Tubing down the river
Tubing down the river
The summer heat has arrived and so has the tubing season at Ichetucknee Springs! A trip down the river is an ideal activity for the whole family. The trip down river is a very beautiful one, with
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| Tubing down the Ichetucknee is a cool way to spend a hot summer day. |
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great shade trees and cool, clear water that remains a constant 72°-73°F all year round.
From Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend, the whole river is open to tubing and the trams are running. Tubes of all sizes can be rented from private vendors outside the park and the best part is that when you are done with your trip down the river, you can just drop off your innertubes at a designated spot and the tubing company will come pick it up for free.
Located in north Florida, the Ichetucknee River is a beautiful, natural crystalline, spring fed river that flows leisurely for six scenic miles through hardwood canopy forests and limestone outcroppings before reaching it's tributary, the Santa Fe River and then on to the famous Suwannee river before finally reaching the Gulf of Mexico. It is the most popular body of water in Florida that is fed entirely by freshwater springs and forms the border between the southern parts of Suwannee and Columbia Counties.
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| The park has different launching and ending points, and you can choose to raft or tube from anywhere between 1 to 3 hours. |
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The park has different launching and ending points, and you can choose to raft or tube from anywhere between 1 to 3 hours. At the south entrance of the park, tubers have the opportunity to choose a 1.5 hour float or a 30 minute float on the cool, spring-fed, crystal clear waters of the Ichetucknee River. If you choose to tube the full length of the river for a 3 hour float, get to the north entrance early as only 750 tubers per day are permitted on the sensitive and beautiful upper section of the river. Also at the north entrance of Ichetucknee Springs State Park, enjoy swimming or snorkeling in two pristine springs or take a stroll along the river on the Trestle Point Trail.
Be sure to pack a picnic lunch or visit the park concessionaires, you will work up an appetite, but please remember that food, drinks, and tobacco products are not permitted on the river to keep it beautiful. Picnic areas, equipped with tables and grills, are available throughout the park. A full-service concession offers food and refreshments if you would rather purchase it there.
Whether you are tubing, boating, swimming, snorkeling, hiking or picnicking, you will see a multitude of fish, birds, and other wildlife. Whatever you choose to do at Ichetucknee, it is sure to be an experience you will never forget.
For Information about Ichetucknee Springs State Park, please call 386-497-4690.
Park Fees
Admission Fee (no river use) - $5.00 per vehicle (limit 8 people per vehicle). Single Car Occupant - $3.00
Motorcycle Fee (one or two persons) - $3.00
Canoeing Fee: $5.00 per person year round.
Tubing
North Entrance-Summer Season (through Labor Day) - $5.00 per person (children 5 and under are free).
South Entrance-Summer Season (through Labor Day) - $5.00 per person (children 5 and under are free).
South Entrance-Off-Season (Begins the Tuesday after Labor Day thru the Friday before Memorial Day) - $5.00 per vehicle (limit 8 people per vehicle).
