Matthew Bledsoe, Park Manager
When we became Silver Springs State Park in 2013 and the park system began managing the headsprings as well, Floridians agreed that the best thing to do was to enhance the protection that the private owners had provided in the past. We maintained the policy of people in watercraft only and added a paddle launch to facilitate the experience of a truly natural spring-fed river.
Silver Springs and Silver River are the closest you can get to an undisturbed spring-fed river within the Florida State Park system. No houses are built along its shoreline, no fish gets a lip piercing, no alligators are removed. What we have is a true and honest demonstration of what nature’s theme really is, and you can see it from a glass-bottom boat or a paddle craft of your choice. Float into the truly real Florida here at Silver Springs.