Guide to Tubing the Beautiful Ichetucknee Springs in 2023 (with video)
A spring fed river is a great cool way to pass a warm summer in Florida, and Ichetucknee Springs tubing is brought up frequently as the #1 place in Florida to do that.
The video below is my virtual 360 VR travel video of rafting down the Ichetucknee River.
If using a mobile device then open video on Youtube here to get full 360 effect.
360 VR virtual video is the best way to see what to expect before you go or to see places that you may never get a chance to go in real life.
Pause/Rewind the video while reading the blog below. Replay to get different views.
Best times to go to Tubing in Ichetucknee Springs
Cost?
The park only costs $6 per vehicle so is an extremely cheap and fun thing to do.
When is park open?
It is also open at 8am to sunset 365 days out of the year.
When to go?
The park is extremely popular in the Summertime and during holidays and fill with thousands of people, and the park website warns of park tubing closures and caps during overcapacity, so beware.
Best time to go is just before and after Summer Breaks during weekdays when weather is warm but fewer crowds.
Probably not a good idea to go between Memorial day and Labor day due to the crowds.
We went 1 week after schools including University of Florida nearby reopened and went on a weekday, and there were only 30 cars in the south entrance parking lot that could fit hundreds.
Needless to say we enjoyed to peace and quiet on the river 😊
Ichetucknee Springs Tube Rental
Now it’s time to get into the actual Ichetucknee Springs tubing!
Which entrance can you tube from?
Tubing Itchetucknee ,at this time, can only be accessed by the South Entrance to the park, so make sure to use that entrance and parking lot if you are coming for tubing alone.
Price of tube rental?
Access to inflated rafts and tubes are available right in the park for rent and ranges from $7-$30.
Is there a shuttle?
There is also a shuttle that will take you and your rented tube to the furthest drop off point (the midpoint launch ) for the river to start your journey, for which you can purchase a separate ticket.
Can you bring your own tubes?
Yes, you can bring your own tubes, but the rental company in the park that rents the tubes also runs the shuttle and so you can’t take your own tube on the shuttle even with a ticket. So, you would need to walk down the path yourself with your tube. ( Dampiers Landing is closest walk)
What types of tubes for rental?
The tubes come in many varieties including ones with a solid bottom if you don’t want to be sinking into the chilly water, dual combined tubes, and even inflatable rafts. The rental also comes with an oar if you want to help guide yourself downstream.
See the solid bottom tube as well as boat raft we rented in our pictures and video.
What to expect on the Ichetucknee river
The tram takes you to Midpoint landing, which is further up the river. If you didn’t take tram, there is a 0.25 mile walk to Dampier landing from the parking lot.
How long is the float?
As you can see from the map above, that the total tubing distance from Midpoint landing to the end is 1.5 miles which takes about 2 hours and only 0.75 miles from Dampier’s landing to South takeout which takes 1 hour.
What is the water temperature of Ichetucknee Springs?
Since Ichetucknee River is fed by springs, the water is very clean and clear, and is a cool 72 degrees all year around. This makes for a great summer trip in the Florida heat!
What animals should I expect to see on river?
I saw multiple turtles and turkeys, and even an otter! The park also states there are multiple types of birds as well as beavers and gar and even manatees! You can see the bottom of the river with logs and grass and patches of sand and lots of fish.
Are there alligators?
Although there is the potential for alligators, they do not like the cold clear waters of springs and prefer warmer waters of the darker rivers that the spring fed river flow into ( hence likely partly the reason the warning not to tube past the South point exit )
A ranger mentioned that he has seen small gators but if they see anything larger, they will be removed.
But that does mean there is potential for alligators: This is Florida and the Springs do flow into a river downstream which definitely has gators.
What is last point to get off?
At South takeout, all tubers have to get out of the water as tubing is not allowed past that point. There is a restroom there. The tram also comes there to pick you up to take your tube and you back to the main station, or you can walk back 0.75 miles if you didn’t buy a tram ticket.
The nice part is that the rental and tram ticket are for the entire day so you can go back to Midpoint landing and go tubing again!
Florida State Parks Rules
Here is a quote from their website.
“Food, disposable items, pets, fishing, radios, coolers, tobacco items and trash are prohibited on the river. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on the river and within the park’s boundaries. All items may be inspected for compliance. All visitors are to be off the river by 6 p.m.“
What did I bring?
I brought my backpack which they checked when I got on the tram, and they allowed me to take a metal water container, and my 360 camera and selfie stick (which is how I shot the 360 VR video above).
Here’s a quick cinematic entertaining YouTube Short
Other things to do at Ichetucknee Springs State Park
South Entrance
The South entrance park also has a general store and a concession stand for food.
There is also a visitor center as well as picnic tables.
North Entrance
There are many other things to do at the North entrance to the park, although tubing all the way down the river isn’t allowed anymore for now.
A park ranger told me that it was closed to help the natural grass and vegetation to grow back in the northern half of the river above Midpoint landing, especially since it is shallower there.
You can however rent kayaks and paddleboards and canoes at North entrance.
There is also amazing scuba diving at the Blue Hole Spring.
On the North side there are 3 varied style trails to hike.
Check out my full guide to Itchetucknee Springs here for info on the head spring, trails, and more.
About Ichetucknee Springs State Park
How to get there/address
Its located in North Central Florida in Ft. White.
12087 SW US Highway 27, Fort White, FL 32038
There are 8 major springs which form the 6-mile protected river.
Some call it ” Itchnatucky Springs”.
It is a Florida State park. The park was purchased by the State of Florida in 1970 to preserve it, and in 1972 the Ichetucknee Springs became a National Natural Landmark.
Where to stay nearby Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Cabin rentals
There are cabins near the park for rent but none on the State Property itself.
Things to do nearby Ichetucknee State Park
Ginnie Springs
Devil’s Den
The park is a 2.5 hour drive from Orlando ( click here to see other day trips from Orlando)
