Imagine delving into 200 acres of Florida woodland, where seven pools of crystal clear spring water wait to soak away your stress. Imagine being able to take an hour to go with the Santa Fe flow in a tube. Imagine getting a gentle workout with a canoe, kayak or paddleboard. Imagine going snorkeling or diving and spotting local fish, turtles, and manatees. Imagine then drying off on a sun deck, or grabbing your friends for a game of volleyball before you get the barbecue going or head over for dinner at Ginnie’s Grill. This popular Florida spring has it all!
| Address | 7300 Ginnie Springs Road, High Springs, FL 32643 |
| Location | High Springs, 15 minutes west of the I-75 |
| Open | 8am to sunset. Times also vary depending on the day and season. |
| Clothing | Required |
| Road Access | Easy. All vehicles |
| Water Temperature | 72°F |
| Admission | $5 for kids, $15-20 for adults (seasonal) |
What To Expect
Ginnie Springs Outdoors LLC is a privately owned 200-acre site connected to Florida’s Santa Fe river by a channel. It’s open year-round and offers access to seven spring water pools which keep a constant temperature of 72°F. You can rent equipment like tubes, paddleboards, and diving gear to add even more fun to your stay. Daily passes last until sunset and won’t be issued after 4 pm.
Of the seven pools Ginnie Springs Outdoors offers, “Ginnie Spring” is the largest and most popular. In summer, it will be packed with swimmers, sunbathers, tubers, and college partygoers. Some visitors last year complained of trash left there, but in years prior it has been well looked after by the staff. Other pools are smaller, cleaner, and quieter during the day, such as Devil’s Eye, our personal favorite, which is also great for diving. In fact, Ginnie Springs is one of the best places for scuba diving in Florida, as the water is clear and there are excellent underwater caves for you to discover. There are three areas for certified divers to explore: The Ginnie Ballroom, the Devil’s Spring System, and the Santa Fe River. Check out this video to get a sneak preview of Devil’s Spring before you go.
Swim, sunbathe, snorkel, or paddleboard if diving doesn’t take your fancy- Ginnie Springs is a great place to spend time with friends and family. And there’s a bonus for adults, as Ginnie Springs is privately owned and drinking is allowed, unlike at state-owned springs. Be aware that there are no lifeguards on duty, so take it slow however you choose to enjoy your time!
Another popular activity for Ginnie fans is tubing or rafting down the Santa Fe. The river is deeper than the springs, and murkier, and there are specific “get in/get out” spots to pay attention to. Enter the water at the Beaver’s Landing river access point and float 60 minutes away to the Tube Exit at Twin Spring. When you get out at Twin Spring, follow the Tube Trail back to the Ginnie Spring parking lot (around a 15-minute walk). That one hour spent floating along is a must-in-your-lifetime experience!
The Ginnie General Store is well stocked with a good selection of drinks and snacks, and there is an air station where you can fill your tubes and rafts for free.
Eight heated bathhouses with showers promise a bit of comfort for campers and, for large groups, five on-site pavilions offer electricity and a volleyball court each. You can reserve a pavilion for groups of 30+. There are also numerous picnic tables and grills to be found throughout the property.
Built up an appetite? Ginnie’s Grill offers eggs, pancakes, muffins, bagels, burgers, hot dogs, cold and grilled sandwiches, salads, and more!
Admission Prices – pay at the Ginnie Springs Store
| Adult (off-season) | $15 |
| Adult (season) | $20 |
| Children ages 5-12 | $5 |
| Children under 4 | FREE |
Extras – You can bring your own equipment or rent it at the Ginnie Springs Store. Snorkeling gear costs around $8 per item to rent, tubes $7 – $14 per day, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards cost $15-$30 (3 or 6-hour sessions- you need to rent before 11 am for a 6-hour session, before 2 pm for a 3-hour session as rentals stop at 2). Life jackets are free. Check here for the latest prices and details.
Scuba Diving Passes
| Certified Full Cave Divers or Equivalent | $24 |
| All Other Certified Divers | $32 |
| Annual Dive Pass (Cavern – Cave) | $399 |
Want to scuba dive but don’t know how? Or want to up your previous experience? Ginnie Springs can put you in touch with an independent instructor to help you along the way. Click here to find out more.
Interesting History
Ginnie Springs has been privately owned by the Wray family since 1971. When scuba diving took off in the mid-90s, Bob Wray opened the springs to the public, and Ginnie Springs Outdoors quickly became a nationally renowned diving spot that is still popular today.
In 2021, the Suwannee River Water Management District Governing Board took a controversial decision when it approved a permit that granted Nestle permission to take over 1.1 million gallons daily from the aquifer that feeds Ginnie and other nearby springs to expand its bottled-water operations.
