The Early Bird Gets To Swim Without The Crowds at Fanning Springs State Park!

Florida’s State Parks are some of the most popular in the U.S. and needless to say they can get crowded during the summer months, especially if they feature springs, like many in our Natural North Florida region.

**An “average” summer afternoon at Fanning Springs State Park…**

Fanning Springs State Park can be crowded for several reasons. One, it’s proximity to US19/98 just south of the Suwannee River Bridge makes it easily accessible to visitors. And two, boaters can launch across the river and paddle or motor into the spring run.

**…so arrive early and have the spring pool all to your own!**

Fanning Springs State Park is open at 8AM, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. And park-goers who arrive closer to noon, especially on weekends, are likely to find long lines of cars, a scarcity of picnic tables and hundreds of people vying for their share of the cool 72-degree F spring water.

An option to arriving early is to rent one of the 6 “cabins” at the park. They’re well appointed and staying in one offers the best early access to the spring. Campsites are also available. Due to their popularity cabins and campsites should be reserved well in advance of your visit. Reservations can be made on the Reserve America website.

Here’s some inforrmation about the park from the State Parks website:

“Fanning Springs now produces around 65 million gallons of water daily, making it a second magnitude spring. Historically, Fanning Spring was a first-magnitude springs as recently as the 1990s. The springs not only offer the perfect 72 degrees water to cool down on hot Florida days, it also offers an abundance of underwater wildlife to view such as musk turtles, bass, mullet, freshwater flounder, bowfin and manatees during the colder days, just to name a few.

Visitors can enjoy grilling and picnicking under the majestic live oaks, kids can swing and run around at the playground and friends and family can have a friendly game of volleyball on the white sand volleyball court. We have a boardwalk that allows you to step back in time to old Florida as you stroll through a breathtaking cypress swamp with cypress knees standing 6 feet tall. This boardwalk ends with an overlook allowing you to see the Suwannee River and all it has to offer, including massive sturgeons jumping during the summer months.”