Hike #5 of our 52 Hike Challenge is in the bag after we spent the day at Manatee Springs State Park. I know, it's almost April and we're only on Hike #5 - we need to get moving!
Ellison was determined to see manatees this Spring Break and I know there are some great spots in the central Florida area. We were initially planning on going kayaking but, honestly, I didn't feel like driving for more than an hour (ruling out Blue Springs near Deland, where we were likely to see the most) and I'm tired (kayaking would have meant a day of paddling and I just wasn't up for it this week). Plus, she has seen them many times before. That being said, the girl wanted manatees, so manatees are what she got. Because I'm pretty much a sucker for a kid who asks to spend the day outside.
The park and campgrounds are expansive with the focus obviously being on the springs and related aquatic activities. You can swim, dive or rent a canoe, kayak or paddle board from an outfitter right in the park. On a clear day the water is the most intense shade of bluish green - a color unique to freshwater springs simply because of the way the water flows up from underground. We have a painting in our dining room that looks almost exactly like the photo below and it makes me smile every time I see it because of the vibrancy of the colors.
Since Ellison was chasing a manatee sighting, we decided to first walk down the boardwalk and see if we could spot any from the docks. In the colder months, Manatee Springs is a great place to see tons of manatees as they come in to stay in the warmer water of the springs - a constant 72 degrees - and the picture below (not taken by me!) is an example of what it looks like in the winter. But it's the end of March and the weather has warmed up and most of the manatees have left their larger herds to go back out on their own.
I wasn't sure we would see any and had prepared Ellison for this disappointment, but she was adamant that there would at least be a few. And there were. Six of them swimming right at the entrance to the springs run - four adults and two babies. The kayakers and paddle boarders were lucky enough to watch them from a relatively close vantage point, but we could still see them clearly from our spot on the dock lookout. They are so slow, friendly and curious - making it easy to forget that touching (and interaction of any kind, really) is prohibited. We watched them for about ten minutes until they swam off away from the springs and up the Suwanee River. Ellison was super excited, the brush with manatees making the day a success regardless of whether or not we did any hiking.
Just FYI, if you are looking for places to view manatees throughout Florida other than Manatee Springs, this article is really helpful.
I wasn't sure we would see any and had prepared Ellison for this disappointment, but she was adamant that there would at least be a few. And there were. Six of them swimming right at the entrance to the springs run - four adults and two babies. The kayakers and paddle boarders were lucky enough to watch them from a relatively close vantage point, but we could still see them clearly from our spot on the dock lookout. They are so slow, friendly and curious - making it easy to forget that touching (and interaction of any kind, really) is prohibited. We watched them for about ten minutes until they swam off away from the springs and up the Suwanee River. Ellison was super excited, the brush with manatees making the day a success regardless of whether or not we did any hiking.
Just FYI, if you are looking for places to view manatees throughout Florida other than Manatee Springs, this article is really helpful.
The boardwalk takes you through cypress swamps, with the knees popping up from the water like miniture headstones in a murky forest graveyard, and offers an opportunity to see a variety of wildlife. We saw turtles, a bard owl, numerous water snakes and countless types of water birds. It can be crowded so it's best to go either in the early morning or late afternoon - not only will there be fewer people, but your chances of seeing animals is better, as well. And if you're anything like us, wildlife sightings are a big part of the fun.
In addition to the boardwalk, there are some longer trails at Manatee Springs and we covered about half of them on this hike - total mileage combined is around 8.5 miles and we did about 4.5 this visit. The paths are wide and well maintained, making for a very easy walk. And except for a pair of four wheelers, we didn't see a single person the entire time we were on the trails. The springs were relatively crowded, but apparently not one of them wanted to explore the park on foot. It really is their loss because this area is so beautiful.
In addition to the boardwalk, there are some longer trails at Manatee Springs and we covered about half of them on this hike - total mileage combined is around 8.5 miles and we did about 4.5 this visit. The paths are wide and well maintained, making for a very easy walk. And except for a pair of four wheelers, we didn't see a single person the entire time we were on the trails. The springs were relatively crowded, but apparently not one of them wanted to explore the park on foot. It really is their loss because this area is so beautiful.
While we have been here before, Manatee Springs is not somewhere we visit often though I'm not really sure why. Ellison and I had a great time! It is less than an hour west of our house and is a great park with a lot to do for the whole family. It will definitely be added to our regular rotation.
See you back here soon!
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