Paddle to Cypress Spring
Vernon, Florida
Details
Distance
1 miles
Route Type
Point-to-Point
Description
Added by Jeremy Clark
One of the most unique places in Florida can only be accessed by river, unless you're feeling really adventurous and don't mind getting really muddy (there's a rough trail locals take to get here too). A short paddle downstream and up the short spring run will take you to a beautiful oasis in the middle of the woods. During the summer and peak months, it's recommended to visit on weekdays to avoid the boat traffic. It's a popular spot with locals.
Starting at Cotton Landing, you paddle about a quarter of a mile downstream until you encounter the spring run to the right/north. Another tenth of a mile or so up the run will take you to one of the most beautiful spring-fed swimming holes you will ever find. Fed by a 2nd magnitude spring, this circular shaped swimming hole is over 100 feet wide and approximately 26 feet deep. It's surrounded by pine forests, a sandy beach, private property to the west, and a sandy spring run to the south. The nearby property is owned by Nestle for water bottling, but there are plenty of places to park your kayak/canoe and hang out for the day.
Once completed, you can paddle back down the spring run and either return upstream to Cotton Landing or paddle downstream 3/4 of a mile to Cullpepper Landing.
There are several outfitters in the area to assist you with taxiing or rentals.
Cypress Spring Coordinates: 30.6586198,-85.6843547
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Reviews
Got lost on the way there and had to call one of the local outfitters for directions, but other than that, it was a piece of cake to get to. I took Cotton Landing to the springs and freedived all day! The only bummer is the number of people there. There were easily over 50 people there. So if you are hoping to relax and aren't able to ignore large crowds, then Cypress Springs is not for you.
4.0
The water clarity is very dependent on the amount of rainfall recently received. My son and I paddled this with our SUPs yesterday and could not see anything past a couple of feet into the water. It would be nice if there was a website reporting conditions for cypress springs. Before I retry this site I will definitely look at Morrison Springs website that reports water clarity to get a feel if rainfall has degraded the springs in the surrounding areas. Even with the poor water quality it still was a fun paddle.
3.0
I've lived in Florida my whole life and this is one of the most breathtaking springs I've ever laid eyes on. We used the Culpepper Boat ramp as the directions to the Cotton Launch took us to private property. It was about a 3/4 mile paddle up river (I was on SUP, he was on kayak) on lower water so it was quite a challenge. It took us 30 minutes to make it up to the cutoff to the spring. It's easily noticeable as you can see the flow from the spring run joining the river. Once you paddle up to the main hole, the clarity and quantity of water is spectacular. We live on a spring and I work with springs and this was a wonderful hidden gem. Highly recommend!
4.0
It was a awsome canoe trip. We camped right next to the spring. Rope swing, and wildlife gal our
4.0
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VISIT FLORIDA, serves as Florida's official source for travel planning. What can be discovered beyond Florida’s 825 miles of beaches? How about 320 freshwater springs, 175 state parks, infinite mangrove tunnels and hidden caverns. Let your adventure begin. Follow Your Sunshine.
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