Manatee Springs State Park, Florida
A little while back, my friend and I got to talking about needing a bit of fresh air from the day-to-day of the burg and decided it was time to go camping. It was mid-January and Ft. Desoto was completely booked as, in fact, the majority of sites were so we ended up at Manatee Springs State Park. This is a post about my particular experience while I was in the area…so let’s begin!
Getting to Manatee Springs State Park
The park is approximately 2.5 hours north of St. Petersburg, FL about an hour north of Crystal River. We were running late since I had to work on the day we left. This was probably a bad idea in retrospect. Once the shops on 19 dwindle down it becomes extremely dark so watch out for critters and deer if you happen to be traveling at this time. We made a pit spot in Chiefland for some gas (which was an experience in itself) and then rolled into the park.
When we arrived, we realized that the firewood shed was closed as it was so late and then when we got to our spot a tent was already in our campsite. Yes, that’s right, we had a squatter. Luckily there was a kind park representative who was responsible for the sites in that area who helped us relocate the woman. She made some other poor choices that night but was luckily gone by the morning.
We successfully set up the tent in the dark, got a bit organized, and then hunkered down for the night. That night temps dropped to 40…FORTY DEGREES! This is a big deal if you’ve become used to Florida temps and we straight up froze our asses off. Thankfully I overpacked and was able to finally get to sleep after putting on all 5 of my pairs of pants and basically just rotated the stack over the course of the weekend.
Despite the cold and the rain we still had a great time and welcomed being in nature for a few days.
Manatee Springs State Park – Things to Do
About the Park
The spring provides 50 to 150 million gallons of water per day and is the largest single spring flowing into the Suwannee River. The spring, as the name implies is a favorite spot for the manatees to warm up in the winter months however the proximity to the river means that when the Suwanee River floods, the dark, tannic waters of the river fill the spring run and visibility is greatly reduced. This spot is one that is constantly changing and is best to call and see what the conditions are prior to your arrival.
Walking along the boardwalk through the Cypress forest was my favorite thing to do here. There are also some trails for hiking if you like, biking is also recommended. There are other parks in the area as well. Manatee Springs is actually pretty small so I would recommend some day trips in between meals.
Wildlife Galore!
There is an abundance of deer and critters roaming around both day and night. A little raccoon and opossum walk right up to our cooler and try to help himself! A little tag-team! They were easily “shooed” away but I’m sure these two are eating very well. A family of deer was hanging out at the campsites casually roaming around looking for scraps from vacated sites.
Manatee Springs State Park Amenities
This park is very accessible, so bring the whole family! The campsites are easy to pull into, and overall easy to maneuver. This does mean that like a lot of parks, many sites are pretty close to each other with little privacy. This is more of an RV friendly site vs actual primitive camping. Be sure to choose your site wisely based on your preferences.
There is a small refreshments kiosk (serving up BBQ and smaller snacks at the time of our visit) and a canoe/kayak rental concession. Basic amenities are sold in the little shop. There are a large park and picnic area with playgrounds in this area as well.
A picturesque raised boardwalk that runs the length of the spring, ending in a large observation deck where the spring empties out into the Suwannee River. The park requires that you use their firewood located at the entrance.
And finally, the bathrooms were fantastic. It was a welcomed refuge in the middle of the freezing night to warm up and re-humanize…seriously. Most park bathrooms are a crime against humanity. These recently renovated ones made it possible for us to stick it out.
Manatee Springs State Park – What to Bring
- Neither of us had cell service – bring a radio! Maybe some board games.
- A bike
- Instant coffee! My new favorite for traveling
- Layers. You’ll need them!
- Lighting, don’t be left in the dark!
You can learn more about Manatee Spring on Florida State’s Parks website.
