Blue Springs State Park is home to the largest spring on the St. Johns River and is more popularly known for the manatees that inhabit the springs from about mid-November to about mid-March. Activities involving the springs are suspended for the manatees during this time, but after they are gone, the public is welcome to swim, snorkel, and canoe or kayak. This park also offers camping and a few cabins.
This park is pretty popular, and sometimes there is a little bit of a wait at the front entrance, but if you've never seen manatees up close it's definitely worth it.
The Thursby house is located right next to the springs, and is available to the public via self-guided tours. Louis P. Thursby first arrived in 1856 and originally only resided in a log cabin. He then constructed one of the first steamboat landings and planted one of the first orange groves on this part of the St. Johns River. They eventually built the house pictured here in 1872, which originally stood as a two-story home. In 1900, his son expanded it by adding the kitchen as well as the third story.
There is a one-way 3.6 mile trail called "Pine Island Trail" just outside of the main area
- BLUE SPRINGS STATE PARK ON YELP
- BLUE SPRINGS STATE PARK WEBSITE
- Read more about the Louis P. Thursby House
Click here to receive $25 off your first stay with Airbnb through my referral code.
Click here for $20 off your first ride with Uber.
See you on the next adventure. Thank you so much for reading. xx
All content copyright 2016 Shauna Hundeby; all rights reserved.
