Rock Bluff Springs

Five miles northwest of Bell, where County Road 340 crosses the Suwannee River, a small unpaved road leads into 170 acres of bluff hardwood forest managed by the Alachua Conservation Trust. At the end of the road, between ancient cypress trees, a nearly vertical limestone cavity drops 30 feet into some of the clearest water on the Suwannee corridor. Two underground water sources — one trending north, one south — merge into a single conduit before erupting at the spring head, pushing 17.9 million gallons a day into the river.

Karst Underwater Research has mapped over 6,000 feet of passage beneath this spring at a maximum depth of 62 feet. The entrance is famously tight. Above ground, the park is a quiet, 170-acre preserve with 1.5 miles of trail through sinkholes and karst windows — geological clues to the cave system below.

• Location: Bell (Gilchrist County), on the Suwannee River
• Address: 6560 County Road 340, Bell, FL 32619
• Hours: 8 a.m.–7 p.m. daily
• Entry: $4 per vehicle (1–7 people); $5 for 8+; $2 pedestrians/cyclists
• Water temperature: 72°F year-round
• Magnitude: Second-magnitude (~17.9M gal/day)
• Cave system: 6,000+ ft surveyed, 62 ft max depth
• Spring pool: ~30 ft long × 6 ft wide × 30 ft deep
• Camping: Not permitted (primitive Suwannee River Wilderness Trail camps nearby)

By car: From Bell, north on US-129 for 3 miles, then west on CR-340 about 3 miles. Park entrance on the right before the Suwannee River bridge. A narrow unpaved road leads 0.2 miles to a small parking area at the spring.

By water: Launch from Rock Bluff Landing (county boat ramp on CR-340, near the river bridge) and paddle a short distance to the spring mouth on the east bank.

• Gainesville: 45 minutes (US-441 south to US-27 south)
• Tallahassee: 2 hours
• Jacksonville: 2 hours

• Swimming in the spring's 72°F, crystal-clear water. No lifeguard. The spring run meets the tannin-stained Suwannee in a classic Florida color-contrast plume.
• Cave diving — 6,000+ ft of surveyed passage, 62 ft max depth, tight entrance. Full cave certification required (NACD, NSS/CDS, or IANTD). Not a site for beginners. Not a site for open-water-only divers.
• Kayaking the Suwannee — Rock Bluff makes a natural waypoint on day paddles or multi-day Suwannee River Wilderness Trail sections.
• Hiking — Magnolia Trail + Sinkhole Trail loop (~1.5 miles total) through bluff hardwood forest, past karst depressions and sinkholes.
• Fishing — largemouth bass, striped bass (seasonal), catfish, bluegill. Mullet dart in and out of the spring vents.
• Wildlife viewing — birds, otters, wading birds in a 170-acre preserve.

• Small unpaved parking area at the spring
• Restroom at the trailhead
• Picnic tables overlooking the spring pool
• Trail kiosk with map and brochures
• Self-pay Iron Ranger (drop box) at entrance
• No concessions, gear rentals, cell service, or dive fills

• Chiefland/Fanning Springs area (~25–30 miles south) — chain motels on US-19
• Gainesville (~45 miles east) — full hotel and dining range
• Suwannee River Wilderness Trail primitive camps — screened platforms along the river for multi-day paddlers
• Cave Dive Camp (O'Brien, ~20 miles south) — tent/RV sites for divers and paddlers

Dining: Pack a cooler. Nearest options are in Bell (very limited) or Chiefland (25 miles).

• Not a beach-style spring park. Minimal infrastructure. Self-sufficiency required. The charm is the remoteness.
• Full cave certification for the cave system — no exceptions. The entrance is tight, the environment is unforgiving, and overhead environments kill untrained divers.
• Alligators in the Suwannee. Standard precautions; the spring pool is typically clear but the run connects directly to the river.
• River levels affect the spring. High water reduces clarity as the Suwannee backflows. Check the USGS gauge at Bell before visiting.
• Leave no trace. No alcohol, no drones, no motorized vehicles on trails. Dogs on leash on trails but not in the spring.
• $4/vehicle via Iron Ranger — bring cash; no card reader.
• Annual pass available — $50 individual, $85 family through Alachua Conservation Trust.

Last verified: May 28, 2026. J.H. Anderson Jr. Memorial Park provides land-based access to Rock Bluff Springs. The spring is on the Suwannee River; river conditions affect water clarity. Contact Alachua Conservation Trust (352-373-1078) for annual passes and current information.