Snorkel at Ichetucknee Blue Hole
O'Brien, Florida
Description
Added by Jennifer Adler
Short half-mile hike to Blue Hole. Great spot for freediving. Great views of 'Old Florida'.
At Ichetucknee Springs State Park, there are 2 main entrances - to get to Blue Hole (aka Jug Hole), go to the NORTH entrance. This is also where the main headspring is. If you accidentally go to the south entrance, you are only a few miles away, don't worry! Ask for directions at the guard shack. You pay a small state park entrance fee then follow the road to the parking lot. During the busy summer season, they limit the number of visitors who can come into the park, in order to protect the river. I recommend coming early in the morning or mid-week in the summer, or during the off-season, although Blue Hole never seems to be too crowded!
Once you park, walk towards the main spring. You will see a boardwalk on your left before the picnic area. Follow the boardwalk, which ends after about a hundred yards, and turns into a dirt trail that leads you 1/2 mile through the woods to the spring. It only takes 10-15 minutes and is worth every second. The max depth of the spring is about 30-40 feet, depending on water levels in the river, and there is always quite a bit of flow coming from the spring vent. There is also a cave that is popular with cave divers, but it is only open May-November (cave divers must register at the guard shack). Swimming at Blue Hole is allowed all year round.
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Reviews
Ichetucknee is a great place to visit for snorkelling and for tubing!
5.0
If you have diving gear, bring it along! A wetsuit, fins, and weight belt would go a long way here. Its a gem and the colors in the pool really are beautiful!
5.0
So cool to free dive down into the cavern, right below the entrance! Definitely bring some fins and a wetsuit if you have them :) awesome post!
5.0
I went to the blue hole with my girlfriend while we were staying in Florida on our vacation. We drove quite a bit out of the way to come see it but once we got there it was $6 dollars for us to get in and have fun on an all day adventure. I agree with all the other reviews but if u don't bring any equipment there are plenty of places to rent them around that area. I don't know what else to say other than it was beautiful and that we had a great time!!
4.0
Bring snorkel gear, some snacks and have a good time. The water feels cold, but after swimming around we were fine. My 12yr old daughter loved this place. We went from 2-5pm on a Sunday June 2016 and it was not crowded during that time frame.
4.0
Beautiful clear water with 72° water I wish I had brought my wetsuit
5.0
Last year in March for my birthday. I was able to take a paddle boarding and snorkeling trip here. We started at the north end entrance of the river and paddled to the different diving spots along the way. From there we just let the boards float above the different springs while we snorkeled around exploring. This is a great trip that I recommend to anyone in the Southeast.
5.0
I go here all the time with my friends. Definitely worth it. Bring goggles!! ❤️❤️
5.0
Leave No Trace
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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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