How To Get There
You can find Ginnie Springs Outdoors LLC 15 minutes west of the I-75, within a two-hour drive of Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee airports, and just 40 minutes from the nearby Gainesville airport.
Heading north on the I-75? Take Exit 399 (the Alachua exit), then US-441 north some five miles to the town of High Springs. At the first stoplight in High Springs, turn left onto state road 27/41. After 0.5 miles, turn right onto County Road 340/NE 182nd Avenue. (You’ll see a sign on top of a pole indicating that this is the turn-off for Ginnie, Blue, and Poe Springs). Go west approximately 6.5 miles. Turn right at the Ginnie Springs sign (NE 60th Ave.). One mile on and you’ll arrive at Ginnie Springs Outdoors.
Heading south on the I-75? Take Exit 423, then State Route 47 south. Four miles south of Fort While, cross the Santa Fe River bridge. Head south of the river to County Road 340. Turn left and go approximately two miles to NE 60th Ave (look for the Ginnie Springs sign). Turn left, and one mile on you’ll arrive at Ginnie Springs Outdoors.
Can I Stay There?
Yes! You can pick your own spot in the woods or stay closer to civilization and set up in the RV park where there is electricity and water.
CAMPING– There are spots to choose from throughout the 200 acres that make up Ginnie Springs Outdoors LLC, most with a nearby grill and picnic table. If you want a little less wild and a little more comfort with your camping, Ginnie Springs has over 100 water and electric campsites near the General Store, but these need to be reserved in advance.
Quiet hours from midnight to 8 am.
Check-in: From 8 am
Check out: Before sunset on your last day.
| Adult (off-season) | $25 |
| Adult (season) | $30 |
| Children ages 5-12 | $8 |
| Children under 4 | FREE |
| Electric and Water Site Fee (standard) | $11 |
| Electric and Water Site Fee (group site) | $22 |
Once you pick up your camping pass, you can freely come and go, any time of day or night, for the duration of your stay. Your pass will be checked at the gate. Check out the Ginnie Springs Outdoor camping rules here.
If you’re in the mood for a hotel or Bed and Breakfast, stay in the nearby town of High Springs. Check out “High Springs Country Inn,” less than 20 minutes drive from Ginnie Springs and offering rooms with refrigerators and microwaves, or the Blue Gem Motel with bright, fresh rooms promising air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a fridge, a coffee machine, a shower, free toiletries, and a wardrobe. Alternatively, Grady House Bed and Breakfast, 12 km from Ginnie Springs, is a beautiful, colorful house whose hosts promise a hearty breakfast to set you up for a day of exploring and water-sporting! See these and more options here.
What Else Can I See in the Area?
The area along the length of the Santa Fe boasts numerous parks and campgrounds to do pretty much what you can do at Ginnie Springs, though nothing can beat Ginnie’s turquoise blue waters!
Try Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park with its six natural springs that produce about 44 million gallons of water each day that runs into the Santa Fe river. As in Ginnie, visitors can hike, picnic, camp, snorkel, swim, and paddle throughout the park. There is one concession stand for food and drink. The entrance costs $6 per vehicle. Other similar spots to head to include O’Leno State Park, Poe Springs Park, and Anderson’s Outdoor Adventures Santa Fe River Park.
A little further south, but a gem to visit, is the Gypsy Gold Horse Farm in Ocala, where you can take a tour of the stables, meet and take photos with the beautiful long-maned gypsy vanner horses, and watch them grazing in their pastures.
The Takeaway
The perfect hot springs for a fun getaway – ideal whether you’re a quiet camper, a party lover, or if you just want to get some cave-diving practice done in crystal clear waters.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can expect to see different animals in and out of the springs, such as manatees, alligators, different types of turtles, tortoises, snakes, birds, and more. Don’t disturb them and they shouldn’t disturb you! In Florida, any body of freshwater, be it river, lake, or spring, has the possibility of having an alligator. We’ve heard that other visitors have passed one or two as they go tubing down the Santa Fe, but as alligators tend to avoid noise and splashing, you shouldn’t let them worry you!
It’s a matter of taste and budget. Check out our description and the photos and decide for yourself.
Yes. You can swim, snorkel, paddleboard, and dive into its underwater caves.
The seven pools of spring water keep a constant 72°F year-round. It’ll feel hotter or colder depending on the time of year you go.
The Ginnie Springs basin measures around 100 feet across and has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The basin connects to the Santa Fe River via a channel.
Yes – there are eight heated bathhouses with showers.
Disclaimer
While we at Traxplorio do our very best to give you the latest information about these hot springs sites, life happens, weather happens, and property owners happen. We always recommend you go to the official hot springs’ web page and/or the relevant state authority page to check conditions, times, and prices (where relevant) before you head out. Thanks for understanding, and enjoy your soak!
