Cypress Spring

What to expect

Cypress Spring is not a hot spring. It is a cold one. The water holds at roughly 68 to 70°F20 to 21°C all year, which in the Panhandle summer feels like stepping into a fridge. Come to swim, snorkel and paddle, not to soak.

The spring sits in the cypress and tupelo floodplain of Holmes Creek, a few miles northeast of Vernon in Washington County. It is a second-magnitude spring, and the Northwest Florida Water Management District puts its average recorded flow at about 89 cubic feet per second. The pool is roughly round, about 114 feet north to south and 132 feet east to west, and the main vent sits about 26 feet down under a strong boil. Limestone shows across much of the bottom, with patches of sand and grass, and the water has the light blue color people drive across the Panhandle for. A second vent lies a little downstream, and cave divers report passages reaching at least 65 feet.

From the pool, a swift, shallow run about 2 feet deep flows roughly 1,400 feet south into Holmes Creek. Paddlers turn up that run from the creek and arrive at the spring from the water. There is no road in.

Who owns it. The banks around the spring are private. In 2018 the water management district agreed to buy a conservation easement on the spring, more than 1,000 feet of creek shoreline and about 300 acres from Nestlé Waters North America, working with Washington County. The deal was $812,700, and the company agreed to donate that amount back for shoreline restoration and management. In January 2026 district contractors began that restoration: stabilizing the eroded banks, replacing a worn boardwalk with an accessible walkway to the restrooms, adding paddlecraft landing mats, new decks with steps into the water, and replacing damaged trees with natives.

Getting there

Vernon is on SR 79, between Bonifay and I-10 to the north and Panama City Beach to the south. From Vernon, take Highway 277 north.

• Cotton Landing (3008 Highway 277, about 3 miles north of Vernon) is the usual launch. The district says Cypress Spring is about a 10-minute paddle from here. There is a gently sloped hand-launch ramp that works with wheeled carts, a second ramp used by liveries, a picnic pavilion, a portable toilet and parking.
• Culpepper Landing is off Culpepper Lane and Big Pine Lane. The spring run enters Holmes Creek about half a mile upstream of this ramp, so you paddle up against the current to get there and ride it back.
• Other access points on the Holmes Creek Paddling Trail, a Florida Designated Paddling Trail, include Burnt Sock Landing upstream and Vernon Wayside Park downstream, for longer one-way trips with a shuttle.

Local liveries and guided outfits run canoe and kayak trips on Holmes Creek. Check current operators before you go, since they change. Bring your own boat if you can.

When to go

April to October is the swimming season in practice. The water never warms, but you want hot air to enjoy it. Summer weekends get busy with boats, tubes and paddlers, so go on a weekday or launch early.

Winter is quiet. The spring is still 68 to 70°F20 to 21°C, so on a cold morning it can steam. Paddling is pleasant if you dress for the air.

2026 restoration: the district said the shoreline work would take several months and that bank access may be restricted while it runs. The spring stayed open by boat. Check the district’s recreation site closures page for an update.

After heavy rain Holmes Creek can run high and dark. Check the weather for the days before your trip, not just the day itself.

Rules and etiquette

• Respect private land. Florida DEP’s paddling trail guide asks paddlers not to trespass on private land, especially around Cypress Springs. Use the spring landing and the marked areas only.
• Cotton Landing rules: day use sunrise to sunset, no alcohol, no ATVs, and motor vehicles on designated roads only.
• Fees: none are listed for the spring or Cotton Landing day use.
• Keep it clean. The whole point of the restoration is bank erosion from heavy use. Stay off the banks where signs or fencing say so, and pack out everything.
• Swimsuits. This is a family swimming spot.

Where to stay nearby

• Cotton Landing has three primitive campsites, reservation-only, for tents, vans and truck campers. Book through the district’s “Reserve A Site” link. They are the closest you can sleep to the spring.
• The Choctawhatchee River/Holmes Creek Water Management Area around the creek has other district landings and camping areas shown on the paddling trail maps.
• Vernon has basic services. Bonifay and Chipley on I-10 have motels, and Panama City Beach is the big lodging base to the south.
• Ponce de Leon Springs State Park in Holmes County and Morrison Springs in Walton County are other cool springs worth pairing with this one.

Safety notes

• Cold water: 68 to 70°F20 to 21°C drains body heat fast. Kids get cold quickly, and an adult should go with children 12 and under in a canoe or tandem kayak.
• Current: the spring run is swift and Holmes Creek moves steadily. Plan your return leg and wear life jackets on the creek.
• Cave hazard: the vent leads into a cave system. Do not swim or free-dive into it. Only cave-trained divers with proper gear belong beyond the open pool.
• Boat traffic: motorboats use Holmes Creek. Keep to the side and stay visible.
• Wildlife: alligators and snakes live in the floodplain. Give them space.