Paddleboarding the Florida Springs

By Carly Meyers

Have you ever tried to SUP? SUP is short for stand-up paddleboarding, an activity that is growing in popularity. The newest innovation is in atable paddleboards. Gone are the days of struggling to tie the boards to the roof of the car and hope on a prayer that they don’t disembark on the highway. After in ating the boards with an electric pump, the boards only weigh 15 to 20 pounds and you’re ready to explore the water. My ancée and I have taken on the task of paddleboarding as many Florida springs and parks as we can since purchasing our boards, and we’ve discovered some of the most breathtaking waters are in our very own backyard.

ICHETUCKNEE SPRINGS

Fed by eight springs, the Itchetucknee Springs State Park o ers visitors bluegreen waters year round. The constant current allows for guests to tube down the nearly 6-mile stretch forming the Ichetucknee River.

Although best known for its warm weather tubing, the 2,669-acre Itchetucknee Springs State Park is also a wildlife hotspot where beaver, otter, turtles and gar all call home. Guests can also enjoy three nature trails that guide visitors through lush forest or a sandhill environment with towering pines.

Paddleboards and kayaks can get a special view of the river at the north entrance starting point—where tubing is not permitted. The upper portion within the state park is a National Natural Landmark, perhaps the most pristine spring run in the state and is best enjoyed by canoe, kayak or paddleboard in rain or shine. Because most visitors are tubing, which starts at the midway point, this course if often quiet and peaceful, and perhaps the most beautiful place, in my opinion, to paddleboard. Not to mention, it’s right in our backyard.

Equipment and tubes are available to rent at the south entrance if you do not have your own.

GINNIE SPRINGS

Ginnie Springs is a privately owned park in Gilchrist County, about 6.5 miles northwest of High Springs. Located on the south side of the Santa Fe River, the water is clear, cold and teeming with accessible caverns and fascinating wildlife.

Ginnie Springs

Ginnie Springs has been privately owned since 1971. When scuba diving grew in popularity, the owners opened the park to the public. Though the most dangerous caverns are now marked o from the public, Ginnie Springs is still a nationally renowned diving spot that is still largely popular today.

In addition to diving, visitors can swim, paddleboard, kayak and tube along the Santa Fe River. The river contains various springs and sights to explore along the entirety of the waterway. If tubing, the run takes about an hour from start to nish. Being on a paddleboard o ers the opportunity to explore, tie o for a snack or jump in for a quick swim. Personal equipment is allowed, or they have rentals available.

Ginnie is also well known for camping. Visitors can make reservations for water and electric campsites, which are located across from the park’s store. A reservation is not needed for primitive campsites, but they are rst come, rst serve.

Since Ginnie is privately owned, there are few restrictions on visitors and is the only spring in Florida that allows alcohol. If you’re looking for a quieter day on the water or night camping, Ginnie may not be the best option for you. But if you’re looking to camp with a large group, they have 129 campsites, as well as a cabin, to accommodate many visitors at once.

GILCHRIST BLUE SPRINGS STATE PARK

Located 25 miles south of Lake City and 20 miles northwest of Gainesville, Gilchrist Blue Springs contains a variety of natural springs, including Gilchrist Blue, a large second-magnitude spring that produces an average of 44 million gallons of water per day. This spring has amazing water clarity and discharges water through a shallow spring run about onequarter mile to the Santa Fe River.

Other on-site springs include Johnson Spring, Little Blue Spring, Kiefer Spring and Naked Spring, all of which provide scenic views and outstanding, clear waters.

The main spring run is well known for a diversity of wildlife species, including turtles and sh, some of which include spotted sun sh, largemouth bass, bluegill and channel cat sh.

Paddling, snorkeling and swimming are all popular at the park. Other popular activities include camping, hiking, nature study and picnicking. The park does o er paddling equipment rentals if you do not have your own.

Gilchrist Blue is a great starter course for paddleboarding. The rst-quarter mile from the starting point is blocked o from the main waterway, so you can paddle back and forth on the small run in the shallow water to get a hang of being on your board without the intimidation of a large course. Here, you can practice paddleboarding, tie o to a tree to have lunch on your board without a strong current in your way or have a quick swim in the shallows to cool down. In fact, this is where I learned to paddleboard!

This is also a great spot if you have small children, as kayaking and paddleboarding can be very tiring. This spot will allow them to enjoy the activity without the commitment of a multiple-hour course, or for young children to be able to swim in shallow water.

ANASTASIA STATE PARK

Though not a Florida spring, if you’re willing to make the drive to St. Augustine, Anastasia State Park will never disappoint. A pristine beach with warm, clear waters, Anastasia is a haven for both visitors and wildlife. Rentals of paddleboards, sailboats, canoes and kayaks are available for guests without their own equipment, and there are multiple launches to start at to paddle up to the lighthouse and back.

The camping at Anastasia is one of the nicest spots we’ve ever stayed at. A short walk from the beach, the 139 campsites o er water and power hookups, as well as showers and restrooms for every block of sites.

Though further from home, Anastasia o ered an entirely di erent view from the waters we boarded closer to home. Not to mention, a day at the beach once o the water was not a terrible way to spend the day. The park is also a 10-minute drive from Downtown St. Augustine, so there’s endless things to do after a long day on the water.

Carly Meyers and Phillip Hill paddling to Rainbow Springs from Blue Run

Ginnie Springs

Paddling from Blue Run toward KP Hole and Rainbow Springs.

Rainbow Springs

RAINBOW SPRINGS

Rainbow Springs is the focal point of Rainbow Springs State Park. It is a rstmagnitude spring formation in Marion County, just north of Dunnellon. This spring is the fourth largest in Florida and produces 490 million gallons of water daily. Rainbow Springs forms the headwaters of Rainbow River and empties in Withlacoochee River.

If you head down the waterway from Rainbow Springs, you’ll hit both KP Hole and Blue Run, two other entrances to the water. At KP Hole, you can rent tubes to oat to Blue Run, or kayaks and paddleboards. Be warned that if you’re bringing your own equipment, you cannot get in the water at KP hole, as only their rental equipment is allowed to start there. To avoid the crowds during our last visit, we put our boards in the water at Blue Run and paddled up past KP Hole to Rainbow Springs, then paddled back, for a total of about a 4-hour trip.

This paddle is unique in that most of the course is behind residential homes on the river. It was a nice change of scenery to see all the di erent homes, say hello to pets on their docks and wave to many homeowners enjoying lunch on their back patios. Boats are also allowed on this waterway, so be wary of waves stirred up to o set your balance, even in no-wake zones. At Blue Run, there’s also a restaurant called Swampy’s that you can stop at after your paddle for a quick bite or to watch others out on the water.

Gilchrist Blue Springs Ichetu knee Springs

Our stand-up paddleboards have allowed us to experience the springs and waters around us in an entirely new way. Though we have many spots on our list to still visit, it’s always best to come back home and explore the spots in our very own backyard with new sights to discover every time. The great thing about stand-up paddleboards is that we can use them year round, so the adventure never has to end. With summer on its way, it’s time to get out on the water even more and discover the next adventure the Florida springs have in store for us. ■