Blue Spring State Park

What to expect

First, the plain truth: Blue Spring is not a hot spring. The water comes out of the Floridan aquifer at about 72°F22°C and stays there all year. On an August afternoon that feels cold. On a January morning, when the St. Johns River next door is colder still, it is warm enough to pull in hundreds of West Indian manatees, and that is what this park is known for.

Blue Spring is a first-magnitude spring and one of Florida’s designated Outstanding Florida Springs. The vent sits at the head of a narrow, clear run that flows out to the St. Johns River. The St. Johns River Water Management District describes the vent as a steep drop to roughly 40 feet, with banks 10 to 20 feet high around the pool. A boardwalk follows the run from the river to the spring head, and recent shoreline work added a new section of boardwalk, a better swimming platform and an upgraded manatee release area.

There are two seasons here, and they barely overlap:

• April 1 to Nov. 14: the run is open for swimming, tubing, snorkeling, scuba and paddling.
• About mid-November through March: the run is closed to people in the water and given over to manatees. You watch from the boardwalk.

The manatee numbers are real conservation news. The park says researchers tracked 14 manatees here in 1970, more than 200 by 2005, and a record 729 in 2023.

There are other springs called Blue Spring in Florida. This listing is Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Volusia County, the best known. Gilchrist Blue Springs near High Springs and Madison Blue Spring near Lee are different parks, and Blue Springs Park in Marianna is run by Jackson County.

Getting there

The park is at 2100 W. French Ave., Orange City, between DeLand and Sanford. From Interstate 4, take the Orange City exit (SR 472) west to US 17-92, go south into Orange City, and turn west on French Avenue. Follow it to the park gate. From Orlando, I-4 east gets you there without any back roads.

You need a day-use reservation before you leave home (see below). Have the barcode on your phone or printed. Parking is in paved lots inside the park, and from there it is a short walk on paths and the boardwalk to the swimming area and spring head. A separate rental beach in the lower day-use area is where you launch your own canoe or kayak.

When to go

Swimming season (April 1 to Nov. 14). Weekends from May to Labor Day are the crush. The park says it frequently reaches capacity and can close for several hours at a time; when that happens, walkers and cyclists are held at the gate along with cars. The reservation system that started on July 15, 2026 is meant to smooth this out, but it also means a sold-out day is sold out. Weekday mornings in April, May and October are the easy wins.

Manatee season (about Nov. 15 through March). The park’s own pages give slightly different end dates: mid-November through March in most places, Nov. 15 to March 31 in one, and Nov. 15 to March 15 for scuba. Opening in spring can be pushed back if manatees stay late. Cold mornings after a front bring the biggest gatherings. Call the park at 386-775-3663 if your dates are close to the changeover.

Rules and fees

• Entry: $6 per vehicle with two to eight people, $4 for a single-occupant vehicle, and $2 for pedestrians, cyclists and extra passengers. You pay online when you book.
• Reservations: required for all day visitors, made at reserve.floridastateparks.org up to 60 days ahead, one booking per day. Same-day bookings are possible until the limit is reached. A reservation gets you in once; re-entry depends on space. Cancellations are refunded, no-shows are not.
• Hours: 8 a.m. to sundown, every day.
• In the water: no food, glass, coolers, pets, tobacco or vapes, speakers, fishing gear, underwater scooters, or inflatables over 72 inches. Do not climb on the banks or trees.
• Manatees: swimming with or diving near manatees is not allowed, and divers must keep at least 50 feet away. The water district says this is strictly enforced.
• Alcohol: Florida State Parks allow it in designated areas only.

Tubing, snorkeling, diving and paddling

Tubing: you enter at the upper entry, swim up to the boil, then float the roughly one-eighth-mile run back to the main swim dock. Blue Springs Adventures rents tubes (833-953-2583).

Snorkeling: allowed on your own in the run during swimming season. Florida Dive Company runs guided group and private tours (386-663-8030).

Scuba: divers must stay within their certification and dive in groups of at least two. Open water and free divers may not carry lights or go below 60 feet. The park allows 32 divers at once, only in designated areas, and dives must end an hour before sunset. Leave fossils, artifacts and plants alone.

Paddling: paddle the run and out onto the St. Johns River. Rentals come from Blue Springs Adventures. Paddling is not allowed in the swimming area from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and you must stay in your boat.

Boat tours: St. Johns River Cruises runs two-hour narrated river cruises at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily, with a wheelchair lift.

Where to stay nearby

• The park campground has 51 sites in sand pine scrub, within walking distance of the spring, for RVs up to 40 feet, with water, electricity, a picnic table and a grill at each site. In 2026 sites cost $24 a night plus tax, plus a $6.70 reservation fee and a $7 nightly utility fee for RVs.
• Six two-bedroom cabins in an oak hammock sleep up to six, with a kitchen, screened porch and linens. They cost $95 a night plus tax and fees, with a two-night minimum, bookable up to 11 months ahead. No pets in cabins.
• Book both at reserve.floridastateparks.org or 800-326-3521.
• Orange City, DeLand and Sanford have hotels within a short drive.
• De Leon Springs, north of DeLand, is the obvious second spring for the same trip.

Safety notes

• Cold water: 72°F22°C is cooler than most pools. Kids and thin adults chill fast; take breaks in the sun.
• Depth: the vent drops off steeply. Weak swimmers should stay near the platforms.
• Manatees and wildlife: keep your distance. Alligators live in the St. Johns River system, so paddle and swim with that in mind.
• Capacity closures: do not drive out without a reservation on a summer weekend and expect to get in.