Salt Springs
Fort McCoy, Florida · on Salt Springs Run
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- spring
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Salt Springs
Salt Springs is a spring-fed swimming hole within the Salt Springs Recreation Area in Ocala National Forest, near Fort McCoy, Florida, and one of the forest's most developed places to swim. The spring runs a constant 72°F and has a slight natural salinity from dissolved minerals, feeding Salt Springs Run into Lake George. It is a developed U.S. Forest Service recreation site with a designated swim area, campground, and marina.
The spring sits within the Ocala National Forest's Big Scrub habitat, with Salt Springs Run flowing from the spring boils toward Lake Kerr/Lake George. The recreation area includes a large campground (the forest's largest, with full RV hookups), a marina, and adjacent small-town services in the community of Salt Springs.
Swimming at Salt Springs
Swimming takes place in a spring-fed pool with clear, mineral-tinged water that stays around 72°F year-round; the recreation area maintains a designated swimming area kept separate from the fishing zone, and snorkeling is also a listed activity. The slight salinity (potassium, magnesium, and sodium salts) supports species like blue crabs alongside bass and turtles, unusual for an inland Florida spring.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Ocala, take State Route 40 east to County Road 314, then to Highway 19 north into Salt Springs (about 35 miles); also reachable via SR 19, CR 314, and CR 316 through the community of Salt Springs.
The hike in
No hike is needed to reach the spring pool - it's a drive-up/short-walk spot: an observation walkway frames the pool right off the paved parking/campground area. The separate Salt Springs Loop Trail follows Salt Springs Run through the forest but is a scenic hiking trail, not the access route to the swim area.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Most of the swim pool ranges 2-5 ft deep (fine for kids), but the spring vents/pits in the center drop to roughly 20 ft, so young or non-swimming kids need supervision near the boils. Alligators inhabit the spring and surrounding waters; sources describe swimming as generally safe in daylight but caution around wildlife is warranted.
Parking
Lot
Forest Service rules require all vehicles/trailers/boats to park on paved surfaces only (no parking on grass). Camping sites include 2 vehicles in the site fee, with any additional vehicle routed to overflow parking. A specific day-use-only parking fee/rate was not found in sources reviewed.
Restrooms
Yes
A bath house serves the campground's full-hookup (FHU) loop next to the swim area; exact restroom location relative to the day-use swim beach itself was not separately confirmed.
Water clarity
Clear
Described consistently as crystal-clear spring water with a mild salty/mineral taste from dissolved salts (potassium, magnesium, sodium); the main spring boil is about 36 ft deep per Wikipedia, visible through clear water from the observation walkway.
Hours
Described as open year-round by a local visitor-info site; specific daily gate open/close times were not found in official sources reviewed.
On the water
Recreation.gov lists boating, canoeing, and snorkeling among permitted activities, with a designated swim area kept separate from the fishing zone. The on-site marina rents/launches canoes, rowboats, power-skiffs, and family-size pontoon boats onto Salt Springs Run, and there is a public boat ramp. No specific no-wake, electric-only, or personal-watercraft restriction language was found in sources reviewed, so that detail is left unconfirmed rather than guessed.
Rentals nearby
Salt Springs Run Marina and Landing
Canoes, rowboats, power-skiffs, and family-sized pontoon boats; also a public boat ramp, store/gift shop, refreshments, and live bait
Off State Road 19, adjacent to Salt Springs Recreation Area, Salt Springs, FL; phone (352) 685-2255. Advance reservations recommended.
Backstory
The spring was described in historical accounts (referenced via naturalist William Bartram) as an 'amazing crystal fountain'; Ocala National Forest itself is noted as the southernmost and oldest national forest east of the Mississippi River.
Salt Springs: FAQ
Is Salt Springs kid friendly?
Most of the swim pool ranges 2-5 ft deep (fine for kids), but the spring vents/pits in the center drop to roughly 20 ft, so young or non-swimming kids need supervision near the boils. Alligators inhabit the spring and surrounding waters; sources describe swimming as generally safe in daylight but caution around wildlife is warranted.
Do I need to hike to reach Salt Springs?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Salt Springs?
Forest Service rules require all vehicles/trailers/boats to park on paved surfaces only (no parking on grass). Camping sites include 2 vehicles in the site fee, with any additional vehicle routed to overflow parking. A specific day-use-only parking fee/rate was not found in sources reviewed.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Salt Springs?
Recreation.gov lists boating, canoeing, and snorkeling among permitted activities, with a designated swim area kept separate from the fishing zone. The on-site marina rents/launches canoes, rowboats, power-skiffs, and family-size pontoon boats onto Salt Springs Run, and there is a public boat ramp. No specific no-wake, electric-only, or personal-watercraft restriction language was found in sources reviewed, so that detail is left unconfirmed rather than guessed.
What are the rules at Salt Springs?
Pets are prohibited in day-use areas; vehicles must park on paved surfaces only; maximum two vehicles per campsite; quiet hours enforced 10 p.m.-6 a.m.; no personal golf carts allowed in the forest; no moving firewood from other locations.
What water body is Salt Springs on?
Salt Springs is on Salt Springs Run, a natural spring verified in USGS hydrography data.
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