Ichetucknee Springs

It was a rather cool Saturday in White Springs and we had no special plans.  Why not take the time to explore?

Blue Hole Spring
near the head spring of the Ichetucknee

It had been years since either of us had visited Ichetucknee Springs State Park, a park known for tubing down the crystal clear 72° river.  But today with not a tubing day, with a projected high of 65° you'd not find me in the water!  It was a hiking day.

Ichetucknee Springs swimming hole
the head spring

There are three main trails in the park:  Blue Hole Trail, Trestle Point Trail, and Pine Ridge Trail. The first two are about a half-mile and tend to follow the river, Pine Ridge is a two mile trail through the woods.  You can also walk the tram road which is ideal in the winter as the tram is not operational.

Cypress in winter foleage
on the Ichetucknee

Now don't think you can avoid the river and springs areas entirely... well you could but why miss these precious treasures?  So our first walk along the tram road from the mid-launch tube launch area along the river to the take-out area at Dampiers Landing.  

Cave along the river

Yes, there were people on the river, mostly in canoes and kayaks, and several brave northerners in tubes.  Well, I assumed they were from the north as the air temperature, winter sun, and water temperature strikes fear into the heart of most Floridians... we simply wait until summer before tubing the Ichetucknee.

Fall foliage at the head spring

Walking the Blue Hole Trail allows beautiful views of both Blue Hole Spring and Ichetucknee Spring, the head spring of the river.  It is a short walk over varied terrain so I recommend wearing sturdy shoes and perhaps waterproof would be wise.

An old Drag Line and
tree stump which seems to have grown
through the antique bale

On to the Tressle Point Trail, which winds along the river and through the woods.   Along the way you may find relics from the phosphate mining era.  Yes, the park was formerly owned by the Loncala Phosphate Corporation which sold the property in 1970 to the State of Florida for $1,850,000.  In my opinion, the citizens of Florida were the winners in this deal.

Sink hole

The park has a long history, from the original native American settlers to the present day life as a state park.  Along the way it served as mission for Spanish (Catholic) missionaries in the 1600's, farming communities after the Civil War, logging and turpentine in the early 1900's, followed by phosphate mining in the mid-1900s.  Yes, the residents of Florida are indeed fortunate.

The beautiful Ichetucknee River
home to many people and activities
for hundreds (thousands?) of years