Park Summary for Print - OLeno State Park

Welcome to OLeno State Park

Located along the banks of the scenic Santa Fe River, a tributary of the Suwannee River, the park features sinkholes, hardwood hammocks, river swamps, and sandhills. As the river courses through the park, it disappears underground and reemerges over three miles away in the River Rise State Preserve. One of Florida's first state parks, O'Leno was first developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s. The suspension bridge built by the CCC still spans the river. Visitors can picnic at one of the pavilions or fish in the river for their dinner. Canoes and bicycles are available for rent. While hiking the nature trails, visitors can look for wildlife and enjoy the beauty of native plants. The shady, full-facility campground is the perfect place for a relaxing overnight stay. Located on U.S. 441, six miles north of High Springs.

Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
For Information about OLeno State Park, please call 386-454-1853.

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Hours of Operation

Florida state parks are open from 8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.

Driving Directions

O'Leno State Park is located on U.S. 441, six miles north of High Springs.

Park Fees

Admission Fees - $4.00 per vehicle (up to 8 passengers).
Single Car Occupant - $3.00
Motorcycle Fee (one or two persons) - $3.00
Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicles with a holder of an Annual Individual Entrance permit - Admission Fee $1.00

Camping Fees - $15.00 per night (Full Facility)
Primitive camping - $4.00 per person per night.
Organized Youth and Adult Group Camping - $1.00 per youth. $2.00 per adult/chaperon.

Cabin Fees - During O'Leno's peak season of May through August, all 17 cabins must be rented together as a group. The cost for this group camp is $240.00 plus tax. This cost also includes the use of the dinning hall and recreation hall.

Individual cabins are available for rent September through April. Cabin costs vary between $25.00 to $150.00 (plus tax) depending on the cabin.

NOTE: Our cabins are not heated and do not have air conditioning.

For more information call 386-454-1853.

Picnic Pavilion Rental Fees - Smaller four table covered pavilion - $15.00 + tax .
Large pavilion in picnic area - $50.00 + tax.

