Weekend at the Ichetucknee

Tubing down the Ichetucknee River

 

O'Leno's Swinging Bridge

If you're ever in North Florida, between Lake City and Gainesville there is a little place called The Itchetucknee. This was where we decided to spend our first available weekend. It's a gorgeous natural spring fed river thats 6 miles long and where the temp is always 72 degrees. The highlight of the river is you can tube down it. Imagine, lounging back in an intertube, relaxing, and just floating for 6 miles down a crystal clear spring fed river. Thats the Ichetucknee, with beautiful hemlocks and wetlands, the natural Florida, surrounding you and the sun shining down. Thats how Florida is meant to be enjoyed. Not in Orlando(my personal opinion) full of tourists and traffic. If you go, my advice to you is buy your own tube before you get there from Walmart or the Dollar General. You'll know when your getting close because there are tube renting vendors all over the place, with pretty much the same prices, 15 for a single rider, 25 for a double, and 35 for a triple. So be prepared with your own tube. Now you can't camp there, but just 30 mins down the road is O'Leno State Park, which is where we stayed, and it too is beautiful. The campsites are located close to the Santa Fe River and offer almost full shade. So next time your in the area, check it out. Who wouldn't enjoy a 3 hour relaxing trip down            the river? My kids sure did:)

O'Leno Campsites 

The Head Spring