Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park

Weekend getaway girls trip with my mom at this quaint state park campground. I would definitely say that many of these camp spaces are not fit for larger travel trailers or fifth wheels. The road is ALL sand. Nothing is paved here for walking and/or driving. The springs are absolutely wonderful and COLD! It's definitely a refreshing break from the heat, and doesn't get super busy. Most of the springs are shallow so you can stand up most of the way. The water is crystal clear and it's so awesome to see the fish in the bottom. You can kayak from here to go to the Santa Fe river and paddle on down to Poe springs. This is only a few miles from High springs and not completely out of the way. Bring your own firewood to fill the pit. None is sold here that I'm aware of. Along the main road are trailers with honesty boxes to pay for wood so you don't have to go all the way back into high springs and compared to the local stores it's a great deal! Overall this park is wonderful but needs some updating.

My only complaint is the bathrooms. They're horrendous and need serious updating and more frequent cleanings. A cement pathway would be nice to not walk in the sand absolutely everywhere. After this season they are closing the park for renovations so it'll be nice to see how they change/update this place!

Since moving to Florida, I've become a huge fan of their natural springs! The boyfriend and I tried going last year, but they were closed so one of balmy 46° morning on the way old Oklahoma, the second daughter and I talk to her and they were open. We hiked 4 miles Arelis rains before getting brave enough in the 72 degree water. Soooo beautifuk

Great snorkeling! Clear cool water, tons of fish and turtles. Only $6. Cool place!!!!!

In past years, this spring was private, costly, and known for its jumping platform, as well as a boardwalk down to the river. Gentle, sandy, beachlike slopes into the spring make it ideal for young children.

Now this Spring is publicly owned and much cheaper, just $5/car. The jumping platform is gone, as well as the boardwalk, and most of the entrance area is blocked off for restoration and repair. This construction blocks views of the spring from the picnic areas around it.

However, the spring itself is stunningly beautiful, crisp and cold, and my family and I had a wonderful time here. The spring is very kid friendly, and it was peaceful and quiet in the spring. If you've never been to a Florida spring before, this is an excellent one to jump into LOL!

PROS:
Beautiful waters
Not very crowded on a weekday
Plenty of parking

CONS: You're not supposed to bring your belongings close to the water entrance, but the area adjacent to this entrance is mostly a dirt and grass lawn, very unappealing to sit in.

I wish I had brought a blanket to sit on and to spread my things out on. We ate our packed lunch at a picnic table, which at the time didn't have a great view, but that will change when renovations end.

Ehhh really boring!! No adventure. Water I'd gorgeous!! Clear waters! Fish swimming around! The springs were closed for re-conservation!! The boardwalk was also closed!! Lots of open spaces!! My boys played football in the open spaces!!

On the bright side veterans enter for FRREEEE!!! (WithID)

Beautiful, calm, crystal clear water. It's not too big but it's a wonderful place to swim and kayak. Lots of mosquitoes so definitely bring bug spray.

I visited Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park with my sister on a weekday morning. We didn't have to worry about parking or crowds, as it was not busy. The water was as crystal clear blue as the pictures make it out to be. We rented a tandem kayak there at the park (but you can bring your own) and paddled out past the scuba and snorkeling area out into the river part. It was fun to go up river and see the turtles all out sunning themselves on the logs (luckily no snakes or gator sightings). Depending on the season and how much rain has fallen, the current can be pretty strong (especially when you're paddling against it going up stream) so you will get a real workout after an hour. If you want to check out nature at its finest, check out Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park.

When we arrived our cabin didn't have working ac, but within an hour of contacting them they moved us to a different cabin.They also comped the add ons for our stay for the inconvenience. The wood at the new campsite ended up being wet in the wood box due to heavy rain the day before. Again, within 10 mins of contacting them we had new wood. Overall we are extremely happy with their kindness and effeciency. They even came by and gave us two goodie boxes! Would recommend this getaway to anyone.

For $5 a carload ... you can't go wrong. The spring is fabulous and at points deep enough for the kids to dive down and search for whatever it is kids search for underwater.

Such a lovely state park in north central Florida! There's tons to do! There is hiking, camping, water adventures and embracing nature. The bathrooms are clean and the staff was friendly! You can either bring your own kayaks, canoes etc or you can rent them for either 2 hours or the whole day. Prices vary.