Activities at OLeno State Park

	Cabins Individual cabins are available for rental during the off season (September 1 - May 1). Please contact the park office at 386-454-1853 for reservations and information. If special accommodations are needed, please call the park directly at 386-454-1853.
	Canoeing & Kayaking Explore the river by canoe and observe the area's scenic beauty and wildlife. Canoe rentals are available at the park ranger station for $3.00 per hour per canoe or $15.00 per day per canoe.
	Fishing The Santa Fe River is an unpredictable fishing spot. Sometimes the fish bite, sometimes they don't. A Florida freshwater fishing license is required for anyone 16 years of age or older who wants to cast a line for bass, bream or catfish. Do you need a Fishing License?
	Full Facility Camping O'Leno has 61 family campsites, each with water, electric, in-ground grill, picnic table and a centrally located bathhouse in each camping area. Campsites can be reserved up to 11 months in advance by calling 1-800-326-3521. Florida State Parks are managed to restore and maintain a delicate ecological balance between native Florida species. Non-native plants and animals often upset that balance. The growing list of non-native animals that harm native wildlife unfortunately includes free-ranging domestic cats. Recognizing that this is a matter of growing concern throughout the state, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has embarked on an education campaign in support of the national Cats Indoors! movement. Their website also provides excellent information about native wildlife and the impacts of domestic animals. FWC's Cats Indoors! Education Campaign ADA accessible bathroom facilites are located in the Magnolia loop and Dogwood loop. **Please note: There is no maintained pathway to the bathroom facility located in the Dogwood loop. Assistance may be necessary. If special accommodations are needed, please call the park directly at 386-454-1853.
	Group Facilities Camping Group camp facilities consist of 17 cabins, dining hall with kitchen facility, recreation hall and 2 centrally located bathhouses that can be reserved up to 1 year in advance. Individual cabins are available for rental during the off season (September 1 - May 1). Please contact the park office at 386-454-1853 for reservations and information. If special accommodations are needed, please call the park directly at 386-454-1853.
	Horse Trails Horse trails are available
	Interpretive Exhibit Interpretive exhibits are available
	Nature Trails O'Leno has two scenic walking trails, the River Trail and the Limestone Trail. The River Trail takes you along the river to the " river sink" where the river disappears underground. Alligators and turtles are sometimes seen. The Limestone Trail passes through a hardwood hammock, past a limestone outcrop and then by a pine forest. There are an additional 13 miles of hiking and biking trails available. These trails are well maintained and marked.
	Pet Camping Pets must be confined, leashed (not to exceed six feet in length) or otherwise under the physical control of a person at all times. Tethered pets must not be left unattended for more than 30 minutes. Quiet hours must be observed from 11:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m. Pet owners must pick up after their pets and properly dispose of all pet droppings in trash receptacles. Florida law requires that pets be vaccinated against rabies. Any pet that is noisy, dangerous, intimidating or destructive will not be allowed to remain in the park. Non-furbearing pets, such as reptiles, birds, or fish must be confined or under the physical control of the owner. Some animals may be prohibited on park property. Failure to abide by these rules may result in the camper being asked to board the pet outside the park or to leave the campground.
	Pets Well-behaved dogs are welcome at O'Leno State Park. They must be kept on a 6-foot leash at all times and can not be left unattended for more than a half-hour. Dogs are not permitted in our Primitive campgrounds (including group camping), cabins or buildings.
	Picnicking Enjoy the parks picnic area with covered shelters that are available on a first come first serve basis overlooking the Santa Fe River.
	Playground Playground areas for children are located in the picnic area for park visitors and Magnolia camping Area for registered campers only.
	Primitive Camping Sweetwater Lake Camping Area - Primitive camping with fire circle and privy. You must hike approximately 6.5 miles to camping area and pack in all supplies needed including water.
	RV's O'Leno State Park provides 61 family campsites. Approximately 55 of those sites can accomodate RV type campers depending on the size of the camping rig. Each site is equipped with electrical hookups (30 and 50 AMP), potable water, an in-ground fire ring, a picnic table and a centrally located bathhouse. The dump station is located on park drive by the administration office.
	Swimming A refreshing swim in the designated swimming area is a good way to enjoy the Santa Fe River. Keep in mind there is NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY - SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK.
	Wildlife Viewing Wildlife viewing is possible at this park
	Youth Camping Two youth camps provide an adult supervisored youth group with a small picnic shelter, ground grill, cold showers and restroom facilities. This camping area has NO ELECTRIC. Youth Camping Area reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance by calling the park office at 386-454-1853.

Special Events for OLeno State Park

OLD TIME DANCE
Date: Sunday, May 11, 2008. 2pm to 5pm.
Description: Come out and join the fun!
Learn the steps to Circles, Squares and Contra dances that were all a rage in the mid 1800's when the town of Leno thrived! Dance to live music by the Flying Turtles String Band in the 1930's recreation hall on the banks of the Santa Fe River in O'Leno State Park. Located 6 miles north of High Springs on Hwy. 441.
Fees: Regular park admission plus Tickets: $5.00/adults, $3.00/child.
Contact: For more information call 386-454-1853.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions about OLeno State Park

Question: Are pets allowed in the park?
Answer: Well-behaved dogs are welcome at O'Leno State Park. They must be kept on a 6-foot leash at all times and can not be left unattended for more than a half-hour. Dogs are not permitted in our Primitive campgrounds (including group camping), cabins or buildings.

Question: Are campsites located on the water?
Answer: No. The campsites are located a short walk away from the water front area in a shaded hammock.

Question: Are there alligators in the river?
Answer: Yes. You may see an alligator floating in the river or lying in the sun on the river bank. Alligators should never be approached, fed or teased. This will cause them to lose their natural fear of humans and become dangerous.

Question: Do you rent cabins?
Answer: We have a group camp facility which consist of 17 cabins, dining hall with kitchen facility, recreation hall and 2 centrally located bathhouses. The group camp facility can be reserved up to 1 year in advance. Individual cabin rentals are available during the off-season which is September 1 –May 1.

