A beauty spot along the Suwannee River north of Fanning Springs, Hart Springs offers a variety of activities to those who wander down the rural routes of Gilchrist County to find it. Swimming in the crystalline springs, tracing the flow of the spring run along a boardwalk down to the Suwannee, pitching a tent for a family adventure, even underwater exploration for certified cave divers – it’s all here.
Resources
Overview
Location: Trenton
Length: 1 mile
Lat-Lon: 29.676083, -82.951633
Type: loop or round-trip
Fees: vary by season, highest in summer. $2-4 per adult with discount for seniors and carload/boatload rates. Annual passes available.
Difficulty: easy
Bug factor: moderate
Restroom: yes
Dogs not permitted except at the RV park.
Camping $20-24 per day, both primitive tent camping and full hookup for RVs available. Call 352-463-3444 for general information and camping reservations. There are also two rental homes on the property available for $125 per night, sleeping 6-8 people.
Directions
From US 19/98/Alt 27 in Fanning Springs, turn on SR 26 east. Drive 1.4 miles towards Trenton and make a left onto CR 232. Continue 4.3 miles north to a left turn onto CR 344. Drive 1.6 miles and turn right on SW 86th Avenue, which leads to the park entrance.
Hike
Cross the bridge over the spring run and walk along the sidewalk to access the boardwalk, which starts 0.2 mile from the parking lot. Paralleling the crystalline waters of Hart Springs Run, the boardwalk follows the run through the cypresses to its confluence with the Suwannee River, and turns to the right to parallel the river for a stretch. The walk is open and breezy, with several overlooks. When the boardwalk turns away from the river, it crosses a willow marsh and winds through the cypress swamps before ending at the campground. Retrace your steps or turn right and walk through the campground to create a loop.
Trail Map
