was anywhere to be found. Yet the park was "open". If you're going to shut up the restrooms, close the park for swimming due to (understandable) weather conditions, then tell your patrons. We'd also tried calling the park from our boat on the way and no answer. They closed Troy Springs for the same reason but left Lafayette Blue open because . . . there were campers? I don't know why, but it is irksome. I understand the State Parks are suffering from budget cuts, but they need to at least let people know better what's up.
Nice little getaway! We stayed one night in Cabin 4 and it was wonderful. The cabin was not what I expected but nicer! Very spacious and clean. The rooms are big and the beds are nice. The wrap around porch was where we spent most of the time. It was awesome getting up and drinking my coffee and swinging! The park itself is small but the spring was nice. Cold cold water (72 degrees) will take your breath away! Only advice is to bring your own sheets. They provide sheets but they are standard and not the greatest.
2 years ago
Nice and cozy cabin deep in the woods. Limited cell service and no television but it's a lovely tranquil place. Truly enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful nature. read more
6 years ago
I just stepped into Klan country. Yikes! Paid for a two night cabin stay but left early. You will definitely feel unwelcome by the locals if you're not white. The park ranger was extremely nice. She was very friendly and helpful. The cabin was clean and cozy. No internet, TV or cell phone service. We brought our own bed linens, pillows, food and board games. Springs was beautiful but crowded. We did not go in for a swim. Very few practice social distancing and very few wore face covering at the local stores. My husband was told to remove his face mask as it's like strapping a muzzle on his face. What?!?!?!?! I was flabbergasted by her comments. I should've done my research prior. Oh well, lesson learned. read more
9 years ago
There are two openings to swim in, the main spring is almost enclosed like a pool (other than a hole underwater thru with what looks like a rocky wall then another area swimming area closer to the river which is roped off to protect from boats. The enclosed part was difficult to get out of, if you chose to just jump in off the ledge. The entire park was dirty and littered. Most of the water was not clear, that could be from the volume of people stirring up the sand and mud or from recent rainfall, I'm not sure. My biggest issue... Despite clear signage, people were dangerously jumping and diving off a tall wall, had their (incessantly barking) dog in the spring unleashed, and small children (2-4yo) were running around unsupervised. The one good thing was the long winding ramp down to the waters edge, for those that can't do two flights of stairs. If you go, there are cabins to rent, grills w picnic tables, and a couple covered pavilions. I doubt I will return, definitely not until I've seen all the other springs in the area or maybe during the week when there are fewer people. read more
NO LIGHTS OR REFLECTORS: The state park is off of a stretch of highway that goes to a smaller stretch of road, to a yet smaller stretch of road, to the gate of the park. Did I mention at night it's pitch dark? We arrived at night - the 6 hours it took was longer than anticipated. CABINS 1 FLIGHT UP: The cabin was deep in the woods - not riverside - but it was the last of the cluster so it was private and beautiful. This is not roughing it. These are like homes. Well insulated, appointed with 2 bedrooms (sheets, pillows & blankets provided), full kitchen (side by side fridge with ice/water on the door, silverware/dishes/cutting boards and knives, detergent, sponges, hand soap, etc.), electric fireplace, etc. (There's a fire pit outside of each cabin and for $6 they'll deliver wood.) The cabin was so well insulated, we had to step outside to the wraparound porch to check the weather. WOODS: Look up at night and be dazzled by all the stars. You'll see TONS more than you do here. And in the morning, do what we did - we grabbed coffee (there's a coffeemaker) and sit on the porch to view of cardinals, quick oak-nut-eating squirrels, wrens and other birds. Just know that if you return to the park after dark - as we did every night - you're going to be driving in an incredibly dark area and will have to open a padlock and remove a chain to open the gate to get into the park. See the pics...notice how pitch dark it is? Remember that when you're driving there - no lit up street signs, nothing. CONNECTION: We didn't notice until the day before we checked out that there wasn't a tv. We didn't turn on the radio they provided but we did run the electric fireplace and used it's heat function one night. But wifi fades - just what the hell is 1X? I saw that where I usually see 3G or 4G on my phone. Is that dial-up connection? Beyond the usual BS reasons we want our phones, it's unacceptable because this state park fails to provide a strong signal for emergencies. The cabin has a binder of phone numbers and directions for medical help. But if you can't call for help and you're in the middle of nowhere you're screwed. This is our tax dollars at work and we should insist that wifi be made available to help protect the area and its people. Interestingly, we went into town and saw the fire station. There is a thick layer of dust on the old trucks. We went by 3 times - the door was locked and no one was there. The people are the nicest and the town is filled with decaying buildings and as many empty storefronts as open businesses. This is not a rich community. Nor is it densely populated - Mayo has about 800 residents and when you add all the towns in Lafayette county, the number swells to 8800. FOOD: This is the land of tan, fried food. Do what we did and stop at a Publix in Alachua to get ANYTHING reminiscent of healthy food. We actually preferred to eat at the cabin than in town because of the few restaurants and food choices. I packed my NuWave and we used it! SHOWER: The water was steamy hot. But the tiny shower head isn't set up for short people. (If you're short, good luck getting into bed! This cabin was made for really tall people.) They need to provide a hand held shower head so short people have a chance to remove the soap from their lower halves without having to stand against the back wall of the tub to try to catch the water. PARK MAP: There's no park map in the cabin binder. I didn't have connectivity to use the Pocket Ranger app I downloaded. They need to provide a paper map to each guest. They also didn't have one posted on the bulletin boards where info about mosquitoes was provided. OVERALL: This was a visually beautiful vacation spot. The cabin was set up to provide comfort and great views of nature. The "roughing it" comes by way of no wifi, civilization (drive for an hour to a chain store for provisions - local stores are mostly Family Dollar, Subway and independents like Mayo's Thriftway market), or map of the park. Small tweaks would make a HUGE difference...from 4 to 5 stars. read more