Question: Do you take reservations?
Answer: You can make campsite reservation up to 11 months in advance by calling toll free, 1-800-326-3521. Group camp facilities and individual cabin reservations can be made up to 1 year in advance and primitive camping can be made up to 11 months in advance by calling the park office at 386-454-1853.

Question: Some of the deer came right up to me, can I feed them?
Answer: To protect you and the park’s wildlife, it is unlawful to feed the animals. Wild animals, overfed by handouts, will sometimes lose their ability to hunt for their own food. This may cause them to starve when handouts are scarce. When given handouts animals lose their fear of people and can become bold and aggressive. No matter how tame or friendly a wild animal may seem, its natural instinct is to get food. If your hand smells like food it may bite you instead of your handout and many wild animals carry contagious diseases that can be transmitted to people. So please, help us maintain a natural environment for our wildlife by not feeding the animals.

OLeno State Park History

From the 1500’s through the 1700’s, there was a natural bridge area that served as a crossroad between the Santa Fe River Sink and the River Rise. Still in existence today, this is a place where the river disappears, goes underground, and then comes out in the middle of nowhere several miles away. Its flow is expelled from the underground into the surface to continue its massive flow. This natural bridge was traveled by Spanish explorers, Indians and settlers alike.

The famous road of 1824, known as Bellamy Road, was named for its builder, John Bellamy who was a wealthy plantation owner. The road was the first in Florida to be funded by federal money. The Bellamy Road ran from east to west, crossing the St. John’s River, going from Pensacola to Tallahassee (the capitol of Florida) to St. Augustine.

It was only fitting that a town would in time appear along the banks of the nearby river. A pioneer town was started by 1840, by a man named Henry Matier. The town was referred to as “Keno” which means gambling, as this was one of the pastimes of the town and played widely throughout America. Keno was played much like today’s bingo and was sometimes played with pieces of corn on a board marked with numbers while a caller called selected numbers. As the town of Keno grew, the main livelihood was the mills which were powered by the river’s harnessed energy. Dams were made by embedding cedar slats across the river, backed by barriers of large rocks, to direct the water flow toward the mills. Valves were then channeled by planting large logs into banks edges. Some of these remnants can still be seen today when river’s water level is low, usually during the fall of the year. Two grist mills, six cotton gins and one cotton seed oil gin with a circular saw mill for lumber were in operation. A dry kiln, the only one of its kind in the area, was also in use.

The main road in town was called Wire Road, named for the telegraph line that ran along it in 1852. This was the first telegraph line in the area. Alligator Road, which intersects Wire Road, connected Keno to Alligator, which is now known as Lake City.

By the 1870’s Keno had a general merchandise store, owned and operated by a well known proprietor by the name of Colonel George M. Whetson. Some say Whetston called the town Keno because he considered it to be a risky business venture. The town also had a large hotel with a door on all four sides. The doctor of the town was Doctor William T. Thomas. There was also a blacksmith and public livery stable as well.

In 1876, Colonel Whetson applied for a post office for the town of Keno. The postal department denied the request due to the name Keno meaning gambling. Mr. Whetston then changed the name to Leno to justify that it was a decent town. The post office was put upstairs above the general store, along with the telegraph office. In 1890, Colonel Whetston moved the post office to the sister town of Mikesville, three miles away. Mikesville was thriving by 1889, with churches, an academy, and several schools. Colonel Whetston even had a balcony with a platform on the third story of his home in Mikesville, where politicians stopped by to make speeches to the public.

In 1894, there was a rumor that a railroad from Alligator (Lake City) was going to come through the area of Leno. This made the town hopeful that more progress would take place, but the train bypassed the town and went to Fort White instead. Descent soon followed, and the people of Leno moved on to other growing communities in the surrounding area. The last record of the town of Leno was in 1896. By the 1900’s, the major crop for the area were oranges, cotton and tobacco.

OLeno State Park Volunteer Information

Volunteers can do many things -- greet visitors, conduct tours, help rangers remove exotic plants ormaintain the natural beauty of a beach, waterway or trail.