Blue Springs State Park/Florida

Blue Springs State Park/Florida:


Most every winter while camping in Florida we travel to Blue Springs State Park.  Our rv just seems to go there automatically.


Babe w/prop damaged mom (white marks)

Blue Springs State Park is just west of  Orange City, FL. This is a small park in central Florida with 40+ campsites.  The sites are well spaced and well treed which is really nice and private. The showers need upgrading but do the job.

What to do???  Just outside the park is a bike path that is treed and paved and for Florida not REAL flat biking….10 miles from site to site if you include Beresford Park.  Want more than ten miles...go around again.




Little day old Manatee w/mom

Blue Springs claim to fame is that it is the winter home to the West Indian Manatee. The spring is a first magnitude spring; it sends out 101 MILLION gallons of water per day. The temperature of the spring year around is 72 degrees. In the summer you can swim in the spring run but not in winter while the Manatees are here.  If the night time temps cool down, the manatees usually come into the spring run; if it is warm, they will stay in the river to feed.  There is no food for the Manatees in the spring run so during the day they have to leave it to feed...returning at night if it is cold in the river.  We have been lucky to see Manatees up close when we’ve been here during colder weather. The two of us would be standing on a floating dock and there would be manatees gently floating around the dock.  This year there was a newborn (one day old when we spotted it) with its mother and so far no  propellor markson its back.  (most manatees have such markings...rather sad).  They are such docile, peaceful creatures with sweet, happy faces!



Manatees frolicking

The park can be crowded...meaning the public area where the manatees are by the spring run.  The park also runs a river boat tour $22 for adults (didn't do it but it is 2 hours long).  School buses come with children (we counted 7 buses one day)...BUT if you are staying in the campground, it is quiet
when the park closes (currently 6 pm) or before it opens at 8 am....so you can enjoy a nice walk to see the manatees.  A nice perk!

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Our campsite at Blue Springs State Park and the funmobile.  There were limited tv stations with our antenna.  Internet was good.  Cell phone receptions was good.