Summary of Features
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Directions
Part of the Ginnie Springs complex. From High Springs, drive south on U.S. 27/41 about 1 mile. Turn west (right) onto State Road 340 (Poe Springs Road) and drive about 6.5 miles and then turn right onto graded road at sign for Ginnie Springs. Follow another mile to the entrance.For maps, latitude/longitude data, driving directions, satellite imagery, and topographic representations as well as weather conditions at this spring, go to Greg Johnson's informative "Florida Springs Database" web site at the following address: http://www.ThisWaytothe.Net/springs/floridasprings.htm#Florida
Spring Description
The spring lies in a circular pool that is 125 feet in diameter and slopes down from the bank to a depth of about 18 feet. The bottom is sandy with numerous limestone outcrops/boulders. Beneath a limestone shelf is a large cavern entrance perhaps 30 feet wide and from three to six feet high. The entrance opens to a large chamber and leads to underwater passages that have been measured to 1,100 feet.Water in the spring is very clear and visibility is excellent most of the time. The water varies in color from blue to green (see photos). The spring forms a run that tapers from the wide pool to perhaps 50 feet in width and flows about 200 feet to the Santa Fe River at the upper end of the Ginnie Springs complex. In the run, bubbles from scuba divers may be observed rising through small holes in the limestone. Land around the spring is mostly cleared hardwood forest, and steps have been constructing from the bank into the spring to prevent erosion. A tree trunk lies across the run near the spring.
Use/Access
Local SpringianaGinnie Springs is a full-facility recreation/dive site, with camping areas, a store, compressors for air tanks, scuba lessons, tubing, picnic areas, bathrooms, and other concessions. The complex is the most popular freshwater diving location in the world. It is best to visit anytime but on a warm summer weekend, when the spring will be very crowded and have reduced visibility due to too many swimmers and divers in the water. In the late 1990s, a friend of JF was camping at the Ginnie and saw an employee spraying for mosquitoes. When asked how frequently the spraying occurred, the employee said the area was sprayed every day. JF has not confirmed this with the site owners. Personal ImpressionsThe spring is supposedly named for a woman who washed her laundry at the site many years ago. Danone International draws approximately 1 million gallons of water a day from Ginnie and Dogwood Springs for bottled spring water. The level of nitrate in Ginnie Springs is rising in the spring water, and the owners purchased approximately 1,000 acres of land in the spring’s recharge basin to help protect the resource (Hartnett, 2000). Nearby SpringsEqually popular with swimmers, tubers, and scuba divers, Ginnie Spring is one of Florida’s great springs. Other Nearby Natural FeaturesPoe Springs, Darby Spring, Hornsby Spring, ALA112791, ALA930971, Lily Springs, Pickard Springs, COL101971, Rum Island Springs, Blue Spring, Naked Spring, Johnson Spring, Ginnie Springs group, Sawdust Spring, COL1012972, COL1012971, GIL1012973, Myrtle's Fissure, GIL1012971, GIL1012972, 47 Boatramp Spring (or GIL1012974) Contact InformationIchetucknee Springs State Park O’Leno State Park San Felasco Hammock State Preserve Devil’s Millhopper State Geologic Site River Rise State Preserve Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park
Ginnie Springs Outdoors, LLC
7300 NE Ginnie Springs Road
High Springs, FL 32643
386-454-7188