Summary of Features
Scenery - good How Pristine? - small park area and boat ramp near spring Swimming - fair Protection - very good Crowds - some swimming and picnicking and regular use of boat ramp at site Access - excellent Facilities - good Safety - very good Scuba - no Cost - free |
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Directions
On Holmes Creek south of Vernon. From the main intersection in
Vernon, drive south on State Road 79 for about 2 miles. Turn right
(west) onto Hightower Road and drive short distance to Hightower Springs
Landing and the spring.
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 pool is roughly guitar-shaped, with "neck" being the spring
run that flow into the nearby Chipola River. The pool is about 35-50
feet across and about 125 feet long. Water flows from approximately
10 visible sand boils or clusters of sand boils. Depths in the pool
are 3-5 feet except at the boils which are 6-8 feet deep. The boils
vary in size fromjust a few inches across to one cluster near the middle
of the pool that is perhaps 8 by 12 feet across. The sand boils are
blue-white, and the bottom is otherwise muddy or covered in vegetation.
Water in the pool is very clear. Small fish were observed in the
spring.
The springs lie in a low area along Holmes Creek amid dense floodplain forest except for the cleared parking, picnic, and boat ramp area. On date of visit in May 2002, the bank was about four feet high. The spring forms a run that winds about 200 feet through dense forest before entering the Chipola River. The run is 6-15 wide and one foot deep.
Use/Access
For More Information, Contact
Northwest Florida Water Management District
850-539-5999