Branford Spring (Ivey Memorial Park)

The town of Branford sits at the bend where the Suwannee River meets US-129 and US-27, and at the foot of the river bridge there is a small county park called Ivey Memorial Park. Inside it is a 12-foot-deep, 72-degree spring pool ringed by a wooden boardwalk, two boat ramps, and a picnic area under cypress trees. There is no entry fee, no gate, no ranger, and no concession. It is the town swimming hole, and on a hot summer afternoon, it is also where the kayak shuttles and the cave-divers' pickups park while their owners are downstream working on certifications.

Branford calls itself the "Spring Diving Capital of the World." It is not idle boasting. Within a thirty-minute drive: Peacock Springs, Madison Blue, Little River, Ginnie Springs, Convict, Wes Skiles Peacock Springs — a who's-who of North Florida cave systems. Most cave divers start here.

• Location: Branford (Suwannee County), at the foot of the US-27 Suwannee bridge
• Address: 614 SW Ivey Memorial Park Drive, Branford, FL 32008
• Entry: Free — no admission, no parking fees
• Hours: Sunrise to sunset (county park)
• Water temperature: 70°F year-round
• Magnitude: Second-magnitude (~4.3M gal/day)
• Spring depth: ~12 feet at the vent
• Lifeguards: None — swim at your own risk
• Phone: 386-935-1146

• Gainesville: 55 minutes (US-27 north through Newberry and Trenton)
• Tallahassee: 1 hour 40 minutes (US-27 south through Madison and Live Oak)
• Jacksonville: 1 hour 45 minutes (I-10 west to Lake City, then US-129 south)
• Orlando: 2 hours 15 minutes (I-75 north to Gainesville, then US-27 north)

The park entrance is off SW Ivey Memorial Park Drive, turning south from US-27 just east of the river bridge. The spring is about 150 feet from the bridge.

The pool is roughly circular, about 80–90 feet across, set into limestone banks that rise 18 feet to the surrounding park. The vent reaches 12 feet at the deepest. A short spring run — about 200 feet — flows northward then westward over a series of low man-made limestone weirs and into the Suwannee River.

When the Suwannee runs high, dark tannin-stained river water backflows into the spring pool, dramatically reducing clarity. Always check river levels before driving in after heavy rain.

• Swimming in the town swimming hole. A wooden boardwalk lines the south and east banks for easy water entry. No dogs in or around the spring pool.
• Snorkeling when river levels are low and the spring runs clear.
• Kayak and canoe launching from two concrete boat ramps with direct Suwannee access. Branford is one of the most popular put-in towns for Suwannee paddling — downstream toward Troy Spring (3 miles north), Fanning Springs, and Manatee Springs; upstream toward Lafayette Blue.
• Picnicking under covered pavilions.
• Fishing in the Suwannee — bass, catfish, bream.
• Suwannee River Greenway — the 12.5-mile paved trail for walking, running, and cycling departs from Ivey Memorial Park. The park is the only trailhead with a restroom and drinking water along the entire trail.

• Wooden boardwalk swim area
• Two concrete boat ramps with Suwannee access
• Multiple covered picnic pavilions
• Restrooms and drinking water fountain
• Free paved parking
• Wheelchair accessibility
• Trailhead for the Suwannee River Greenway

Not on site: Concession stands, equipment rental, lifeguards, ranger staff. This is a community park, not a state park.

• Suwannee River State Park (~30 miles north, near Live Oak) — Full-facility campground at the confluence of the Suwannee and Withlacoochee; tent and RV sites, riverside cabins.
• Lafayette Blue Springs State Park (~25 miles north) — Five stilt cabins on the Suwannee plus primitive sites.
• Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (Live Oak area) — Full-service campground with glamping and cabins; home to the Suwannee Canoe Outpost.
• Suwannee River Wilderness Trail river camps — Screened platforms with grills and bathhouses at designated sites along the river; free with permit from the Suwannee River Water Management District (386-362-1001).

