BLUE SPRING STATE PARK

BLUE SPRING STATE PARK IS LOCATED IN CITRUS COUNTY.IT IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO VISIT IN THE MONTHS OF NOVEMBER TO MARCH ( SOMETIMES INTO APRIL DEPENDANT ON TEMPERATURES) TO SEE THE AMAZING ENDANGERED SPECIES THE MANATEEGENTLE AND DOCILE, THESE LARGE CREATURES OF THE WATER MIGRATE INTO THE FLORIDA RIVERS AND SEEK OUT THE HEAD SPRINGS WHERE THE WATER TEMPERATURE IS A CONSTANT 72 DEGREES FARENHEIT.

THE MANATEE THAT SPEND THEIR WINTER MONTHS AT BLUE SPRINGS HAVE COME IN VIA THE ST JOHNS RIVER WHICH AS THE WINTER APPROACHES BECOMES TOO COLD FOR THEM.THE WATER IN THE SPRING IS SO CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM TRYING TO VIEW THE MANATEE. BLUE SPRING STATE PARK HAS A LOVELY BOARDWALK WHICH IS APPROX. QUARTER MILE LONG. IT HAS BEEN BUILT TO TAKE YOU THROUGH THE NATURAL GROWTH OF THE AREA AND RUNS PARALLEL TO THE BLUE SPRING.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LARGE VIEWING STAGES ALONG THIS BOARDWALK WHERE YOU CAN GET FABULOUS VIEWS AND TAKE PHOTOS IF YOU WISH OF THE CLEAR WATER, THE MANATEE AND THE NATURAL FLORIDA TRESS AND VEGETATION ALONG THE BANKS.

APART FROM THE MANATEE (THE RANGER INFORMED US THEY WERE VERY PLEASED AS AT THE DATE OF OUR VISIT WHICH WAS EARLY DECEMBER 170 MANATEE HAD ALREADY ARRIVED )

THERE ARE SEVERAL SPECIES OF FISH ALSO AND IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEE MANY BIRDS (WE WERE LUCKY, WE SAW KINGFISHER, HERONS, CORMORANTS AND ALSO TURTLES OR SNAPPERS AS THEY ARE KNOWN)WHEN YOU REACH THE END OF THE BOARDWALK ANOTHER VIEWING PLACE IS AVAILABLE AND IT IS FASCINATING TO VIEW THE OPENING OF THE UNDERWATER CAVE WHERE THE SPRING WATER EXITS.

UNBELIEVABLE TO IMAGINE BUT 100 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER EXIT THIS UNDERWATER CAVE AND FLOW INTO THE SPRING EVERYDAY

BLUE SPRING STATE PARK2100 WEST FRENCH AVENUEORANGE CITYFLORIDA 32763PHONE 386 775 3663