Rainbow Springs Hiking and Kayaking

March 12 – 26, 2026                                        Most Recent Posts:
Rainbow Springs State Park         Yesterday Manatee – Today Monkeys
Dunnellon, Florida                        Manatee and More on the Silver River          

As most of you know I love the Florida Springs State Parks.  I often split my last month in Florida between Silver Springs and Rainbow Springs which are located fairly close together.

They are quite different.  Rainbow Springs has 1 trail at its campground.  Silver Springs has multiple Trails.  They spring runs are very different which I’ll explain later.

Since my main reason for coming to Silver springs is to kayak the spring run and hopefully see one of its residents in particular,  I don’t get much hiking in.  So if I go to kayak in the early morning I try to hike the one trail in the later afternoon and vice versa.

This is my site in the campground. 

This picture will give you a sense of the spacing of the sites.  Winnona is in the site farthest to the right.

For those of us with mirror and thus back-in challenges, this campground is great since as you can see the road is wide and there are not rocks or trees right on its edge.

These travelers were a few sites from me.  I loved that they travel with a little library.  Those who follow me know what a reader I am and that I always visit the library in any town I am staying near.   Now there is a library about 4 doors away.

The nature trail is “maybe” a mile loop and about 1/4 mile from the campground.  So if I hike it twice I can get 2.5 miles.  I’ve always thought a nature trail had informational signs along its way to educate you about the plants and habitat. This one has none.  I’m always disappointed in that.

But even with no information, it’s a nice trail to hike and seldom has anyone else on it.

No signs but at several spots just off the trail I recognized the entrance to a Gopher Tortoise burrow.

In years past the park has not started its tubing concession until April so I have never had tubers on the river when I was here.   This year they have changed their minds and even though it was in the 40’s in the morning when the tram brings the tubers up to put in at the campground,  there were always people on it.   Too cold for me.

March is spring break month so if I don’t time it right, the launch is quite busy.

If I had to compare the two spring runs, Silver River and Rainbow River, I would say Silver River is for nature and Rainbow is for people.

People have houses all along the far bank of the Rainbow..   Silver has none.

This is not a glass bottom boat from Silver springs it is a private dive transportation company which you see all day long dropping off divers and picking them up.

No diving or snorkeling or swimming in the Silver River.

People build houses on the Rainbow.  Some have Great Egrets in their yards.

Snorkelers here.

Many canoe racers on the Rainbow.

Many paddle boarders on the Rainbow.  They are also on the Silver.

Swimmers in the Rainbow, not in the Silver.

Power boats on both rivers though on neither are they allowed to go completely up to the head spring.  Fishermen on the Rainbow.  Fishing is illegal on the Silver.

Here is the point, as you approach the head spring, at which all the activity other than paddle boating stops.

This is the part of the river I like best.  It seems much more relaxing and is definitely less busy.

Boaters obviously are allowed up to the head spring or I wouldn’t be here.  These folks are coming back down as I’m going up.

Interesting kayak.

This swimming area has a life guard and is part of the head spring area which also has several trails.  Unfortunately there is no trail between the campground and the head springs as there is at Silver Springs so if you want to visit it you have to drive over.  But if you are camping your admission is free.

This is the top of the spring run.  A picnic area on the grounds  is just ahead of me.  Time to turn around.

If you don’t camp, there are many home rentals along the shore.  The sign on the left is on the left side bank of the right hand house.

Some folks bring floating lounge chairs with them. 

On one of my later in the day paddles, when I got the kayak out of the water, I saw this Great Blue Heron in the small campground swimming area right next to the boat launch.   I thought his coloring was stunning and he made a wonderful picture.

I sat on the swimmers’ bench very near to him and watched him for quite a long time as the sun went down.  As always he was patient and focused.  He seemed Buddha like.

I was very happy with this pizza I made using up the last of my anchovies.  I recorded it here so I would remember how delicious it was.   In real time, I have just returned from a Plant Strong retreat in Black Mountain North Carolina which I’ll do an entire post on soon. This will be my last anchovy pizza and I’m all in with that.

There were too many pictures from my two weeks at Rainbow Springs to put in one post so I’m dividing them into two.  My #1 reason for coming to Rainbow will be in my next post.