One Of Florida's Most Forgotten Springs Is A Beautiful Gem In A Quiet Historic Ghost Town

There are many freshwater springs in Florida, including Vortex Spring, the hidden water wonderland that offers endless underwater adventures. With so many amazing places, it makes sense that some are forgotten. The Suwanacoochee Spring in the northern part of the Sunshine State is one such spring that is often overlooked. Although it doesn't have a big swimming area or a shallow spot for kids to wade in, Suwanacoochee is a beautiful and forgotten natural spring with a lot of history and quick access to two different rivers. 

The Suwanacoochee Spring (pronounced sue-wanna-coo-chee) is a second magnitude spring, which means it releases 10 to 100 cubic feet of water per second, or somewhere between 6.5 to 65 million gallons per day. It's not the largest or the bluest spring in Florida, but it provides great views of the Suwannee River. Because it is off the beaten path, many travelers don't even realize it's there until they stumble across the area by accident. This makes the Suwanacoochee Spring the perfect place to visit if you want to enjoy a tranquil day surrounded by nature. Plus, since the spring is located in the quiet and peaceful Suwannee River State Park inside of the ghost town of Ellaville, there's plenty to see in the area.

In the 1800s, Ellaville was a logging town that was founded by previous state governor George F. Drew. Drew opened a sawmill in the town and also built a mansion nearby for himself. Ellaville thrived at first but couldn't survive the hardships of the Great Depression followed by a devastating flood. Because of this, the town began to empty out as its residents sought jobs elsewhere and, eventually, Ellaville became one of hundreds of ghost towns in Florida. While the town was mostly swallowed up by nature, remnants of Ellaville can be seen in the historic Hillman Bridge. Today, the Suwannee River State Park encompasses the remains of Ellaville, and offers parking spots, trash cans, picnic tables, and six hiking trails along with the Suwanacoochee Spring.

To access the spring, visitors have two options: The first is to take the Earthworks Trail which is a 2.2-mile out-and-back trail that takes hikers from the parking lot across the old bridge and then past the remains of abandoned ferry boats before arriving at the Suwanacoochee Spring. The second option is to simply follow the river from the parking lot until you reach the convergence of the two rivers and listen for the sound of rushing water. 

The spring itself is fairly small, about 20 feet wide, but still makes for a nice place to take a dip. However, you should be careful because the Suwanacoochee Spring is connected to a deep cave system, which is why it is popular with cave divers. Most people looking to swim do so in the Withlacoochee River. Or, you can also drive around five minutes down Route 90 to find Falmouth, a picturesque secluded spring on Florida's shortest river. 

If you want to be close to the spring, you can choose to stay in Suwannee River State Park. The park has both campsites for tents and cabins available, making it a great base from which you can explore the surrounding area. There are also some other springs nearby, including Suwannee Spring, Anderson Springs, and Royal Springs — the under-the-radar crystal clear Florida spring that is great for a refreshing swim. 

Another option, one that puts travelers in the range of plenty of restaurants and other activities, is to stay in the nearby towns of Madison or Live Oak. These towns are on either side of Suwannee State Park and are both around a 20-minute drive away. Madison is slightly closer to Tallahassee (roughly an hour away), while Live Oak is a little more than an hour from both Jacksonville and Gainesville. All three of these major cities have airports, making them great options for travelers heading to Suwannee River State Park from out of state. 

Live Oak is great around the holidays, when Christmas lights are on display throughout the town. It's also a great place to go if you want more access to outdoor adventures, simple eating, a few boutique shops, and a place to rest your head for the night. Madison has a little more to do in the town, including visiting museums, historic sites, campgrounds, and family-friendly activities like the Ragans Family Campground and Waterpark.