OLeno State Park Ranger Programs

• RANGER'S CHOICE
  Learn about the history of the park and the disappearing river. Enjoy Mystery of River Rise and other videos. Learn about the park, recreational activities in the area, and the Florida aquifer. The program starts 30 minutes after sunset. Check with the ranger station for exact times and places. The Junior Ranger Program is every Saturday afternoon. There is a different program each week, including river walks, nature studies, and arts and crafts.
  Call (386) 454-1853 for more details.
• SPECIAL YOUTH PROGRAM
  Ongoing Take part in the Florida Park Service Junior Ranger program while visiting O'Leno State Park. Ask for activity sheets at the ranger station. After completing, return the sheets to the ranger station and receive a junior ranger badge. And that's not all! You will also receive a certificate in the mail congratulating you on becoming a Florida Park Service Junior Ranger.
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.
• WATER'S JOURNEY
  Saturday evenings or upon request. Join in a discussion about the springs of north central Florida and the uniqueness of the Floridan aquifer. Learn how the Santa Fe River disappears, flowing underground for 3 miles before resurfacing within the park. Enjoy Water's Journey - The Hidden Rivers of Florida. This video shows divers exploring the underground rivers within the aquifer while people track them above ground. The discussion is followed by a question and answer period.
  Meet at the large pavilion in the picnic area. Starts ½ hour after sunset and lasts 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.
• TREE ID
  Saturdays or upon request. Identify the many different trees within the park using pictures of the leaves, fruit and bark. This program is good for children 6 years and up.
  Starting time of this program vary with the seasons. Call the park for additional information. This program lasts approximately 1 hour.
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.
• MEET SEBASTION
  Saturdays or upon request. Meet Sebastion - a 7 ½ foot long Eastern Indigo snake. Join in a discussion about snakes in general and the Indigo as a threatened species. Learn the differences between a poisonous and non poisonous snake and how to tell the difference.
  Starting times for this program vary with the season. Call the park for additional information. Program lasts from 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.
• RIVER WALK
  Saturdays or upon request. Learn the history of the park, the town of Leno and the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). As you follow the River Trail down to the river sink, join in a discussion about the flora, fauna, the sink holes, the underground river and the natural bridge.
  Starting time for this program vary with the seasons. Call the park for additional information. Program lasts approximately 1 hour.
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.
• MYSTERY OF RIVER RISE
  Friday or Saturday evenings or upon request. Learn more about O'Leno State Park and its features of the River Sink and River Rise found within the park, and subsequently the underground river and where it goes. Enjoy Mystery of River Rise a video produced by the divers that have explored and surveyed the underground river. Join in a discussion on the Floridan aquifer, how amazing and vulnerable it is, and what we can do to protect it.
  Meet at the large pavilion in the picnic area. The program starts ½ hour after sunset and lasts approximately 1 hour. Call the park for exact program dates.
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.
• EXPEDITON FLORIDA
  Call the park for exact dates and time. This program is designed to inform campers of the many other features in the area that they may want to visit while staying at O'Leno State Park. The video Expedition Florida, Wild Alachua gives visitors an understanding of the history of Alachua County & introduces them to places like Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, Dudley Farm Historic State Park, Marjorie Kennan Rawlings Historic State Park, a local butterfly farm, & The Museum of Natural History. Directions and day/times of operation for listed attractions are provided.
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.
• GOING TUBING?
  Friday evenings during the summer months. Provided for O'Leno campers that are planning on tubing the Ichetucknee River, this program is designed to give visitors to Ichetucknee Springs State Park as much information as possible to make their trip an enjoyable adventure. Information such as directions to the park, where to get tubes, times when certain sections of the river close, what they can bring on the river, average float times and cost is provided. Afterwards, visitors are treated to view the video Spirit of the Ichetucknee.
  Meet at the large pavilion in the picnic area. This program lasts approximately 1 hour.
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.
• HISTORY OF O'LENO
  Friday or Saturday evening or upon request. Learn about the town of Leno which was located on O'Leno State Park property back in the mid 1800's. The types of industries that were thriving during that time period will be discussed as well as what brought the demise of the town. Learn more about the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Work Project Administration (WPA) contribution to the buildings in the park by viewing a short video.
  Meet at the large pavilion in the picnic area. This program last approximately 30 minutes. Call the park for exact dates and time.
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.
• LET'S MAKE TRACKS!
  Saturdays or upon request. Go on a short hike looking for tracks and learn to identify what track belongs to what animal, the best places to look for tracks and what tracks can tell you. Make a casting of an animal track with Plaster-of-Paris to take home with you. This program is good for children 6 years and up.
  Meet at the picnic area. This program last from 30 minutes to 1 hour. Starting time of this program vary with the season. Call the park for additional information.
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.
• GOPHER TORTOISES
  Saturdays or upon request. Learn the facts about tortoises and the importance of their burrows as well as why they have become a species in decline and what we can do about it. Gopher tortoise shells will be passed around for a hands on experience and the program ends with a game of who you may find in a burrow!
  Starting time of this program vary with the seasons. Call the park for more information. This program lasts approximately 1 hour
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.
• WATER LIFE
  Call the park for dates and times. During this one hour discussion, learn about water as a habitat and the different animals and plant life that live on the surface, in the water, on the bottom or in the mud of a river or pond, and how they interact with each other in the circle of life. Afterwards, dip the water with nets and see what you catch and identify and then release back into the water.
  Call 386-454-1853 for more details.