Blue Hole Spring Trail – Ichetucknee Springs

Distance: 0.3 miles Elevation Gain: 5 ft Difficulty: Easy Type: Loop Surface: Packed sand, boardwalk Activity: Hiking Best Season: Year-round Typical Time: 0:20 Fee: $6/person Dogs: Yes, on leash Permit: No

The Blue Hole Spring Trail is a short but rewarding walk to one of Florida's most photogenic first-magnitude springs. The paved and boardwalk path winds through a shady floodplain forest of bald cypress and river birch before arriving at the main boil of Blue Hole Spring, where roughly 233 million gallons of crystal-clear, 68°F groundwater surge to the surface every day. Standing on the viewing platform, visitors can see directly into the karst limestone cavity below the boil—visibility routinely exceeds 30 feet.

The spring is designated critical habitat for the federally threatened Suwannee cooter turtle, and schools of Florida gar and largemouth bass circle the basin. Manatees migrate upriver from the Gulf and shelter at the spring boil during cooler months, typically October through March. The loop returns along the river's north bank where river otters are frequently spotted. Swimming is permitted during summer months at the spring head but the short trail itself is a year-round attraction even without getting in the water.