Silver Springs–Too Cold to Kayak

January 15-29, 2026                                             Most Recent Posts:
Silver Springs State Park                  Back to Where It’s Warmer: 2026 Begins
Site #5                                                                         Happy Holidays
Silver Springs Florida

I neglected to mention in my last post that 2026 marks my 15th year on the road.
It sure doesn’t seem that long.  It’s not as much fun without David.  I’d love to have someone to caravan with.  But I don’t know what else I’d do with myself if I didn’t chase 70 degrees around so I can be outside kayaking and hiking.   Anyone who’d like to meet up to caravan do let me know.

On January 15, I moved to Silver Springs State Park with dream of kayaking the Silver River an expectation actually.  But it was a week before I could get on the river.  The day I arrived the low was TWENTY EIGHT degrees.

 

First I had hot water heater troubles.  I had no hot water. Not fun when it’s this cold.  Andy came out and replaced some pipe but that wasn’t the whole problem so he had to order parts and come back.  $500 later flushed and with a new check valve it was fixed.   It’s the labor cost, not the parts, that the killer.

Still the weather just wasn’t cooperating.  Too cold or too windy.  Or usually too cold AND too windy.  I was able to do some hiking despite the weather.  Happily, the trees block the wind.

But before I could get out on the trails I had to drive back across the state to pick up some medicine that was delayed in reaching me at Gamble Rogers.   They had promised the 13th but of course it arrived the 16th, the day after I left.  Thank goodness I was only 2 hours away and not 6 or 8.   Still it took the whole day to go over and back.  

I took that opportunity to have breakfast at Friends Restaurant a seriously local favorite in Flagler Beach.  I thought I might spend some time on the beach but just as I finished breakfast it started raining.  It was cold and windy.  Started sleeting.  Little ice balls on the windshield.  So much for the walking the beach idea.   Is this really Florida?   It rained the entire trip back.

The restaurant is very small and was jam packed the entire time I was there.  I had to sit at the bar.  I had a great mushroom and swiss omelet with excellent home fries and an english muffin.  Of course I was too busy eating it to remember to get its picture.   I will definitely come back next time I’m at Gamble Rogers.

It continued to be too cold for kayaking for 6 days after I arrived at Silver Springs.

So I went hiking.

In the picture below, the high road to the left goes to the school programs dock where they pick up the county boat that takes them up the Silver River educating them about its importance in their lives.    The low road to the right goes down to the river boat launch where I eventually do get to go kayaking.

I take the low road and cross the swamp.

Central Florida is in a serious drought and the swamp is dry.  The cypress knees stand on dry ground.   This picture should be filled with water.

When the education boat arrives, the big gate opens to board the kids.  I just enjoy the river views and no noisy kids.

This picture was taken on a different day from the same spot but I really love it.

Back across the boardwalk where a few years ago I was surprised by a couple of monkeys from one of the troops that live in the area.   Too close for comfort to suit me.

Another educational feature of the campground area is the Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center.   It is only open to the public, including campers, on Saturday and Sunday.   It is free to walk around and $2 for a tour.  The grounds consist of the museum educational building and the pioneer Cracker Village which is a collection of buildings that portray life on the Florida frontier. 

When I hear the word frontier I always think of it as being out west but after reading some Florida history this place was every bit as wild.  I recommend Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen.   This is a seriously great book about the infamous Edgar Watson.  So good it won the National Book Award and I read it twice.   Also A Land Remembered by Patrick D Smith more specifically about the Cracker Settlers whose lives are remembered here.  Both are excellent historical fiction.

The structures typical of the 1800’s Cracker Community include several cabins, a one-room schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, sugar cane mill and syrup kettle, wood-fired pottery kiln and a replica Seminole Indian camp.   They offer tours on the 2nd and 4th Saturday mornings.  The $2 price is amazing.

I’ve done the tour in years past but it’s been a while and I would have done it again but this was the 3rd week end.   Actually I walked in to the village on a Monday.  Not sure why the grounds were open on this Monday but I took advantage to walk around.

This year they have a new trail map which shows they have redone the trails.  I find it a bit more difficult than in the past.   The real test will be to see how difficult it is to hike from the state park over to the head springs area where the kayak rentals and glass bottom boats are.  But I didn’t have time to try that on this trip.

I did try out what they are now calling the Flat Woods Loop Tail a section of which runs by the campground loops.

AND THEN FINALLY, I had 5 river days in a row before I had to pack it up and move on down the road.    I was going to add the first day of kayaking to this post and leave the others for the next but I’ll just do them all in my next post.  Gators, manatee, monkeys and more coming up next time,