Spelled Wekiwa, pronounced Wekiva

The name is a Creek word for spring — bubbling water — and the park is the locals' favorite escape: 7,000 acres in Apopka, a short drive from Orlando, built around a spring that holds 72 degrees year-round. Entry is $6 per vehicle, open 8 a.m. to sundown, with reservable picnic pavilions.

Wekiwa Springs State Park three night canoe camping trip!

Curtis Whitwam

A three-night canoe-camping trip through Wekiwa Springs State Park. The group paddles five miles up Rock Springs Run — portaging around fallen obstacles — through some of the clearest water in Florida, free-dives at Rock Springs where 68-degree water pours out year-round, and camps in the park's backcountry. The narration also covers how spring flows across Florida have diminished since the 1990s from drought and pumping.

Key takeaways
  • Primitive canoe camping inside a 7,000-acre state park
  • Five-mile paddle up Rock Springs Run, portages included
  • Rock Springs water is 68 degrees year-round

Wekiwa Springs: Discover a Hidden Oasis Near Orlando

Chrissa Travels

A guided tour of Wekiwa Springs State Park, the 7,000-acre locals' favorite a short drive from Orlando. The video explains the name — a Creek word for spring or bubbling water, pronounced 'Wekiva' however it is spelled — then covers the swimming area, the best paddling routes, and the 13-plus miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails through sandhills, pine flatwoods and shaded hammocks, with mountain-bike rentals at the park's adventure shop.

Key takeaways
  • 7,000-acre state park in Apopka, a short drive from Orlando
  • Swim the spring, paddle the run, or ride 13+ miles of trails
  • Spelled Wekiwa, pronounced Wekiva — from a Creek word for bubbling water

Why You Should Visit Wekiwa Springs

Chrissa Travels

Chrissa makes the case for Wekiwa Springs State Park: a 7,000-acre park in Apopka, about an hour north of the Orlando attractions, where the spring water holds at a refreshing 72 degrees year-round. She covers swimming and snorkeling in the crystal-clear spring, the six-dollar-per-vehicle entry, 8 a.m.-to-sundown hours, and the reservable picnic pavilions with grills — bookable up to 11 months ahead at $75 a day.

Key takeaways
  • Entry is $6 per vehicle; open 8 a.m. to sundown daily
  • Spring water stays 72 degrees year-round
  • Pavilions with grills can be reserved up to 11 months ahead

Three ways to do the park

  • Swim the spring — crystal-clear water, snorkeling over the spring vent
  • Paddle the Wekiva River — a gentle, beginner-friendly run from the spring launch; the beginner guide on this page is candid about learning it as a novice
  • Hike, bike, or ride 13+ miles of trails through sandhills and pine flatwoods

The rules of the river

Two honest warnings from the guides here: paddling back upstream takes roughly twice as long as the drift down — watch the clock — and the backcountry is real. The three-night canoe-camping account on this page paddles five miles up Rock Springs Run, portages fallen trees, free-dives 68-degree water, and camps primitive inside the park.

What to Know Before Kayaking Wekiva River

Chrissa Travels

Chrissa's beginner-friendly guide to kayaking and canoeing the Wekiva River, launching from Wekiwa Springs in Apopka. She is candid about being a relative novice who fell in love with paddling on this river, and covers the route downstream, rental returns at the park concession, and her key warning: paddling back upstream takes about twice as long, so watch the clock as you drift.

Key takeaways
  • Launch kayaks and canoes from the spring inside the state park
  • The return trip upstream takes roughly twice as long — budget time
  • A gentle, beginner-friendly river paddle

A Family Adventure In Beautiful Florida Springs {Kelly Park // Wekiwa Springs}

The Spanglish Family

The Spanglish Family takes the kids to Kelly Park inside the Wekiwa Springs area for a day of tubing and trails. They note the five-dollar entry and the sheer force of the spring — 26,000 gallons a minute pushing out water that stays the same temperature all year — and finish with the nature trail where deer regularly wander up close to hikers.

Key takeaways
  • The spring pumps about 26,000 gallons per minute
  • $5 entry, and the water temperature barely changes all year
  • Deer sightings on the trail are common

Firsthand Florida Fun: Wekiwa Springs State Park

Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks' own Firsthand Florida Fun feature on Wekiwa Springs: the official look at the spring swimming area, the Wekiva River and the trails of the 7,000-acre Apopka park.

Who it's for

Anyone whose Orlando trip needs one day of actual Florida: spring water, shaded river, and gators watched respectfully from a canoe, as VISIT FLORIDA's paddle on this page does it.

Sources: the seven videos on this page — a guided tour, a case for visiting, a kayaking guide, a camping expedition, a family day, and two official features — summarized from their entries in our catalog.

Watch: Wekiwa Springs State Park, guided

1 videos · summaries from the actual guides

Wild About Florida: Searching for Gators by Canoe in the Wekiva River

VISIT FLORIDA

VISIT FLORIDA canoes the Wekiva River from Wekiwa Springs, paddling the shaded, slow-moving river on the lookout for alligators along the banks.

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