Suwannacoochee Spring discharges from the base of 25 foot (7.6 m) high banks along the river through the remains of a late 1800's rock bath house intended to pool the water for swimming. The rock structure has rectangular window openings and has become disfigured with age. Here at the terminus of the Withlacoochee River both sides of the river have high forested banks with limestone overlain by sand.
Suwannacoochee Spring and Ellaville Springs are connected by an extensive underwater cave system that extends underneath the Suwannee River. This is a geologically impressive area of Florida.
Follow Phillip
Suwannacoochee Spring is alternately spelled "Suwanacoochee" with one "n" in scientific literature, however, on widely used google maps the spring appears spelled with twin "n"s. So Suwannacoochee is the spelling I'm using here.
At the park you can take short hike out onto the old US Hwy 90 "Hillman" bridge over the Suwannee River. The through truss bridge was built as part of a federal aid project between 1925 and 1926. The old bridge allows for unparalleled views up and down the Suwannee River.
The spring and park are a few hundred feet north of the Withlacoochee's confluence with the Suwannee River and Suwannee River State Park. In the image above the State Park is on the right and can be accessed via trails on the south side of the Suwannee River.
On my first few visits to Suwannee River State Park I asked about how I could get closer to Suwannacoochee, and no one could offer many any directions. I eventually found some obscure references to people hiking across the abandoned bridges that cross the Suwannee River to reach the spring. But there is an easier way. Northbound on the new Hwy 90 you make a hard right immediately after crossing the Suwannee River onto Drew Way. The road leads to a small parking area and the Suwannacoochee Springs Park.
The spring pool has a diameter of about 20 feet and exhibits a robust boil, as seen in the image above. The single vent is at the west edge of the pool, with the water emerging from beneath a limestone ledge. The pool depth depends on the adjacent river level. On this day it was 4-6 feet deep with a maximum depth of 6-feet near the west-central section and 5-feet near the vent.
During spring floods of the Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers the spring virtually disappears into the river along with other nearby springs that occur on the river's banks. During late summer low water the spring's are more easily accessible and the water clarity is improved.
You can hike from Suwannee River State Park across the old US Hwy 90 Hillman Bridge over the Suwannee River and get to the Suwannacoochee Park. Its a bit of an uphill, downhill, lots of rocks and roots-in-the-way kind of hike but it is completely doable. If you're not up to the hike you can drive into old Ellaville and park at the old US Hwy 90 bridge and park where you see this sign (below).
In the mid-late 1800s Ellaville was a logging town at the border of Suwannee and Madison counties near the present day US Hwy 90. A Florida governor owned a home and estate in the area.
Crossing over the bridge you're in the edge of Suwannee River State Park. Look for the trail to the left and follow it into the park along the river's edge. The land here is very rocky and steep so be careful of limestone outcroppings.
Today Ellaville is more ghost town than bustling timber town. Suwannacoochee Spring was likely a recreational area (bathhouse) that was part of a logging complex that included a saw mill. Today, aside from the small park and the spring there is nothing much left of Ellaville.
Once in the Ellaville Park is easily accessible if you know where you're going and are careful of limestone outcroppings and live oak roots that can trip up even the most avid of hikers. The spring area provides a cool place to relax with excellent view over the confluence of the Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers.
There are many picnic tables in the park and even some old coquina and limestone bar-b-que stations. Most of the place looks largely unused today. There were a few locals fishing along the river's banks on the sunny, warm day I visited recently.
The park is quite near to I-75 and I-10 but easy to miss and thus uncrowded. I encountered no one while hiking to the spring pool. I asked a guy with a fishing pole in the parking area which trail to take. He said to follow the blue markers (below).
This is a nice wading spot though on this day there wasn't a lot of sand beach along the river unless you wanted to swim across the Withlacoochee to the other side where a large sand dune had formed directly across from Suwannee River State Park.
To access the spring directly from the parking lot, face east and follow the blue trail into the live oak and scrub forest. You will have to be careful of many exposed live oak roots and limestone outcroppings that can trip you up as you hike to the spring.
Not far down the trail it passes underneath a railroad trestle and then the trail splits. Take the southern branch (right) and you'll soon be overlooking Suwannacoochee Spring.
Falmouth is technically a karst window with high limestone banks on all sides of a short river. There is a spring boil at one end and several hundred feet distant a cave where the entire river disappears into the limestone. There are even some rapids in the middle of this very short river. Falmouth is a fascinating and very spooky place, and dye traces link it to nearby Suwannacoochee, Little Gem, and Ellaville Springs.
More images from my daylong hike around Suwannacoochee Springs below with captions.
Other Features in the Area
If you're adventurous and the water is not too high, hike north from here to the Route 141 bridge less than 1000 feet north of the bridge is the first in a series of shoals and rapids, Melvin Shoals. Another 1000 feet and you'll encounter a trio of springs and then a sharp bend in the Withlacoochee just before Deer Shoals, Wipe-out Shals, and Battery Shoals.
Another way to see all of this is from the water starting at Allen Boat Ramp. From Jasper, travel north on US 41 to SR 6; turn left; travel south on SW CR 141 to SW CR 143; turn right and follow SW CR 143 to SW 64 Way and follow to ramp (also known as CR 143 ramp). Address: Mile 8.22, 2726 SW 64th Way, Jasper, FL 32052, Hamilton County.
Hillman Bridge
Above and below: More shots from the Hillman Bridge overlooking the Suwannee River.
But, Swimming, Surfing, Jogging, Walking, and Bike Riding are still OK.
With Easter weekend upon us, officials in Daytona Beach and Volusia County want people to know the beaches are closed to large gatherings but open to some activities, in a half-hearted effort taken to curb spread of COVID-19.
Easter is traditionally the launch of the summer season in Florida. But this year things are confusing, at best.
Since mid-March, beach patrol officers and staff have been warning people on the beach to adhere to social distancing as ordered then unordered then reordered by Florida’s indecisive Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
Currently Mr. DeSantis is allowing activities that include walking, jogging, bicycling, fishing, surfing and swimming. But you cannot sit in a chair or lie on the sand. And definitely don’t even try to read a book at the beach. But it you do, may we suggest 1996's McCormick and Fisher-Hoch Level 4: Virus Hunters of the CDC. Less than $5 on Amazon.
Note too that off-beach parking is blocked so if you choose to participate in the allowable activities you'll have to park on at hotels are on side streets.