Ichetucknee Springs State Park

Eight major crystalline springs feed into the Ichetucknee River where the swamp sinks into your pores and you can float through the roots of nature. The northernmost launch point on the river marks a National Natural Landmark, the head of Ichetucknee Springs, and travels six miles down to the south takeout, a tranquil route of natural wonder.

Education and Exhibit Visitor Center

Dancing around the rainstorms, we begin our journey at the Education and Exhibit Visitor Center at Ichetucknee Springs State Park, which showcases live animal exhibits, interactive kiosks, and various ranger-led programs throughout the year. After peering in at a box turtle and gopher tortoise joint habitat and watching a yellow rat snake feast on a pre-packaged rat, we navigate through to the educational materials that allow us to reach out and choose our own learning adventure.

With each step into the indoor cave creation, we learn about best practices for water conservation, odd objects found in the springs, and native species that are residents of the springs. One video features a live cave dive, traveling 44 feet down the crystal clear, first magnitude Blue Hole Springs, part of the Florida aquifer and spring shed at the north end of the park.

As we make our way through the center, a park ranger is excited for the opportunity to teach us more about each exhibit, giving us a private guided tour, and he even releases the rat snake from its habitat to show us the creature’s constricting, yet docile nature. Who knew you could get up close and personal with Ichetucknee wildlife both on and off the water?

The main mission of the park is to protect and preserve Ichetucknee River and its eight springs by teaching park visitors about the recharge river basin.

Learn more about these efforts and discover how you can minimize your own wastewater impacts: 

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Come float down the river with us!