Morrison Spring

Morrison Spring doesn't announce itself. It sits at the end of a county road south of I-10, behind a modest parking lot, in 161 acres of rural Walton County bottomland. The boardwalk leads past a pavilion with ceiling fans and grills, down to a dock and a white-sand beach, and then the water hits you: a 250-foot-wide pool of saturated blue-green, dropping steeply to 25–30 feet at the vent, with three underwater cavities extending down to 300 feet. It is one of the most visually dramatic spring basins in the Florida Panhandle, and it costs $4 to get in.

The spring pumps roughly 48 million gallons a day — sometimes peaking at 70 million — into the Choctawhatchee River. The water is 68°F. The county posts a live water-clarity level online before you drive.

• Location: Ponce de Leon area (Walton County), off I-10 Exit 96
• Address: 874 Morrison Springs Road, Ponce de Leon, FL 32455
• Hours: Sunrise to sunset daily
• Entry: $4 per vehicle (card only — no cash)
• Water temperature: 68°F year-round
• Magnitude: First-magnitude (~48–70M gal/day)
• Pool diameter: ~250 feet
• Basin depth: 25–30 ft at vent; cavities to ~300 ft
• Camping: Day-use only
• Phone: 850-419-0588
• Water clarity: Live clarity level at mywaltonfl.gov (1=clear, 5=muddy)

• Pensacola: 1 hour east on I-10 (Exit 96)
• Destin / 30A beach corridor: 45 minutes north on US-331
• Panama City: 1 hour west on US-98/I-10
• Tallahassee: 2.5 hours west on I-10

From I-10 Exit 96: south on Hwy 81 about 6 miles, left on 181-A for 1.5 miles, right on Morrison Springs Road to the end.

• Swimming in the deep blue basin — the main draw. Sandy beach entry at one end; the basin drops steeply toward the vent. Non-swimmers and young children should stay in the shallows. No lifeguard.
• Snorkeling with visibility of 50–80+ feet on clear days. Walton County posts a live clarity level (rated 1–5) at mywaltonfl.gov — check before driving.
• Scuba diving (open-water certified) — the deep basin and dramatic underwater topography make Morrison one of the premier open-water dive sites in the Southeast. Not a cave-diving site — this is an open basin, no overhead environment. A dedicated diver's dock sits near the boil.
• Kayaking on the Choctawhatchee River from the paved boat ramp (non-motorized upstream; motorized downstream only).
• Picnicking — covered pavilion with ceiling fans, tables, and charcoal grills. No food for sale — pack a cooler.

• White-sand swim beach
• Boardwalks (wheelchair-accessible) to beach and diver's dock
• Covered pavilion with ceiling fans and grills
• Restrooms
• Four outdoor showers
• Paved boat ramp
• Handicapped parking with boardwalk access
• No concession, gear rental, dive shop, or lifeguard

Day-use only. Nearest options:

• Ponce de Leon (~5 miles) — small motels and Ponce De Leon RV Resort
• DeFuniak Springs (~15 miles west) — Hotel DeFuniak (boutique B&B, top-10 in FL), Holiday Inn Express, budget motels
• Destin / 30A beach corridor (~45 miles south) — full resort infrastructure for beach + spring combos
• Panama City Beach (~50 miles southeast) — full resort range

Nearest camping: Ponce de Leon Springs State Park (~5 miles), Falling Waters State Park (~25 miles east), Twin Lakes Camp Resort in DeFuniak Springs (~15 miles, glamping + tiny homes).

Pack a picnic — there's nothing to buy at the spring. Nearest:

• Ponce de Leon (~5 miles) — gas station food, limited
• DeFuniak Springs (~15 miles) — local restaurants, Chautauqua Winery
• Crestview (~30 miles east) — full chain + local dining
• The Destin/30A corridor (~45 miles south) — extensive seafood and resort dining

• Check the water clarity before driving. Live clarity level at mywaltonfl.gov. Heavy rain pushes tannic Choctawhatchee water into the basin.
• Card only — no cash. The $4/vehicle entry fee requires a credit or debit card.
• Deep water. The basin is significantly deeper than most open swim springs. Non-swimmers and young children stay in the sandy shallows. No lifeguard.
• No night diving. Walton County ordinance prohibits it. Park closes at sunset.
• Alligators on the Choctawhatchee River — not typical in the spring basin but possible. Stay in the swim area.
• Pair with Ponce de Leon Springs (~5 miles north) — same-day double-spring visit; one deep, one shallow. Or combine with a Destin beach afternoon for the best Panhandle day trip in existence.

Last verified: May 28, 2026. Water clarity is posted in real time at mywaltonfl.gov. Verify hours and entry policies with Walton County Parks at 850-419-0588.