The Great Outdoors Restaurant · High Springs
American food in the old High Springs Opera House on Main Street, with free live music on the patio. Reservations are strongly recommended on Friday and Saturday nights. It's closed Mondays.
Santa Fe River · Branford, Florida
Ichetucknee is 8 miles from the porch.
Ten springs within about a half hour, a quiet river at the back of the property, and a 2-bedroom guest house on 15 wooded acres to come home to. Here's our field guide to the springs, paddles, trails and small-town stops nearby.
Sleeps 5 · 2 BR · 1 bathPet-friendly5.0 ★ · 29 Airbnb reviewsSuperhost
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Spring-hopping
The springs, nearest first
Mileage is from the cabin, as listed on our Airbnb page, and is approximate. Fees and hours come from each park's official site. Fees change, so treat them as a guide.
| Spring | Approx. | Why go | Know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ichetucknee Springs SP | 8 mi | Eight major springs feed the 6-mile Ichetucknee River. It's the classic North Florida tube float, and Blue Hole is great for snorkeling. | 8 a.m.–sunset$6/vehicleMidpoint launch closed |
| Little River Springs | 12 mi | A short spring run into the Suwannee and a 1,200-ft+ cave system that draws cave divers. | $5/vehicleNo pets or alcohol |
| Troy Spring SP | 13 mi | A 70-ft-deep first-magnitude spring with the wreck of the Civil War steamboat Madison in the run. | $5/vehicleSwimming closed |
| Ginnie Springs | 18 mi | Seven clear springs at 72°F, with tubing, paddling and world-famous cavern diving. Privately run. | Check rules & ID policy |
| Gilchrist Blue Springs SP | 19 mi | A second-magnitude spring with a quarter-mile run to the Santa Fe and famously clear water. | No day use (construction) |
| Poe Springs Park | — | A county park with a cypress boardwalk to the spring and a launch for the "8 Springs in 8 Miles" paddle. | Free Oct–MarWater area closed |
| Rum Island Park | — | A Columbia County park with spring access and a boat ramp on the Santa Fe. | County park |
| Hart Springs | 23 mi | A spring swimming area in Gilchrist County. | See site for fees |
| Royal Springs | 23 mi | A Suwannee County spring off the Suwannee River. | County park |
| Manatee Springs SP | — | A first-magnitude spring with an 800-ft cypress boardwalk. Manatees show up in the cooler months. | $6/vehicleDay trip |
"—" means the listing gives no distance and we haven't measured one yet. Devil's Eye is inside Ginnie Springs.
Tubing
Float the Ichetucknee
The upper river is a National Natural Landmark. The park says it's best by canoe or kayak in the cooler months, and the water stays clear year-round. In summer, tube from the South Entrance at Dampier's Landing. Tube rentals end at 4:30 p.m., so plan an early start and a late lunch.
Paddling outfitters
Paddle the Santa Fe, spring to spring
- Anderson's Outdoor Adventures runs out of Poe Springs Park. It's known for the "8 Springs in 8 Miles" downriver paddle with shuttle, plus shorter and longer runs.
- Rum 138 in Fort White rents kayaks, canoes and paddleboards and runs shuttles. Launches are 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and trips finish by 4:30 p.m.
- Santa Fe Canoe Outpost is now a free city launch on US-441 for your own boat. There are no rentals there.
Paddlers can also launch from the river at the back of our property. If we're home, send us a quick message before you head down.
Boating or paddling? See our Santa Fe & Suwannee river guide → Every spring by river mile, motorboat vs. paddle access, where you can land, day trips and live river levels.
Diving
Certified? This is cave country.
Ginnie Springs (including Devil's Eye) and Little River Springs draw cave divers from around the world. Troy Spring allows open-water diving for certified divers only, with no solo diving. It's closed to swimming right now, so call ahead. Cavern and cave diving require proper training. Use a local dive shop and stay within your certification.
Trails
Where the river goes underground
At O'Leno State Park (about 22 mi), the Santa Fe disappears into a sink. It surfaces again a little over 3 miles away at River Rise Preserve (about 20 mi). Together the two parks have more than 35 miles of hiking, biking and horse trails. The Civilian Conservation Corps built O'Leno's swinging bridge in the 1930s. Fees are $5 per vehicle at each park. O'Leno's River Trail is closed for now, but the rest of the trail network is open.
Off the water
Small towns, big plates, game days
Branford Farm Stand · Branford
Fresh tortillas, tacos and tamales, plus churn-style strawberry milkshakes, at picnic tables outside. Look for seasonal u-pick strawberries and flowers and a fall festival. Open daily.
Downtown High Springs
An antiques town since the '80s, with shops along Main Street and the Priest Theatre, which the city calls the oldest operating movie theater in Florida. Most shops close Mondays, so check hours first.
Gainesville & Gator game days
UF is an easy day trip toward Gainesville. On home-game weekends, expect traffic and higher demand, so book early and leave plenty of time to park.
When to come
Every season works. Here's how.
Spring
Fewer crowds on the water and wildflowers on O'Leno's trails. Strawberry u-pick at the Branford Farm Stand.
Summer
Peak tubing season. Arrive at opening, because parks close when they hit capacity. Afternoon storms are common.
Fall
Gator football and cooler hikes. The springs are still 72°F and parks are quieter.
Winter
Manatees come to Manatee Springs, and the upper Ichetucknee is at its best by kayak.
Water levels: after heavy rain, the Santa Fe can rise and go dark with tannins, and swim areas close. Check river conditions from the Suwannee River Water Management District and read park notices before you paddle.
Fall weekends
72° springs, cool mornings, Saturday kickoffs
Hike O'Leno on Saturday morning, catch the game or dinner on Main Street that night, and paddle the Ichetucknee on Sunday with the river nearly to yourselves. Fall dates are open now.
Home base
The guest house
A private 2-bedroom guest house on 15 wooded acres along the Santa Fe River, with a wrap-around porch. Guests have the guest house and the front of the property to themselves. Deer show up at dawn, and at night the stars are bright and it's quiet.
Don hosts and is happy to share springs and tubing tips. Guests mention his quick replies and the small extras.
Book on Airbnb Vrbo- Sleeps
- 5 guests
- Bedroom 1
- Bunk bed (twin over full), porch slider
- Bedroom 2
- Queen bed
- Bath
- 1, new shower, toiletries & hair dryer
- Kitchen
- Stove/oven, fridge, toaster oven, Keurig
- Living
- 42" HDTV with streaming apps, Wifi
- Outside
- Wrap-around deck, outdoor dining, room to play
- Pets
- Allowed (see listing for rules)
- Good to know
- Well water & septic, so no bleach. It's the Florida woods, so expect an occasional spider.
- Rating
- 5.0 from 29 reviews · Superhost · Top 5% of homes on Airbnb
Questions people ask
Wait, Santa Fe… New Mexico?
No, this is Florida's Santa Fe River, a tributary of the Suwannee. We're near Branford, Fort White and High Springs in north-central Florida.
How close is Ichetucknee?
About 8 miles, per our listing. Ginnie Springs is about 18 and O'Leno about 22.
Can we bring the dog?
Yes, the guest house is pet-friendly. Many springs don't allow pets in the water. Poe Springs, for example, requires a leash and bans swimming pets.
Can we swim in winter?
Yes. The springs hold about 72°F year-round. Some parks change hours seasonally, and Poe Springs is free from October to March.
Can we get on the river from the property?
Yes. The river is at the back of the property, so just follow the road. If we're on-site, send a quick message first. The main house is private.