8 years ago
This place is a gem. It sits along the Suwanee river and from what I'm told, it is never too busy (according to my brother who is a local), and from my own observation, it wasn't too busy. The water was higher than normal due to the recent rain, so the limestone bridge that people usually put their stuff on, was covered with water. Check out my video! But that's no matter, we just put our stuff up on a patch of grass next to one of the many trees surrounding this little swimming hole. Of course, away from the water is a picnic area with lots of tables, BBQ grilles, and shaded pavilions you could use. Like any other spring, the water was crystal clear and cold-it was refreshing! One thing you might learn about me is that I love to snorkel. So, in true Shannon form, I took the opportunity to snorkel around the rocks and to my surprise, we found several small bullets. We also watched 2 turtles sun themselves, schools of mullet swim by, and a couple of snakes high up on the ledges (away from people). For the most part, the water is too deep to stand, so beware with little ones. However, the limestone edges made a great little shallow area for kids to play. There's a bathroom up on stilts, so you have to climb stairs to get to them. It also has a manual elevator to use if you have a wheelchair. There's cabins that can be rented through ReserveAmerica and those are also up on stilts. I promply added it to my bucket list. The cabins looked huge and they have porches that overlook the river. I've never been inside but I plan to, at some point. Overall it was a wonderful escape into the woods surrounded by mother nature. read more
6 years ago
We practically had the whole place to ourselves. The water level in the river is so high, it flooded out the springs, so no swimming. We walked the trail, which had some smaller springs to look at, more like large sinkholes filled with water. Beautiful views of the river. We stayed in a cabin, which is very nice. The bed is a bit uncomfortable, time for a new mattress. Staff is very friendly. read more
Lafayette Blue Springs State Parks is, I believe, along with Troy Springs State Park (also in Lafayette County) one of the newer parks in the Florida State Park system. It is focused on the namesake springs which are on the Suwannee River and the spring-run goes right into the Suwannee. There is also a boat launch and thus access to the park from watercraft on Suwannee as well as by land. There are cabins that can be rented for the night--and when they say "cabins", actually they're talking about pretty posh affairs and not what I would expect nor desire for a camping cabin. More like a very nice fishing lodge is what they remind me of, really. You can find tent camping here, also, on a walk-up basis (that is, not to be reserved but first come, first serve). When my friend and I arrived here, the springs were in a "brownout" phase which is what happens when the Suwannee gets a great deal of rain, or in this specific case, a decent rainfall after a period of little rain. Then, the river's flow is stronger than that of the springs along the river and it overflows the springs and turns their crystal-clear water dirty brown. This also throws off the water balance and thus makes the springs warmer than their typical year-round 72°F and in theory alligators and snakes that would avoid swimming in the springs due to the cooler water now may make their way into the springs from the river. Due to the inability to see underwater and possible presence of reptiles, the State Park rangers close the springs to swimming and SCUBA diving in these circumstances. Fully understandable, but the problem is, with Lafayette Blue Springs they didn't announce that it was in brownout conditions on their website but did announce that Troy Springs downriver was . . . so my friend and I presumed maybe Blue Springs was clear since it wasn't indicated otherwise . . . until we got there and discovered while the park is open the springs are closed to swimming. And we wanted to swim and free-dive. Thus, three stars for what would otherwise be a four-star park. Also, the restrooms were locked and no one on staff was anywhere to be found. Yet the park was "open". If you're going to shut up the restrooms, close the park for swimming due to (understandable) weather conditions, then tell your patrons. We'd also tried calling the park from our boat on the way and no answer. They closed Troy Springs for the same reason but left Lafayette Blue open because . . . there were campers? I don't know why, but it is irksome. I understand the State Parks are suffering from budget cuts, but they need to at least let people know better what's up. read more
9 years ago
Nice little getaway! We stayed one night in Cabin 4 and it was wonderful. The cabin was not what I expected but nicer! Very spacious and clean. The rooms are big and the beds are nice. The wrap around porch was where we spent most of the time. It was awesome getting up and drinking my coffee and swinging! The park itself is small but the spring was nice. Cold cold water (72 degrees) will take your breath away! Only advice is to bring your own sheets. They provide sheets but they are standard and not the greatest. read more
5 years ago
Cabins are nice and right next to the river. Fireplace is pretty but it's a bad electric model. Cabins on stilts with nice screened in porches with ceiling fans. Fire rings, grill, and picnic table. Very nice. No tv or wifi. Enjoy. read more
7 years ago
6 years ago
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4 years ago
Lafayette Blue Springs State Park - parks - Updated July 2026
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