​A rare Florida waterfall beauty!…read more Falling Creek Falls is a stunning little park. The trail is a quick 0.6-mile loop that is mostly a beautifully maintained, elevated wooden boardwalk, making it highly accessible. You can hear the roar of the falls before you even see them! The water drops over a limestone ledge into a ravine, creating a beautiful contrast with the surrounding cypress and magnolia trees. ​Tip: The water volume depends heavily on recent rainfall, so it's especially impressive after a good storm! There's also a great playground and clean picnic areas at the trailhead. Just note that dogs aren't allowed on this trail.

Cute little stop on the road trip. It's a nice little park, with restrooms. The path is stroller…read morefriendly - thanks to whoever posted that before me! Good for a quick commune with nature.

This place is a gem. It sits along the Suwanee river and from what I'm told, it is never too busy…read more(according to my brother who is a local), and from my own observation, it wasn't too busy. The water was higher than normal due to the recent rain, so the limestone bridge that people usually put their stuff on, was covered with water. Check out my video! But that's no matter, we just put our stuff up on a patch of grass next to one of the many trees surrounding this little swimming hole. Of course, away from the water is a picnic area with lots of tables, BBQ grilles, and shaded pavilions you could use. Like any other spring, the water was crystal clear and cold-it was refreshing! One thing you might learn about me is that I love to snorkel. So, in true Shannon form, I took the opportunity to snorkel around the rocks and to my surprise, we found several small bullets. We also watched 2 turtles sun themselves, schools of mullet swim by, and a couple of snakes high up on the ledges (away from people). For the most part, the water is too deep to stand, so beware with little ones. However, the limestone edges made a great little shallow area for kids to play. There's a bathroom up on stilts, so you have to climb stairs to get to them. It also has a manual elevator to use if you have a wheelchair. There's cabins that can be rented through ReserveAmerica and those are also up on stilts. I promply added it to my bucket list. The cabins looked huge and they have porches that overlook the river. I've never been inside but I plan to, at some point. Overall it was a wonderful escape into the woods surrounded by mother nature.

Nice and cozy cabin deep in the woods. Limited cell service and no television but it's a lovely…read moretranquil place. Truly enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful nature.

For my first ever Spring Visit, Madison Blue Springs State Park definitely delivered. Crystal Blue…read moreSpring Water surrounded by nature is the way to swim. This was honestly a magical visit. Complete with diving holes and some serious hiking trails we had a great time. The clean and accessible bathrooms and showers were perfect for getting back on the road dry and longing for another visit. Other than that, the pictures speak for themselves.

Very cozy location with gazebo for picnic bbq. Close parking. To reach the water needs to use…read morestairs or down through trees roots very carefully. I find the water very cold for summer time. Very well oriented trained staff.

Remote and private great location to see the Suwannee river, horse back ride and hike. A little…read moretucked away but it adds to the charm

We stayed at the adjacent river camp and had an amazing two nights. The public put-in is a little…read moretough to find, about a mile and a half down a rutted road from the river camp. But there's ample parking and a large sand beach, easy for launching your craft. The trip down the stairs to the beach is a little irksome to manage, but not very bad. Note that we left the river camp with several Lone Star ticks attached to us -- so please do yourself a favor and use DEET, wear long pants and avoid brushing up against any tall grasses or bushes.

GREAT place to take the family! This is our favorite springs…read moreto go to. We try not to go on days we know its going to be super crowded because we like to use our snorkels and a look in the little cave at the bottom and the water is just way less murky. There is a lot of spots to hang out and a have lunch or a little party. We had a small BBQ there for a graduation party.

One of our top 5 favorite springs to visit, perfect for the family and great spot to visit when you…read moretrying to cool down from the sun. You can rent kayaks here and go down the Santa Fe. Lots of parking but sometimes can reach capacity on the weekends. No inflatable floats in the spring is kind of lame but you can bring noodles.

