Florida is known for many things, thrilling theme parks, sprawling sandy beaches, beautiful tropical cities and towns, but there is so much more to this state. Central Florida has some hidden gems that most people don’t know about. Florida’s natural springs and river systems are some of the most gorgeous places to see in this state. One of which is Ocala Florida’s Silver Springs and Silver River, in Marion County, Florida. We took the paddle boards out one sunny Saturday to see what this place had to offer. This page has affiliate links and if you purchase something from this page I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
History of Silver Springs State Park
Located in north central Florida, just east of Ocala, Silver Springs State Park has been a natural landmark destination since the 1800s. In 1850, steamships kicked off Silver Springs as a commercial distribution center for Central Florida as vegetable, tobacco and orange plantation farms began popping up in the neighboring city of Ocala. Later, railroads drew in tourists and in 1870, the first Glass Bottom Boat tours began – a Silver River favorite that still continues today!
In the 1930s, Silver Springs became a popular place to shoot Hollywood films. Throughout the years, scenes from at least 20 movies were filmed here, including Rebel Without a Cause, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and six Tarzan films. In fact, if you look closely around the park, you’ll find a few movie props that have been left here from the Hollywood days.
Exploring Silver Springs State Park
We entered from Highway 35 and parked our cars near the kayak rental pavilion (Silver River State Park map can be found here). We left a second car towards the end of the the river at the second kayak launch, so we can drive the boards back to our first car. We brought our own stand-up paddle boards and kayak, so we only had to pay the $6 fee each ($4 launch fee per vessel, plus $2 park admission per person) and put-in at the canoe / kayak launch right by the parking lot. But you can rent your own canoe, kayak or paddle board at the same spot. Tip: the line was getting a little long at 10am, then you had to wait in line to launch, so just plan ahead if you’re on a schedule.
I have an iRocker Stand Up Paddle Board. It only takes about 20 minutes to inflate and its extremely light and portable. I couldn’t be happier with this purchase it’s incredibly durable and is easy to deflate and pop in the trunk when you’re done. It comes with the pump, paddle, skags, leash and a carrying backpack and for the price, its a great quality inflatable SUP!
From the moment we put-in we were immediately amazed at the crystal clear water and how the natural beauty of the river. Fish fly beneath the paddle boards and turtles sunbath on nearby tree branches. Every turn is exceedingly more beautiful and it took us longer than it should have to get to the Mammoth Spring just because we were enjoying the scenery so much.
You’ll also come across numerous shipwrecks as well as quite a few large structures that look like building facades, just off the river. I was told these were set designs from the movies that were made here in the 1930s. I love seeing history still existing in nature like this, I was completely fascinated.
As you continue downriver from the kayak launch, you’ll make your way to the Mammoth Spring. I was amazed at the depth and size of it. We spent quite a bit of time just floating over it and peering down from the paddleboards. I had a blast taking photos, there’s so much beautiful wildlife that you can’t fit in one photo. As beautiful as this place is, swimming is not permitted, so you will need to enjoy the scenery from above water. I affixed my GoPro to my paddle and panned around to take some photos, which was a great alternative to being able to dive down and explore from under water. There are also statues that are at the bottom of the spring, we spent some time trying to find them, we knew they were there but weren’t sure of the exact spot. After some focused searching we finally found them.
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Once we finished looking around the spring, we went back up river and headed towards the other kayak launch towards the end of the river. We enjoyed a beautiful three mile paddle. The landscape is just incredible, the water is crystal clear and its amazing to see the fish and underwater plants as you paddle. We saw seven alligators on our paddle, which is one of the reasons why swimming is not allowed at Silver Springs. They were amazing to watch sunbathing but it was pretty terrifying to swim past them. Its very important to be extremely cautious on this spring, never go near any of the wildlife. Manatees can be spotted on this river as well. Though its tempting to want to touch or feed these gentle giants, its incredibly important to enjoy these animals from afar. They are very curious creatures and may come to you, just be sure not to touch or feed them. Wild monkeys also are spotted on this river, and while cute and amazing to sight and watch, never attempt to go near them.
Other Ways to Enjoy Silver River
If navigating on the water on a kayak or paddle board isn’t your thing, that’s OK! There’s plenty of other ways to enjoy Silver Springs!
Glass Bottom Boat Tour
Taking the Glass Bottom Boat Tour is one of the best ways to tour the Silver River. Not only is it historical – the Glass Bottom Boats have been around since the 1870s – but it offers breathtaking views of the Silver River. You’ll see the many springs that feed the Silver River, including the incredible Mammoth Spring, and be able to view the extraordinary wildlife that lives beneath the surface. You’ll be able to see shipwrecks and movie props that still remain from its Hollywood days.
Silver River Museum
You can also check out the Silver River Museum while you are visiting Silver River. The museum is located within the Silver Springs State Park off Baseline Road (CR 35) and
admission is only $2.00 per person.
Hiking and Wildlife
There are five hiking trails to choose from in Silver Springs, across almost 5,000 acres of beautiful natural sights to explore.
Camping and Cracker Village
The Cracker Village is a replica of a 19th century pioneer settlement so visitors can firsthand experience Florida life in the 1890s. The Cracker Village shows visitors what a typical homestead would like like. Tours are available for exploration at Silver Springs State Park inside the Campground Entrance across from the Silver River Museum.
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Grab a Bite in Ocala
We stopped at Mojo’s Grill in Ocala for some food and it did not disappoint! This restaurant is only a few miles away from the park and has an awesome, bluesy music vibe, with amazing décor and really good Cuban inspired food. We had a blast poking around and taking photos of this funky place and the food was really good too! It was the perfect places to end a great day on the water!
Visit Silver Springs State Park
Silver River is a beautiful relic of old Florida. This is one of the few pristine natural beauties of Florida. This is the perfect spot to explore the real Florida and I recommend you make sure to check it out! Watch the YouTube below to check o
Have you been to Silver River State Park? What are your favorite places to SUP in Florida? Leave a comment below! Follow me at @amanda_meets_world_ on Instagram or shoot me an e-mail at amandameetsworld1@gmail.com
