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Safety Updates

Effective Feb. 6: Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is now federal law that all persons on a tour boat, ferry or other park-provided watercraft within Florida State Parks are required to wear a mask. Florida State Parks will comply with this order and continue efforts to provide for staff and visitor safety. Please review individual park pages for specific information for each location.

View details about online payments, park and campground closures, park programs/events and facial coverings.

Habitat Restoration in Progress

The park is restoring the upland pine habitat at the River Sinks parcel. From U.S. Highway 319 in northern Wakulla County, motorists may see heavy equipment and trucks entering the highway. For safety reasons, the trail at River Sinks and the Emerald Sink day use area will be closed to the public while crews are operating heavy equipment in those areas. The long-term restoration project includes removing planted loblolly pines, removing the stumps and burning the piles of woody debris. Longleaf pines and native wiregrass will then be planted.

Limited Visitation at this Park

Effective Oct. 5, 2020: Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park and the Lodge are open. Ranger station transactions are contactless: Bring exact change in cash, your credit card, annual pass or prepaid entry receipt. River boat tours have resumed and require advance reservation. Click here to purchase tickets. Guest rooms, dining room and soda fountain are open at the lodge. Visitors are expected to maintain distances of at least six feet apart.

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An anhinga sits wings outstretched near the base of a large cypress tree.

Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park

The world’s largest and deepest freshwater spring rimmed by an ancient cypress swamp

Hours

8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. The Lodge is a full-service hotel, open 24 hours.
 

Fees

$6 per vehicle

See all Fees

Location

465 Wakulla Park Drive
Wakulla Springs FL 32327

Get directions

Contact Info

850-561-7276

Park Menu

  • Hours & Fees
  • Experiences & Amenities
  • Events
Make a Reservation Download Park Map

Welcome to Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park

Home of the world’s largest and deepest freshwater springs, the sapphire water of Wakulla Springs boasts manatees, alligators and a host of diverse wildlife that can be viewed from a riverboat or the diving platform.

Park Admission - Vehicle

Park Admission - Single Occupant or Motorcycle

Park Admission - Bicycle & Pedestrian

The invigorating 70 degree waters are sure to refresh you on even the hottest summer days. The historic lodge is an elegant remnant of old Florida, and the ancient cypress swamps made the perfect backdrop for old Hollywood movies.

Wakulla Springs is a place where history stretches back thousands of years, from early Native Americans who lived in shoreline villages to filmmakers who recognized the primeval quality of the park’s swamps and wildlife when they decided to film Tarzan’s Secret Treasure (1941) and Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) here.

Today, visitors can swim where mastodons once roamed and take guided boat tours where dugout canoes once glided across the cool waters. Alligators, manatees and an abundance of bird life can all be seen.

Visitors can also marvel at a 1930s Spanish style lodge with its period furniture, original elevators and colorful painted ceilings that depict wildlife and Old Florida scenes.

Plan Your Visit

Amy Conyers, Park Manager
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Manager's Message

The safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers is a top priority at Wakulla Springs State Park. Some park procedures and activities have been modified or suspended, and visitors will find measures in place to reduce density to promote everyone’s safety.

The Lodge at Wakulla Springs
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The Lodge at Wakulla Springs

True to Ball’s word to preserve the area and to create a serene and peaceful retreat, the Wakulla Springs Lodge is an example of precise craftsmanship and offers visitors a timeless glimpse into Florida’s pristine and elegant past. To explore the history of this grand hotel is to take a voyage back in time.
River Boat Tour on Spring Run
Service

Historic Boat Tours

One of the best ways to experience the wild side of Wakulla is our Jungle Cruise River Boat Tour. Join your captain for a 45- to 55-minute journey down the Wakulla River. See alligators, native birds, turtles and the occasional manatee. Advanced reservations are now required.

Experiences

Bicycling
Bicycling
Birding
Birding
Boat Tours
Boat Tours
Geo-Seeking
Geo-Seeking
Hiking
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Horseback Riding
Picnicking
Picnicking
Reunions and Gatherings
Reunions and Gatherings
Scuba Diving
Scuba Diving
Snorkeling
Snorkeling
Swimming
Swimming
Walking and Running
Walking and Running
Weddings
Weddings
Wildlife Viewing
Wildlife Viewing

Amenities

Accessible Amenities
Accessible Amenities
Beach
Beach
Concession and Restaurant
Concession and Restaurant
Equestrian Trail
Equestrian Trail
Historic Site
Historic Site
Interpretive Exhibit
Interpretive Exhibit
Laundry
Laundry
Lodge
Lodge
Meetings and Retreats
Meetings and Retreats
Nature Trail
Nature Trail
Parking
Parking
Pets
Pets
Picnic Pavilion
Picnic Pavilion
Playground
Playground
Recycling
Recycling
Restroom Facilities
Restroom Facilities
Shower Station
Shower Station
Visitor Center
Visitor Center
Wheelchair Accessible
Wheelchair Accessible

Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park Photo Gallery

Springs, diver, swim
Diving tower at Wakulla Springs
Anhinga sits on a branch with winds outstretched to dry off.
River Boat Tour inside
Two young alligators sit on the back of their mother.
Manatee comes up for a breath of air at the waters surface.
The Lodge at Wakulla Springs
FGS Designation
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Geology of Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park

Wakulla Spring is located in a region known as the Woodville Karst Plain because the area contains numerous springs, sinkholes, and submerged cave systems formed by the dissolving of limestone over thousands to millions of years. 
An example of a healthy upland pine community.
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Habitat Restoration in Progress

Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park has started a multi-year resource restoration project at its River Sinks and Turner Sinks parcels. Restoring this property from planted loblolly pines to a natural upland pine community will provide habitat for a variety of wildlife.

People Make the Parks

Charlie, dressed in his ranger uniform, smiling at the camera.

Staff Spotlight

A multi-talented park ranger, Charlie seeks to inspire a passion for the culture and history of Wakulla Springs State Park.
Volunteer at captains wheel of tour boat with young boy sitting nearby as co-captain. River boats can be seen on the river in the distance.

Volunteer Spotlight

Volunteer River Boat Captain Jim gives visitors a glimpse into the past and a chance to see Old Florida. Some lucky visitors may even get to help "co-captain" a river boat.
Wakulla Springs

Friends of Wakulla Springs

Members of Friends of Wakulla Springs State Park learn what’s happening at the park and participate in the protection and improvement of its natural and cultural resources.

This Park is Recognized by:

Florida's Springs
State Geological Site

Park Map

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Florida State Parks

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Have Questions?

Contact the Statewide Information Line:
(850) 245-2157

Or send an email to:
FSP.Feedback@FloridaDEP.gov

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