Rock Springs Apopka - Kelly State Park

We had the good fortune to visit Rock Springs, in Kelly State Park, earlier this week and had a blast. My brother, and his family, we're visitng my parents in The Villages from Upstate New York and they had never been to a Florida srping before. What a great day it was for everyone in the crystal clear, cool waters of Florida's natural springs.

Rock Springs is a second magnitude springs (4,5000-45,000 galons per minute) but is very different than most of the springs in that there is no large pool at the headwaters of the spring. The principle discharge is from a partially submerged canyon at the base of limestone bluff. Rock Springs discharge ranges from 34.1 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 83.2 cfs, averages 57.9 cfs and it's water is estimated to be somewhat less than 42 years old. It's obvious where Rock Srprings gets it's name, and if it's not apparent at first glance, one trip down the stream without a tube will illustrate it very well for you.

Most of the stream ranges from depths of around four feet to around six inches and as it moves very rapidly, discovering the rocks closer to the surface can be a very uncomfortable experience. The first couple of trips down my oldest son and I did sans tubes to keep the shorties together but had the most fun just jumping in at the main discharge (appx twelve feet deep) and just swimming around in the lower part of the river where it's a mostly sandy botttom.

Kelly State Park offers all of the creature comforts that one might expect: restrooms, showers, grills, picnic areas, benches, open areas for lounging, a volleyball court, playground and even a snack shop where you can buy hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, etc. if you decide not to bring the food with you.

There are plenty of trails for the landlubbers to explore and to get an idea of what life must have been like for the original habitants, the Acuera people of the Timucuan Confederation.

Getting to Rock Springs from the Tampa Bay area is just over a two hour drive up I-4 toward Orlando to exit 60 Fl-429 toward Apopka. Definiltey a nice day trip and inexpensive to boot. Admission ranges from $3-5 per carload (depending on how many people are in the car) and tubes can be rented at $4 per day at the Rock Springs Bar & Grille less than a mile from the park entrance.