Ichetucknee River: North End to the South Takeout

Launch at the North End of Ichetucknee Springs State Park, just below the headspring, and drift down the spring run past Cedar Head and Blue Hole springs. The river is fed by a string of springs at a steady 72°F, so clear that you can watch turtles and fish over the waving eelgrass, and it winds south through cypress, hardwood swamp and marsh. Pass Dampier's Landing and take out at the South Takeout by the South Entrance, the last landing inside the park.

It is 3.2 miles (5.2 km) one way, close to the state's figure of 3 miles; allow just over an hour in a canoe or kayak and about 1½ on a paddleboard, though the gentle current helps. The grade is Easy: the river is narrow and slow, but it flows, so you will need a ride back to the North End, by the summer shuttle or your own car.

The park charges $6 per vehicle, there is a launch fee at the North End, and paddlers must be on the river by 3 pm. Food and drink go in reusable containers only. Outside summer, inflatables may not launch from the North End unless they are Coast Guard-certified. The park closes when it is full on busy weekends, and the best paddling is between Labor Day and Memorial Day, when the tubers have gone. Wear a life jacket and check the conditions before you set off.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap waterways (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.