Silver Springs is one of Florida’s oldest tourist attractions. It is known for it’s glass bottom boat rides and was the filming location for Tarzan movies during the 1930’s as well as the classic movie “The Creature from the Black Lagoon.” It is one of the only places in Florida where you can see wild monkeys.
The Silver Springs are a first magnitude spring producing over 500 million gallons of gorgeous artesian water per day. To paddle there, launch at Ray Wayside Landing located at 9560 N.E. 28th Lane, Silver Springs Florida just upstream from where the Silver joins the Ocklawaha River. Ray Wayside park offers plentiful parking, an easy launch, picnic tables and restrooms but there is a $5.00 launch fee.
Paddle up stream against the current. It’s about five miles to the springs. When you reach the spring head, you can not dock and landing on the river’s shore is prohibited. It is a serene, scenic paddle over crystal clear water where wildlife like alligators, otters, fish and birds are abundant and easily viewed in the lush sub-tropical vegetation.
The Launch at Ray
Going Up River
Silver Springs
Glass Bottom Boats
Fort King Paddle Trail
The Boat Barn at Silver Springs
The remnants of old tourist exhibits at Silver Springs Nature Park.
Paddling back to the launch.
We hope you enjoyed this trip with us. Have you been to Silver Springs? If so, let us know in the comments section.
Find your headwaters,
Jaucque and Dave
Photos by D.T.
Special thanks to the Space Coast Paddlers Club
The Casual Outdoorsman 