Cave diving and scuba (the original Branford Dive Center closed in the late 1990s; the cave scene moved to nearby Luraville and Fort White):

• Dive Outpost (Luraville, ~10 miles north on the Suwannee) — One of the most active cave-diving shops in North Florida.
• Cave Excursions — Branford-area training and guided dives.
• Amigo's Dive Center (Fort White) — Cave training, gear, fills.
• North Florida Cave Training (Fort White) — Cave and cavern instruction.

Kayak and canoe rentals / river shuttles:

• Suwannee River Rendezvous (Mayo, ~15 miles west) — Full-day Suwannee paddling trips with shuttle; a 12-mile float from Lafayette Blue to Branford's Patrician Oaks ramp runs $45–$55/vessel.
• Suwannee Canoe Outpost (Spirit of the Suwannee, Live Oak) — Suwannee, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha river trips.
• American Canoe Adventures (White Springs) — Shuttle services along the entire Suwannee, Okefenokee to Gulf.

Many visitors bring their own kayaks and use Ivey Memorial Park's free boat ramps as a self-supported launch.

Lodging:

• Live Oak (~20 miles north on US-129) — Largest nearby selection of chain motels.
• Mayo (~15 miles west) — Small-town options, limited.
• Suwannee River Rest and Adventures (riverside lodge near Hatch Bend in Lafayette County, ~10 minutes from Branford) — Private cabin rentals.
• Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (Live Oak) — Glamping and cabins.
• Gainesville (~50 miles southeast) — Full chain hotel selection.

Dining:

• Branford — A handful of small-town diners along US-27/US-129. Confirm hours; small-town turnover is real.
• Live Oak (~20 miles) — Broader selection including chains and sit-down restaurants.
• Chiefland (~30 miles south) — Additional options if continuing downstream.

The park's pavilions make bring-your-own-lunch the standard play.

• Check Suwannee River levels. After heavy rain, tannin-stained water floods the spring pool and ruins clarity. The USGS Branford gauge online tells you what to expect.
• This is a community park, not a state park. No ranger, no lifeguard, no entry booth, no scheduled programs. Bring your own snorkel gear, food, water.
• No dogs in the spring. Enforced.
• The real draw is the river. For many visitors, the spring is a cool-down before or after a Suwannee paddle. If you specifically want a dramatic large-scale spring experience, drive 3 miles north to Troy Spring or 15 miles south to Fanning Springs.
• Cave divers know Branford. If your kids find this funny, point out that pickup trucks with cave-diving stickers have been parked here for forty years.
• Alligators in the river — rare in the spring pool itself, present in the Suwannee. Standard precautions.
• Use the boat ramps for kayak self-shuttles. Many paddlers leave a vehicle here at the take-out and drive a second vehicle upriver to put in.
• The Greenway trail is worth a walk — 12.5 miles total, flat, paved, scenic.

• Troy Spring State Park (~3 miles north on US-129) — First-magnitude spring with the Civil War steamboat wreck of the Madison visible from the surface. Pairs perfectly with a Branford visit for a half-day double-spring trip.
• Lafayette Blue Springs State Park (~25 miles north) — Stilt cabins on the Suwannee, natural limestone bridge, cave-diving destination.
• Fanning Springs State Park (downstream, Levy County) — Most developed family park; manatees in winter.
• Suwanacoochee Spring (~50 miles north at Suwannee River State Park) — Paddle-in spring on the Withlacoochee.
• Suwannee River Wilderness Trail — Branford is one of the most-used Suwannee paddling launches.

Last verified: May 28, 2026. Park hours follow Suwannee County standards (sunrise to sunset); confirm specifics with Suwannee County Parks at 386-362-3004 or 386-935-1146. River levels can affect spring clarity dramatically — check USGS gauge data before driving in after wet weather. Photos via Wikimedia Commons.