Mill Pond Spring
Jackson County
Summary of Features
  • Scale - 2nd magnitude
  • Scenery - fine
  • How Pristine? - run is beautiful, houses and docks near spring, water extracted nearby
  • Swimming - private
  • Protection - unknown, private
  • Access - private, no access
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    Directions
    From U.S. 90 in Marianna, go west on Highway 276, pass under Interstate 10, and continue on to Highway 167. Turn left and go until you pass County Road 1656. Continue on 1.1 miles to Mystery Springs Road. A gray doublewide trailer home is at the intersection. Turn left and proceed 1.4 miles on a dirt road until it and the forest on the left seem to end and there is a large "No Trespassing" sign. Turn left just before the sign onto a narrow dirt road and drive about 100 yards to the water, which is the east run of Black Spring. Proceed by boat 200-300 feet to the left (west) to the spring basin.

    From Black Spring, take the west run 100 yards and go upriver about 1.25 miles. Bear left (south) as the "Lake" narrows, staying with the main flow and going against it. The "Lake" narrows from 500 feet across to 40 feet and turns southerly. This narrow portion goes about 150 feet but then widens to form a large oval pool about 400 feet by 125 feet, culminating at 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 forms the headwaters of Spring Lake, the run that is subsequently fed by Springboard, Double, Black, and Gadsen (or Gadsden) Springs and flows on to the Chipola River. The authors were only able to view the spring from a distance of 300 feet, and so rely on Rosenau et al. (1977) for a precise description of the spring itself:

    The spring vent is a 5-foot-wide irregular opening in a clayey dolomitic limestone. It is on the west side of a steep-walled 30-foot diameter cavity more than 50 feet deep. Large limestone blocks are scattered around the vent. The water is clean, clear and very blue—visibility is excellent (p. 184). The spring forms a pool/basin that is 125 wide and 400 feet long. Except at the vent, this pool is very shallow and was only 1-2 feet deep on the authors’ date of visit (Feb. 2001).  The flow from the spring is 20-30 cfs.  There are houses on the hills on the west and south sides of the basin, and deep woods to the east and north. Water in the pool is very clear, and the authors could discern from a distance that the water over the vent was blue. There is a dock adjacent to the spring, and land slopes upward from the spring.  The spring has also been known as Cherokee Spring.

    Use/Access

    Personal Impressions
    The springs and run at this site are nearly—not quite but nearly—comparable to the incomparable spring-created and -fed Ichetucknee River.  Both are spring runs of great natural beauty and include several significant and large-scale springs. The difference is that the land at Spring Lake is in private hands, and the owners want to keep all this beauty and recreation to themselves.  Perhaps the State of Florida or conservation organizations might have identified or worked to acquire this outstanding area years ago before it was developed and closed off, but that is now all spring water under the bridge.  Alas.

    Nearby Springs

    Other Nearby Natural Features