Rock Springs at Kelly Park

Thirty minutes north of downtown Orlando, at the base of a 20-foot limestone bluff, a spring discharges 37 million gallons of 68-degree water every day into a narrow, fast-moving run that winds three-quarters of a mile through a corridor of overhanging oaks, cabbage palms, and mossy limestone banks before delivering every tuber back to where they started. There is no motor, no pump, no lazy-river attendant. The current does the work. The 25-minute float through Kelly Park is Central Florida's defining natural-spring family experience.

It is also one of the most capacity-constrained parks in the state. On summer weekends, the 280-vehicle morning cap fills within an hour of the 8 a.m. opening, and families who arrived at 5 a.m. are the ones who got in.

• Location: Apopka (Orange County), 30 minutes north of Orlando
• Address: 400 E Kelly Park Rd, Apopka, FL 32712
• Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. summer; 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. winter
• Entry: $3 (1–2 people) / $5 (3–8 people) per vehicle
• Water temperature: 68°F year-round (notably colder than most FL springs)
• Magnitude: Second-magnitude (~37M gallons/day)
• Tube float: ~0.75 mile, ~25 minutes, one-way (walk back)
• Vehicle cap: 280 morning + 50 afternoon = 330/day
• Phone: 407-254-1902

• Orlando: 30–40 minutes (I-4 west to SR-408 west, US-441 north to SR-435 north)
• Tampa: 90 minutes (I-4 east to US-441 north)
• Daytona Beach: 75 minutes (I-4 west to SR-46 west)
• Jacksonville: 2 hours (I-95 south to I-4 west)

From Apopka, head north on SR-435 (Ponkan Road) about 6 miles, then right on Rock Springs Road / Kelly Park Road 0.3 miles to the entrance. GPS sometimes routes through narrow residential roads — the official approach is SR-435 north.

Kelly Park admits 280 vehicles per morning on a first-come, first-served basis. An additional 50 afternoon vehicles may enter after 1 p.m. (one per car, issued to the existing queue). Once morning capacity hits — which on summer Saturdays can happen within one hour of the 8 a.m. opening — the gate closes. No advance reservations as of the most recent published policy; check ocfl.net/cultureparks before visiting, as Orange County has explored timed-entry in the past.

Summer weekends: Families report lining up as early as 4:30–5 a.m. to guarantee entry. Check the park's real-time capacity status at the website or the info line (407-254-1906) before driving.

If you need to leave and return (for tubes, food, etc.), get a re-entry stamp at the gatehouse before exiting.

The spring boils from a partly submerged limestone cave at the base of a 20-foot bluff. There's no traditional open spring pool — the water immediately becomes a fast-moving, 15-to-20-foot-wide run. The tube float covers about three-quarters of a mile through a tropical hammock corridor, takes roughly 25 minutes, and ends at a pull-out point. From there, a 10-minute walk on a paved sidewalk returns you to the start. There is no shuttle — the walk is part of the experience.

Tubes are not available inside the park — vendors operate outside the entrance on Kelly Park Road. Bring your own (max 5 feet in any dimension) or rent before entering. Bring a small hand pump for inflatables.

Most Florida springs are 72°F. Rock Springs is 68°F — a difference that is genuinely noticeable, especially for the first 30 seconds. Children (and adults) often experience real cold shock entering the water. Bring warm dry clothes for after, especially on winter visits or for the walk back from the tube pull-out.

• Swimming in a designated swim area diverted from the run, with concrete retaining walls and lifeguards in peak season.
• Snorkeling — crystal-clear water with excellent visibility to the sandy bottom.
• Hiking — nearly 7 miles of trails within the park; 17 miles of multi-use trails in the broader Rock Springs Run ecosystem.
• Picnicking — shaded pavilions with grills; pop-up canopies up to 10×10 feet permitted.
• Volleyball courts on-site.
• Playground for younger kids.

Kelly Park has 26 individual campsites with campfire ring, grill, picnic table, water, and electric hookup. Not purely day-use — families can camp here.

• Non-residents: $23/night ($17.25 for seniors 55+)
• Orange County residents: $18/night ($13.50 for seniors 55+)
• Reserve through the Orange County Parks online portal

Adjacent Camp Joy (5303 Baptist Camp Rd) handles group camping, dorm accommodations, and a kayak/canoe/paddleboard launch to Rock Springs Run ($3–$5 entry, launch hours 8 a.m.–noon, return by 5 p.m.).

King's Landing (1700 Banana Road, Apopka) sits upstream on Rock Springs Run and is the put-in for one of the most stunning paddle routes in Central Florida:

• Day Paddle (4 hours, self-guided): Explore the "World Famous Emerald Cut" — a narrow, jungle-canopied stretch of luminous green-crystal water — and paddle back. Single kayak $54, double $74, paddleboard $74.
• Shuttle Run (4–6 hours, 8.5+ miles, experienced paddlers): Paddle the full length of Rock Springs Run downstream to Wekiva Island; shuttle returns you. Single $59–$64, double $79–$84. Terminates at the Tooting Otter bar and Without A Paddle Cafe. This is widely regarded as the single best kayak run in Central Florida.
• Clear-Bottom Kayak Guided Tour (2 hours, $89): Beginner-friendly guided tour through the Emerald Cut.
• All reservations online at kingslandingfl.com.

• Apopka (~6 miles south on SR-435) — Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn along US-441.
• Orlando (30 minutes south) — full hotel range for theme-park and springs visitors alike.
• In-park concession stand — hot dogs, burgers, snow cones, funnel cakes (spring break through early October).
• Wekiva Island (downstream) — Without A Paddle Cafe and Tooting Otter craft beer bar; the natural dinner destination after a King's Landing shuttle run. $5/person entry.
• Apopka town center — growing local dining scene on US-441.

• Arrive before 8 a.m. on summer weekends. The morning cap of 280 vehicles fills within an hour. Families line up at 4:30–5 a.m. on peak days.
• Check capacity status online or at 407-254-1906 before driving.
• Rent tubes outside the park — the park doesn't rent them.
• The water is 68°F — colder than other FL springs. Bring warm layers for after.
• The tube run is one-way. 25-minute float, then a 10-minute walk back on pavement.
• No alcohol, no glass, no pets. Orange County ordinances; grounds for expulsion.
• The cave is off-limits. Do not approach the submerged cave opening at the spring head.
• Lightning closes the swim area automatically (Thorguard system). Afternoon thunderstorms June–September.
• No inflatable items larger than 5 feet in any dimension.
• Re-entry stamp required if you leave and want to return.

Rock Springs feeds Rock Springs Run (8.6 miles), which joins the Wekiva River — the same waterway that starts at Wekiwa Springs State Park (our published profile). Together, Kelly Park and Wekiwa Springs form the most accessible springs day-trip pairing in Central Florida: morning tube float at Kelly Park, afternoon paddle through the Emerald Cut at King's Landing, dinner at Wekiva Island's Without A Paddle Cafe.

Last verified: May 28, 2026. Orange County's capacity management system may evolve — check ocfl.net/cultureparks for current entry policies before visiting. Tube vendors operate outside the park entrance on Kelly Park Road. Photos via Wikimedia Commons and Florida State Archives.