Jackson Blue Spring

The color is the first thing. Dissolved magnesium in the limestone gives Jackson Blue Spring an intense cobalt-blue hue that photographs well but looks better in person — the kind of blue that makes you check the map to make sure you're still in Florida and not the Caribbean. The spring discharges roughly 41 million gallons a day into Merritt's Mill Pond, a 4-mile-long, cypress-draped impoundment on the Chipola River north of Marianna that has been serving as a gristmill, a fishing paradise, and a family swimming hole since the 1800s.

There is a lifeguarded beach with a trampoline diving platform. There are transparent kayak tours over spring vents. And beneath the vent, a 2-mile cave system that draws certified cave divers from around the world — home to the Georgia Blind Salamander and the Dougherty Plain Cave Crayfish, two species found almost nowhere else on Earth.

• Location: Marianna (Jackson County), 75 minutes west of Tallahassee
• Address: 5461 Blue Springs Road, Marianna, FL 32446
• Hours: Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. / Sat–Sun 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Admission: $4 per person (all ages)
• Water temperature: 68–69°F year-round
• Magnitude: First-magnitude (~41M gal/day)
• Feeds: Merritt's Mill Pond → Chipola River
• Cave system: ~2 miles of mapped passages
• Designation: Outstanding Florida Spring
• Phone: 850-482-2114

• Tallahassee: 75 minutes west on I-10 (Exit 142)
• Panama City: 1 hour north on US-231
• Pensacola: 2 hours east on I-10
• Atlanta, GA: 3.5 hours south on I-75 and I-10

From I-10 Exit 142 (Marianna): north on SR-71 about 1 mile, briefly west on US-90, north again on SR-71 for 1.1 miles, right on Blue Springs Road for 3.2 miles to the park entrance.

Off-season water access via free boat ramp at Hunter Fish Camp Landing, midway along Merritt's Mill Pond.

• Swimming — wide sandy beach with a gentle entry into the cobalt spring basin. Lifeguards on duty during operating hours. A trampoline diving platform sits over the spring — jump 10 feet into 69°F water and look straight down through 25 feet of clarity.
• Transparent kayak tours — guided paddles in see-through-hull kayaks over multiple spring vents along Merritt's Mill Pond. One of the most distinctive water experiences in the Panhandle.
• Snorkeling — visibility regularly exceeds 50–100 feet. Guided cave-snorkeling tours available through the on-site concession.
• Cave diving — the Jackson Blue Cave System extends about 2 miles with depths from 15 to 100+ feet. Full cave certification required; sidemount-only restrictions in deeper passages. Access managed through Cave Adventurers (~$30/day dive fee). No recreational or open-water divers in the cave.
• Kayaking and SUP on Merritt's Mill Pond — 4 miles of flat-water paddling through cypress corridors; visit named springs along the way (Shangri-La, Twin Caves, Indian Washtub, Hole-in-the-Wall, Gator Hole).
• Fishing — Merritt's Mill Pond holds the FL state record for redear sunfish (4.86 lbs). Excellent largemouth bass.
• Playground, volleyball, basketball.

• Park admission: $4/person
• Clear kayak: $15/hr or $60/day
• Single kayak: $10/hr or $40/day
• Tandem kayak: $13/hr or $50/day
• Stand-up paddleboard: $15/hr or $60/day
• Cave diving daily site fee: ~$30 (via Cave Adventurers)
• Seasonal pass: $30/person
• Pavilion rental: ~$80–$100/day

• Sandy beach and lifeguarded swim area
• Trampoline diving platform
• Restrooms and changing facilities
• Covered group picnic pavilions
• Concession stand (snacks, drinks, light meals)
• Kayak/SUP/tube rentals
• Boat launch ramp
• Playground, volleyball, basketball
• ADA-accessible entrance and parking

No camping at the spring itself. Best options:

• Florida Caverns State Park (~10 miles north, Marianna) — 38 campsites with 30/50-amp hookups, cabins, cave tours
• Arrowhead Campground (near Merritt's Mill Pond dam, US-90) — campsites, rental cabins, boat launch
• Cave Adventurers — lodging along Merritt's Mill Pond, aimed at divers but open to all
• Marianna hotels (~5 miles): Comfort Inn, Baymont by Wyndham, Microtel, Super 8

• On-site concession (snacks, drinks, light meals during park hours)
• Marianna — Bistro Palms, The Wharf Casual Seafood, Cajun Corner, San Marcos Mexican, Sonny's BBQ
• Caverns Cafe at Florida Caverns State Park (if combining with a cave tour day)

• Jackson Blue Springs (on-site concession) — jacksonbluesprings.com, 850-482-2114. Transparent-kayak tours, guided cave-snorkeling, kayak/SUP rentals, pavilion reservations.
• Cave Adventurers — caveadventurers.com. Master cave diver Edd Sorenson's operation on Merritt's Mill Pond. Full course pathway from open-water through cave certification; rental gear, tank fills, scooter rentals, boat drops to other pond springs.

• Hours expanded in 2026 to include weekdays (Mon–Fri 10–5:30). Previously summer-seasonal. Verify at jacksonbluesprings.com before driving.
• Lifeguards are on duty — one of the few Florida springs where this is true.
• The trampoline platform is the hit for kids 8+. Cold water below.
• Transparent kayak tours are the must-do for non-divers — paddling a see-through hull over named spring vents is genuinely unforgettable.
• Cave diving is for fully certified cave divers only. The cave system is lethal to untrained divers.
• 68–69°F water is Panhandle-cold. Bring warm towels and layers for after.
• Pair with Florida Caverns State Park (~10 miles north) for the best springs-and-caves day trip in the Panhandle.
• No pets in the recreation area.

Last verified: May 28, 2026. Hours, fees, and seasonal operations vary — verify at jacksonbluesprings.com or call 850-482-2114 before visiting.