Guaranto Spring (Gornto Spring)

Guaranto Spring — also spelled Gornto, after the homesteading family who settled this stretch of Dixie County in the early 1900s — is a small county park at the end of a county road near Old Town. The spring discharges about 6 million gallons a day through a limestone vent into a berm-contained pool roughly 125 feet long and 30–40 feet wide, with concrete steps on both sides and a viewing platform on the south bank. The pool drains into the Suwannee River a short distance away.

This profile is honest: the pool has historically struggled with invasive hydrilla and algae, the Springs Fever guide rated swimming conditions as "poor" and described the pool as "extensively vegetated," and clarity varies with river levels. On a good day at normal river stage, the water is turquoise over the vent and perfectly swimmable. On a high-water day, it's murky. This is not Ginnie Springs. It is what it is — a genuine small-county Florida swimming hole with a boat ramp, affordable camping, and almost no one else there on a Tuesday.

• Location: Old Town (Dixie County), on the Suwannee River
• Address: 2463 NE 816th Ave, Old Town, FL 32680
• Hours: Generally daylight hours
• Entry: Historically free; camping fees separate
• Water temperature: 72–73°F year-round
• Magnitude: Second-magnitude (~6M gal/day)
• Pool: ~125 ft long × 30–40 ft wide; vent depth ~10 ft
• Camping: ~8 RV sites with electric + tent camping
• Phone: 352-498-1426

• Swimming — concrete steps on both banks; small sandy beach area; rope swing near the boat ramp. No lifeguard. Clarity variable.
• Fishing — pier/dock on-site; Suwannee bass (endemic), largemouth bass, panfish. FL license required.
• Boating/kayaking — concrete boat ramp directly into the Suwannee; used as a paddling staging point for Rock Bluff and downriver runs.
• Camping — ~8 RV sites with electric hookups, tent camping, bathhouse with showers. Campground host. Quiet outside peak weekends.

• Berm-contained spring pool with concrete steps and viewing platform
• Boat ramp (paved, trailer-capable)
• Fishing pier/dock
• Playground (fenced)
• Picnic shelters with tables and grills
• Bathhouse with restrooms and showers
• Small campground

Not on site: Concessions, gear rental, interpretive signage, cell service.

• Camping on site — the most practical option. Affordable. Reserve by calling 352-498-1426.
• Chiefland (~20 mi south) — chain motels on US-19.
• Gainesville (~45 mi east) — full hotel range.

Dining: Cottage Cafe in Old Town (breakfast). Chiefland for broader options.

• Check Suwannee River levels before driving. High water floods the pool with tannins and drops visibility to near zero. USGS gauge at Branford (02320500).
• Water clarity is not guaranteed. The berm-contained pool can accumulate vegetation. Visit in late spring or summer at normal river stage for best conditions.
• Bring everything. No concessions, no cell service, no gear rental.
• Alligators in the Suwannee. Standard precautions.
• Nearby: Hart Springs (~7 mi north, more developed), Fanning Springs SP (~20 mi), Manatee Springs SP (~25 mi).

Last verified: May 28, 2026. County park fees can change; call 352-498-1426 to confirm. Water clarity is variable — check river levels.