Silver Springs State Park: Ideal Visiting Time and 4 Things to Do

It’s hard to feel bored when you’re in Florida, especially if you own a car and love nature. Within this sunny state are 175 state parks, trails, and historic sites. Some state parks consist of old and tall cypress trees, beautiful swamps, and white sandy beaches with incredible wildlife at every turn. One of the most stunning state parks in Florida is Silver Springs State Park, and for good reason. There is so much to do and see. On the same day, you can see vibrant birds, large and gentle manatees, and sun-bathing alligators. But when is the best time to visit? What is there specifically to do in this park? Keep reading to find out.

What is Silver Springs State Park?

Silver Springs State Park is an iconic spot in Florida. It was previously known as Silver River State Park. This lovely park has a long history, although it only recently became a state park. Silver Springs, which is within the park, was Florida’s first tourist attraction.

Silver Springs became a tourist attraction during the 1870s after Samuel O. Howse purchased 242 acres of land. However, since this first purchase, so many others have owned the springs and the land surrounding it, including H.L. Anderson. What really made these springs pop was the unique glass-bottom riverboat rides. The history of this unique tourist attraction though is long. Various animal encounters and exhibits, rides, and attractions opened throughout the years.

Now, Silver Springs is part of the state park and is fully owned by the State of Florida. The surface area of this land is about 5,000 acres. Although mainly known for its gorgeous springs, this state park has plenty of hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities. While in the springs, you can learn, explore, kayak, paddle, and take a riverboat tour on a glass boat, but more on these activities later.

Address:

5656 E Silver Springs Blvd, 

Silver Springs, FL 34488

Hours: 

365 Days a Year, from 8 am to Sundown

The Best Time to Visit Silver Springs State Park

Since the park is open year-round, you can visit whenever you would like, although the best time depends on what you’re interested in. If you want low crowds and don’t mind paddling or kayaking in cool water and weather, you can visit from October to March. This is also manatee season so that you may see one of these beautiful gentle giants.

However, the best time to visit Silver Springs if you want to enjoy the warmth of the sun is during the summer. Keep in mind though that summers are extremely busy, both with locals and tourists. While the park opens at 8 am, expect a line to form starting at around 5 to 6 am.

Wildlife in Silver Springs State Park

The cool and inviting springs are a popular spot within the state park, but the abundance of wildlife also draws many people to this park. While here, you can see animals like Sherman’s fox squirrel, wild turkey, American alligator, gopher tortoise, wood duck, bald eagle, limpkin, gar, and more.

Bird watching while walking around Silver Springs State Park is a great way to spend a warm afternoon. You can spot birds like northern flickers, downy woodpeckers, wood storks, American coots, barred owls, northern bobwhites, and turkey vultures.

Some mammals you may encounter in the area include American river otters, American black bears, eastern cottontails, marsh rabbits, coyotes, bobcats, evening bats, and golden mice.

4 Things to Do in Silver Springs State Park

Now that we know the best time to visit this exciting park, what is there to do here? Honestly, a lot. One day isn’t enough to see the entire 5,000-acre park or the fun activities within. For instance, did you know there are wild monkeys within Silver Springs? Seeing them, though, isn’t a guarantee.

Visit the Museums and Exhibits

One of the best things to do when visiting Silver Springs State Park is to learn about the park and area’s history in the Silver River Museum and Pioneer Village. The Silver River Museum is open for a small fee on select days. Typically, it’s open on weekends from 10 am to 4 pm. 

This Marion County Schools Program is filled with exhibits. Within the museum are three main galleries that begin with the prehistoric history of Florida. Here, you can find artifacts dating back 12,000 years. Another exhibit hall features the Dugout Canoes: Paddling Through the Americas exhibit. Displayed in this section are stunning Native American canoes from across North and South America. 

Aside from the indoor museum, visitors can also check out the Pioneer “Cracker” Village. This village hosts many historic and replica structures that give visitors insight into how Floridians lived in the 1800s. One of the original buildings in the village is the Silver Springs School. This school was open to African-American students during segregation.

Kayak

If you can and have experience, a great way to get to know Florida and this unique state park is on the water. Swimming is not allowed in Silver Springs, so the best next thing is kayaking. Paddle boarding is also available. You can find rentals within the state park for a price. Note that the rentals have a check-in and check-out time.

If you’ve never kayaked, you can always join a tour with an expert who can guide you through the springs. Some of the tours use clear kayaks so you can see wildlife like alligators, fish, and manatees. If you’re lucky, you may even see a monkey. However, keep your distance as these curious animals can pass on Herpes with a scratch or bite.

Enjoy a Glass-Bottom Boat Tour

Possibly the most popular thing to do in Silver Springs State Park is the glass-bottom boat tour. This unique experience is a great way to learn more about the state park and the animals that call it home. You can peer at your feet and see all kinds of wildlife and native plants. Do this all while also staying dry!

You can catch a glass bottom boat tour every 15 to 20 minutes. A reservation is recommended as there are limited spaces, and during the summer, this boat ride fills up quickly. There are two types of boat tours. The first one is short and only runs for about half an hour. The extended tour though lasts for 90 minutes and is offered three times each day, at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm.

Hike/Wildlife View

Apart from kayaking, visiting the museum and replica village, and taking a tour of the glass-bottom boat, visitors can also hike the numerous trails throughout the park. This is a great way to bird-watch and see other types of wildlife.

One of these trails is the Swamp Trail. It’s considered easy to moderately challenging and runs for 1.9 miles in a loop. The longest hiking trail in Silver Springs State Park is the Spring Trail. According to AllTrails, the Spring Trail is very popular and is a 4.5-mile out-and-back hike with a short elevation gain of under 100 feet. It can take hikers about an hour and a half to complete this trail. Another hiking option is the Sandhill Trail, a 1.7-mile loop. Within the park are also equestrian multi-use trails. Fun fact: the Florida Trail, which is about 1,300 miles long, runs through the park.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Xianghong Garrison/ via Getty Images