Blue Spring State Park

Visitors enjoy swimming and floating in the warm waters of Blue Spring.

The historic Thursby House at Blue Spring.

Three years after England acquired Florida from Spain, John Bartram, a prominent botanist, explored the St. Johns River to assess what resources might be of value to the British Crown.

Dated Jan. 4, 1766, his written account of his visit describes the wonders of Blue Spring, which feeds the St. Johns River.

Today, visitors can camp, picnic, swim and canoe on the St. Johns River, and Blue Spring is a well-known winter home for Florida's endangered manatee.

These large aquatic mammals love the spring's 72-degree water. They take refuge here in winter from the colder water of the St. Johns River.

A wheelchair-accessible boardwalk runs along the spring.

Six vacation cabins are available by reservation. The park's 51 campsites all have water and electricity.

The park is home to the historic Thursby House. Built in the 1850s, the house was an important landmark along the local steamboat route.