Rum Island offers one of the only free entries into a spring in our state, and certainly the only…read morein the area. It is a county park managed by Columbia County, and is well taken care of. The porta potties are always relatively clean, and it is rare to find liter. The spring is not as deep, blue, or beautiful as other area springs, but you can't beat the free entry. It does offer a larger shallow area than most which is helpful on weekends, holidays, or summer days when it becomes overcrowded. The spring will "brown out" due to overflow of the Santa Fe river when it has rained a lot. It is still safe to swim in however it is not as attractive from the surface. The tanin does however create a neat effect when you free dive/look up. Rum Island Park is a great launch and pick up spot for those wanting to paddle the Santa Fe River. Many outfitters use it, as well as individuals. I personally frequently use it to launch with a paddle board. I like to paddle down to Blue Springs and back before work (in High Springs). Overall, Rum Island Park is a nice launch spot and free swimming hole.

Rum Island Springs County Park is located in the Fort White/High Springs area of North Central…read moreFlorida, 28-miles from Gainesville. It's $5 entry per vehicle and hours are 8am - 7pm daily. Rum Island is a tucked away natural springs pool that's catered towards younger crowds (imo) with mostly shallow waters. There's a row of buoys separating the springs from the Santa Fe River. Visits here can be real quick, under an hour unless you're launching kayaks or barbecuing with family for the day. The white sands of the springs are crystal-clear most times throughout the day and the waters showcase vibrant aquamarine colors when the sun breaks from the clouds. There's even a turquoise limestone cavity that pumps out the pool's 72-degree spring waters. There are some opportunistic moments for worthwhile picture takings and recordings, but...Rum Island is so small and shallow that it feels like standing in the center of the kiddie springs at a waterpark. As much as I enjoyed the views, I felt out of place. It wasn't my favorite Florida springs park to visit, but I still respect it for its scenic surroundings. Finally, there are plenty of kayakers and paddle boarders floating past the springs. Visitors can leave their belongings anywhere on the grass. Overall, I'm glad I got a glimpse into what Rum Island Springs Park is about, which has me motivated to visit the local gold standard benchmarks...Ichetucknee Springs, Ginnie Springs and Gilchrist Blue Springs.

This review is for the park itself. We love this park and the serene tranquility that we experience…read moreeach time we come to spend the night it makes for a complete experience being close to the I-10 but far enough that makes it different than other stops with more traffic This time of the year the proximity to the Suwannee River does not have the same effect as in hotter months where mosquitoes can eat you good. March and April have always been our favorite months for a quick overnight stay and when the Museum was open we have stayed longer. Dog poop bag stations are well stocked unlike other State Parks, but I am still concerned about their budget. Almost sure it is the best State Park of Hamilton County Time to make reservations, there are months that bookings are almost impossible since kayaking and canoeing are popular sports on the River

Very informative and educational. Will be back to walk some of the trails in cooler weatherread more

This park is a bit off the beaten path but it is definitely worth checking out. The springs…read morethemself are definitely cool, as is the trailhead and I enjoyed chilling on the couple tables that were there specifically there for that very purpose. Being here maybe understand what day did Stephen Foster write the classic song "Way Down Upon the Suwannee River," the beauty and serenity here is a balm for your soul, both soothing and making you realize that there is more to this world than the hustle and bustle of the cities and the grind of your career. Just up the street from here is the local attraction that is known, at least locally, as the Graffiti Bridge. It is not that far off of Interstate 10 and worth the trip. I would hazard a guess that it would take you fifteen minutes out of your way and that is counting both going to and getting back on the highway. Once again, head over that way, you will not be disappointed. Check out both the springs and the Graffiti Bridge. You will be better for the experience.

Not the best time of the year to visit since we had family from out town we decided to came. Was…read moregreeted by Ucrânia man also checking it out. It's springs in the pass used to heal chronic pain because it's concentrated amount of mineral that bad way very smelly.

We needed a place to just chill while killing some time in the area. Wow... Valdosta really has a…read moregreat park! A nice dog park with agility area and separated for large and small breeds. Huge soccer fields, baseball fields, walking track, frisbee golf, and nature trails. All was very well maintained and kept up. The park was very clean, except for some trash in the ditches but i believe that was because the heavy rains in the area recently. Beautiful park! Great job Valdosta.

Great fun today watching grandsons travel ball tournament . Huge playground here also. Parking is…read morehorrible but there is a extra parking lot across the street. Lots of fields in this park. Lots of Shade here. Concessions were pretty reasonable with a pretty good selection of items. Bathrooms stayed clean throughout the day. Staff worked hard all day to complete a successful tournament.