Visiting Manatee Springs State Park
A Florida State Park
We didn’t get to visit near as many of the Florida State Parks as I would have liked while we were there for the month of December 2022, but I am so glad we visited Manatee Springs State Park in Chiefland. By visiting in the winter month of December, we were fortunate enough to see wild Manatees just off the dock in the Suwannee River.
There was a family of three swimming around in the river at the end of the boardwalk. We stayed for over an hour watching and filming and taking a lot of photos. What a pleasure it was to watch these gentle giants slowly roll around in the water swimming, wrestling, and eating. They were far enough away that we were not able to get good photos of them close up down in the water, but we believe one of them was smaller and could have been a young one.
The manatees in Florida are West Indian Manatees, also known as the North American Manatee. They are not endangered yet but are vulnerable as their population is decreasing each year and they are protected under federal law. The best time to see them in Florida is during the winter months when they migrate south to the warmer spring waters.
The boardwalk is 800 feet long and plenty wide enough for wheelchairs. We took our time and stopped often along the way. We heard an owl but couldn’t find it. We saw a pileated woodpecker and followed it from tree to tree. I tried to get a photo of it, but it was simply too fast.
The pileated woodpecker is not as common in Florida as the red-bellied woodpecker so it would have been nice to get a photo of it. There were several Great Egrets and I photographed them all. These birds are sometimes called Great White Herons.
The spring itself is clear and beautiful. It flows directly into the Suwannee River by just a short distance. You can swim in the spring but I just stuck my foot in the water. It was a bit chilly the day we were there. There is a nice pavilion beside the spring with picnic tables. They serve sandwiches and ice cream. We spent half the day here. I wish I could have walked more of the trails.
If you are ever in this area of Florida during the winter months and get the chance to visit this park, it is definitely a must-visit place. Thanks for allowing me to share our journeys and adventures with you as we travel across America.
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I lived in Panama City for 14 years and camped at this state park several times. Your wonderful pics and observations brought all back to me. Fun times and great article.