Seven-thousand years ago, a dugout canoe sank to the bottom of De Leon Springs. Researchers don’t know for sure who built the canoe but it most likely belonged to the Mayaca people, who worked and played here for thousands of years. They are just one of the groups that have been drawn to this area by the invigorating waters of De Leon Springs. Today, visitors who take a dip in the spring water share a connection with countless others throughout history who did the same.
This park protects the headsprings of Spring Garden Run. The Spring Garden Run is a river formed by the 17 million gallons of water that pour out of the spring each day. Visitors can see the water surging out of the spring because it makes a visible “boil” on the surface. Spring water was once rain water. It filters down through layers of soil and rock and into a network of deep underground caves called the Floridan aquifer. When it rises to the surface, it arrives at a refreshing 72 degrees.
Swimming in this wide and deep spring is a real pleasure. At first sight of the clear, blue spring water, it’s easy to see why people have been coming here for millennia.
