Bell Spring (Gilchrist)

Summary

Bell Spring is a small, privately owned spring located just northeast of Fanning Springs, near the Suwannee River. Unlike nearby public springs, Bell Spring is not accessible to the public and has been fenced off for many years. While it still appears on maps and in older spring records, it should be viewed as a historical / reference spring rather than a visitable destination.

Spring Details

• Spring type: Sand boil spring

• Spring pool size: ~50 ft × 100 ft (oval-shaped)

• Measured depth: ~12 ft

• Discharge (historical): 8.89 cubic feet/second (measured Sept 4, 1997)

• Spring run: ~1,000 ft flowing southeast into the Suwannee River

• Water source: Six documented sand boils

At last documented observation, the spring pool and run were heavily covered with floating vegetation, limiting visibility of the vent itself.

Access

• Located behind a fence on private property

• Surrounded entirely by privately owned land

• No legal public access to the spring pool or run

⚠️ Please do not attempt to access Bell Spring directly.