Summary

Poe Springs Park is a 202-acre Alachua County park along the Santa Fe River near High Springs, Florida. It is one of the area’s most popular freshwater spring destinations, offering swimming, paddling access, shaded picnic areas, trails, and family-friendly recreation. It’s also a popular launch point for paddlers exploring the Santa Fe River.

Springs at This Location

Poe Spring

The park’s main feature and a second-magnitude freshwater spring with clear 72°F water year-round. A boardwalk through cypress swamp and floodplain forest leads to a large swimming basin, and the spring run flows directly into the Santa Fe River. It is the primary developed swimming spring within the park.

Alachua Spring

Part of the local spring system feeding the Santa Fe River, contributing to the clear groundwater that defines this area.

Poe Woods Spring

A smaller spring within the Poe Springs natural area, part of the broader Santa Fe River springshed.

Watermelon Springs (Little Poe Springs)

Often called Little Poe Spring, these small spring vents are located along the spring run and were historically used to cool watermelons in the cold spring water. GIS data may list them separately as:

• Watermelon Spring #1
• Watermelon Spring #2

These are minor features compared to Poe Spring itself but are part of the same spring system.

Activities

• Swimming
• Snorkeling
• Wading
• Kayaking
• Canoeing
• Paddleboarding
• Tubing (in designated areas)
• Hiking
• Picnicking

Amenities

• Restrooms
• Picnic tables and barbecue grills
• Covered pavilions and picnic shelters
• Playground areas
• Multi-purpose fields and volleyball courts
• Boardwalk trail to the spring
• Loop hiking trails
• Boat ramp and dock for river access
• Onsite concessions and optional catering (seasonal)
• Onsite rentals and river trips

The Lodge at Poe Springs is available for private rentals such as parties and small events. The lodge includes indoor seating for up to 54 guests, a kitchen (stove, refrigerator, sink), restrooms, and an attached covered picnic area. Pavilion rentals are also available.

Contact Anderson Outdoor Adventures for more information on the lodge, rentals, concessions, and river trips.

Park Hours

Summer (April–September): 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Winter (October–March): 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Open 7 days a week
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day

The park may temporarily close when the spring reaches its swimmer capacity.

Entrance Fees

May–September: $6 per vehicle or $1 per person for walk-in or bicycle entry
October–April: Free entry
Fees are waived for individuals with disabilities

Pet Policy

Pets are allowed in the park on a handheld leash at all times. Pets are not allowed to swim in the spring.

Nearby Springs

• Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park
• Ginnie Springs
• Rum Island Spring

State of Florida, photo by R. Means, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons