Visiting Ponce De Leon Springs State Park in Florida

Ponce De Leon Springs State park is located a few minutes off of I-10 and a must see if you’re in the Florida Panhandle!

This beautiful spring is as clear as a swimming pool and a great place to bring the family. The water temperature remains a cool 68 degrees Fahrenheit year-round as nearly 14 million gallons of water flow from the spring vents each day.

Ponce De Leon Springs is an incredible place to swim, snorkel, and hang out with friends and family!

Our Visit at Ponce De Leon Springs

We headed to Ponce De Leon Springs during the middle of the week in September. I’ve heard that it can get quite packed during the summer so we planned to avoid the crowds by visiting during the week.

If you are visiting on the weekends, I would say to arrive early as all the picnic tables and pavilions are first-come-first-serve and can be hard to come by when the springs are full.

When we arrived to the springs we paid $4 for our car to enter. We parked the car, grabbed our stuff and walked down the short boardwalk to the spring.

I was blown away with the beauty of the springs. The vibrant blue spring waters nestled in the green trees was just a stunning site!

After I sat there stunned at the beauty, we walked over and grabbed an empty picnic table to store our stuff while we went swimming.

I recommend bringing goggles, a snorkel, and a pool noodle so you can swim around and look beneath the crystal clear waters. We saw largemouth bass and an assortment of other fish in the spring!

The spring has basically been dammed up to create a swimming hole and it is about the size of a large swimming pool. Some places it is shallow enough to stand and there are deeper parts as well.

We went to jump in and I touched my toe to the water and it took my breath away. I won’t lie to you.. the 68 degree water is COLD. I was absolutely freezing when I jumped in, but after a couple of minutes your body goes entirely numb and you get more comfortable in the cold water.

I enjoyed swimming around, checking out the fish and looking at the vent in which the water flows from that feeds the spring.

We had so much fun swimming in the crystal clear water. There is even a ledge to jump off of if you’re feeling brave!

After we swam around, we decided to dry off by walking the two short nature trails that this park has to offer.

We got to see the coolest thing – where the crystal clear spring water merges into the tea colored river. I thought it was so crazy you could see the clear divide between the two waters!

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Ponce De Leon Springs. What a unique and beautiful experience right off the highway!

The one thing I have to mention that if you can visit outside of the busy times, it’s a must! I don’t think we would of enjoyed it as much if we were constantly bumping into people in the water.

All in all, this state park is beautiful and a must do if you are in the Florida Panhandle!

About the Park

The park is open 365 days a year from 8 a.m. until sunset.

The entrance fee into the state park is $4 per vehicle and currently must be exact cash or a credit card can be used.

There are restrooms on-site as well as showers and water fountains, but currently (9/5/2020) the showers and water fountains are closed due to COVID.

There are many picnic tables and a few pavilions as well as charcoal grills available first-come, first-serve.

Be aware that the springs are located next to a river that is known to have alligators in it. The alligators typically avoid the cold waters of the spring, but it’s always safe to be aware of your surroundings. It’s not recommended that you swim in the adjacent river.

The park is located at:

2860 Ponce de Leon Springs Rd.
Ponce de Leon Springs FL 32455

Things to do at the Park

At the park there are a few different things you can do. You can swim and dive into the refreshing waters of the beautiful blue spring, or snorkel and look beneath the surface at the few species of fish that call the spring home.

Additionally, there are two short nature walks that meander through the woods and along the spring and rivers edge.

The picnic benches and pavillions make it the perfect place to enjoy a delicious lunch with your family or friends during your day at the springs!

I promise that a day at Ponce De Leon Springs is one you and your family will enjoy!

Have you visited Ponce De Leon Springs? Let me know your thoughts below!