A century after Silver Springs first wowed Florida visitors as a private attraction known for its clear water viewed through glass-bottomed boats, the state established Silver River State Park downriver.
By 2013, the park expanded to encompass this famous Florida attraction and its fleet of glass-bottomed boats.
It is now known as Silver Springs State Park, a popular destination for visitors to marvel at the size and clarity of its spring, and protected forevermore.
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Overview
Location: Silver Springs
Trailhead: 29.217968,-82.055523
Address: 5656 E Silver Springs Blvd, Silver Springs
Fees: $5-8 per vehicle
Land Manager: Florida State Parks
Phone: 352-261-5840
Open 8 AM until sunset daily. Silver River Museum open weekends only.
There is an additional fee for glass bottomed boat rides. When concerts are being held at the springs, the gates will close early along SR 40 and an additional charge will apply for after-hours events.
Directions
From Interstate 75 at SR 40 in Ocala, follow SR 40 west through Ocala to Silver Springs. There are two entrances to the park. The main one at the springs is just east of the traffic light with Baseline Rd in Silver Springs. You can’t miss the sign. For the camping and trails, turn right at Baseline Rd at that traffic light and follow it about a mile south to the entrance on the left.
About the Park
This exciting development meant a lot to those of us who grew up in the area and worried every time the attraction changed hands.
Under the management of the Florida Park Service, Silver Springs retains its world-famous glass-bottomed boats and the beautiful gardens along the river, which are now run by a concessionaire.
The state park now surrounds the headspring and straddles the sinuous wild and scenic river created by this crystalline flow.
From the original portion of the state park, nearest the cabins, you can launch a kayak and paddle up to the springs, or take an educational cruise along a river where monkeys swing from trees.
This is where Tarzan – actor Johnny Weissmuller – yelled out his famed call across the waters during the filming of many a movie. Let out your own yell as you walk through these jungle-like forests along the river!
The park offers a little of everything in addition to a visit to this amazing spring, including extensive hiking and bicycling trails, and guided trail rides.
There are rental cabins and a campground, the Silver River Museum – which recounts pioneer and movie history and archaeological finds – and a pioneer village.
The village is the center of many special events, including the popular Ocali Country Days every November.
Hiking
Hiking trails in the original Silver River State Park (the Campground Entrance) now interconnect with the walkways and trails at the springs themselves via the linear Silver Trail.
Silver Springs Springside Trails Step back in time at the former Silver Springs attraction exploring its far corners on the Ross Allen Island Boardwalk Trail and the Creek Trail.
Silver Springs Mesic Loop Bridge the two sides of Silver Springs State Park using the Ross Allen Island Boardwalk as a gateway to a longer walk in the woods via a new bridge over the Fort King Waterway.
Silver Springs River Trail Discover the wonder of the floodplain of the lower Silver River on a 2.3 mile hike to a river overlook and a loop through through its lowlands.
Silver Springs Sandhill Trail At Silver Springs State Park, the Sandhill Nature Trail loops through a longleaf and wiregrass sandhill habitat near the park's campground entrance.A radical overhaul of the trail system occurred in 2025 with the opening of a new bridge linking Ross Allen Island to the flatwoods of the campground side of the park.
Trails we’ve hiked and biked within the past few years have been renamed and, in some cases, removed or rerouted. Download the park’s new trail map from the bottom of this page.
View upstream from the new bridgeAt the springs themselves, accessible paths explore the gardens and Ross Allen Island, where the attraction’s reptiles were once housed.
A natural surface path, the Creek Trail loops through habitat once used for the park’s Jeep Safari ride.
Curving inner loop on the Creek TrailTrail Map
Explore More!
Video
Exploring the trails around the head spring
Slideshow
See our photos from Silver Springs State Park
Nearby Adventures
Silver Springs Conservation Area Silver Springs Conservation Area protects upland habitats crucial to recharge of Silver Springs. Two stacked loop trails (with a cross-trail on the upper loop) provide several options for hiking.
Florida Trail, Marshall Swamp 3 miles. Marvel at towering trees in an ancient forest along this Florida Trail segment on the Cross Florida Greenway.
Indian Lake Bear-N-Oak Trail The Bear-N-Oak Trail at Indian Lake State Forest provides a fascinating look at karst terrain centered on Indian Lake, a sinkhole lake that connects to Silver Springs via the Floridan aquifer.
Florida Trail, Cross Florida Greenway 43.8 miles. A prime destination for backpacking and day hiking south of Ocala, the Florida Trail follows the Cross Florida Greenway between the Withlacoochee and Ocklawaha Rivers.
- Hal Scott Yellow Trail - November 3, 2026
- Hal Scott Preserve - October 28, 2026
- Tradewinds Park - October 27, 2026