7 Things to do in to Ichetucknee Springs State Park (with video)

Florida has many beautiful State parks with springs, and Ichetucknee Springs State Park happens to have the #1 best tubing as well! Plus hiking, kayaking, scuba, camping and more!..

We went right after Labor Day on a weekday so the weather was great but the crowds were gone!

The 360 video I shot below is of me tubing down the Ichetucknee River.

If using a mobile device, then open video on YouTube here to get full 360 effect.
Or if you prefer a cinematic non-360 video see further down article.

1.  Tubing Ichetucknee Springs

Tube and shuttle prices

A variety of tubes and inflatable rafts can be rented right in the park and cost between $7-30.

There is also a shuttle that takes you to the furthest drop off point, which is another ticket which cost about $8 each person when I went.

I rented the larger inflatable boat and my wife rented a tube with a solid bottom to avoid being in the cold water the whole trip.

Is Ichetucknee open for tubing?

Tubing is only available from the south entrance now since 2022, because the northern section of the river is shallow, and park wishes grass and wildlife to return.

How long does it take to tube down river?

It’s 1.5 miles of tubing and takes about 2 hours.

We did the trip twice, but only have to pay once for the shuttle.

Are there Alligators in the springs?

Lots of wildlife including otters, beavers, turtles, and even manatees which are easy to see due to crystal clear water!

And yes there is potential for alligators, even though they like the cooler waters of springs less than typical warmer rivers. This is Florida.

For other information including best times to go, alligators, and more details on tubing, see my specific blog on Tubing Ichetucknee Springs.

2.  Kayak and Canoeing and Paddleboarding

These activities are allowed from both the South and North Entrance.

Note there is a cap for people allowed to do this per day, so arrive early during peak season and times.

The river runs 3 miles in the park.

If you want to rent, then go down to the South entrance and buy a ticket and they will transport you to North entrance to paddle down.

There is also an option to paddle upstream from Dampier’s Landing point and then come back.

Prices range from $35-55 for kayak, paddleboard, canoe rentals.

There is also a launch point in North entrance if your have your own gear, plus you can carry it to Dampier’s landing and go upstream and come back.

For the adventurous the Springs go all the way down to the Santa Fe River but once you leave the protected area of the park, it’s not as nice.

3.  Hiking

North side trails

There are 3 trails on the north side of the park with each a different style.

Blue Hole trail is a half mile walk through cypress floodplain and forest that is mainly used just to get to the popular Blue Hole Spring for scuba, snorkeling, and swimming.

Trestle point trail is a loop trail that winds by the river and is shaded by a hardwood hammock.
It’s 0.75 miles and you will see remnants of the railroad that used to transport phosphate and turpentine across the river and some old phosphate pits.

Pine Ridge trail is 1.25 miles long and does run through some sunny open areas.
It’s a open wooded area with longleaf pines and they have prescribed burns in this area to simulate natural fires that some natural habitats rely on.
The Sandhill area here are sand dunes that used to be the Florida coastline!
This area also has more evidence of old phosphate mining and pits.

South side trails

On the south side there are trails to get to the landing points for water activities. We walked a trail back from the exit point for tubing.

4.  Swimming and snorkeling

Both these activities are allowed year around but only at the North entrance and the main Head Spring and Blue Hole.

The Head Spring is nicer for families since it has shallow edges, whereas the Blue Springs is deeper, and you can see the cavern below with goggles.

The Park warns that you swim at your own risk since there are no lifeguards on duty and they also recommend you be an experienced swimmer at Blue Hole due to the strong current.

5.  Scuba Diving

Blue Hole is a large cavern 40 feet deep and is the only place to scuba at the park.
Please note that it is a first magnitude springs which pumps out huge amounts of water so it’s hard to swim against the current.

The park notes that divers must be cave or cavern certified and that scuba is not allowed anywhere else in park.

6.  Camping

The park does not have any campgrounds on site but there is the Ichetucknee Springs private campground just 0.5 miles from the north entrance.

They have primitive tent camping, camping with electric, and RV sites ranging from $20-40/night.

Their camp sites are large and separated for privacy and they have a general store, showers, and tubing rentals.  They also have a rec room/game room that used to be a tavern.

7. Picnic

The north entrance has picnic tables as well as a playground.

The main picnic pavilion with grills is located the south entrance.
Here they also have a concession stand that sells hot and cold food including hamburgers fries and ice cream.

There is also a general store at the south entrance for picnic supplies, as well as for supplies for swimming and paddling and sunscreen.

Here’s a entertaining cinematic Youtube Short I made with my Insta360 cam of us on the river tubing.

Here is my Youtube channel for more travel shorts and 360 VR videos from all over the world.

About Ichetucknee Springs State Park

How to get to Ichetucknee Springs State Park?

12087 S.W. U.S. Highway 27
Fort White FL 32038

Ichetucknee is a native American word that means “ beaver pond” , but I’ve also seen it called Itchnatucky.

It’s a 6 mile protected river that was purchased by the state of Florida in 1970 to preserve it, and is now a National Natural Landmark.

Where to Stay

Lots of hotels nearby either in Fort White, or a larger selection not that far in Gainesville to the south and Lake City to the north.

Things to do near Ichetucknee Springs State Park

Ginnie Springs
Devil’s Den
Gilchrist Blue Springs

It’s in North Florida near the city of Gainesville.

Ichetucknee springs is a nice day trip from Orlando and is 2.5 hours away.  Just make sure to wake up early to get there when park opens (like we did) in the busy season and to have enough time to experience everything.