Fanning Springs State Park - Fanning Springs, Florida
Fanning Springs State Park
The spring is surrounded by lush growth which
makes it one of Florida's most beautiful springs.
Manatee often visit during the winter.
Fanning Springs State Park
The centerpiece of a popular
state park, Fanning Springs
is a historical landmark and
great outdoors location.
Fanning Springs
A second magnitude spring
that produces 65 million
gallons of water per day,
Fanning Springs feeds the
Suwannee River.
Fanning Springs State Park - Fanning Springs, Florida
History & Outdoors Florida
Copyright 2014 & 2017 by Dale Cox
All rights reserved.

Last Updated: 5/2/2017
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Florida Springs & Waterfalls
Fort Fanning
An important fort was built
near the springs during the
Second Seminole War. The
site is just across the road
from the state park.
Suwannee River
Fanning Springs State Park
fronts Florida's beautiful and
historic Suwannee River. A
boardwalk takes visitors to an
overlook.
Fanning Springs State Park protects a
stunning natural and historical setting that
has attracted visitors for thousands of years.

Located in the city of Fanning Springs, the
park features swimming, trails, a boardwalk
to the Suwannee River, cabins and more. Its
centerpiece, of course, is the spring for which
the park and city are named.

Archaeologists have found evidence that
Paleo-Indians visited Fanning Springs
thousands of years ago. These early hunters
and gatherers made their way down the
Suwannee River in search for large game
animals such as mastodon.

The Paleo people were followed by other
early American Indians and finally by the
Seminoles. The major Seminole community
of Boleck's town stood just across the
Suwannee at today's Old Town. It was
attacked by U.S. troops under Major General
Andrew Jackson 1818 in one of the final
actions of the First Seminole War.

After the Battle of Old Town, Jackson's troops
crossed over the river and searched the area
around Fanning Springs for the fleeing
Seminoles. Some were captured but most
escaped into Central Florida where they built
new villages.

Conflict with the Seminoles erupted again in
1835. During the Second Seminole War,
which continued until 1842, U.S. troops built
Fort Fanning adjacent to the spring. Soldiers
from here patrolled the Suwannee River and
surrounding areas in search of bands of
Creek and Seminole warriors that attacked
farms and settlements throughout the region.

The site of Fort Fanning is just across State
Road 19 from Fanning Springs State Park. A
section of the fort has been rebuilt at Fort
Fanning Historical Park, which features
walkways along the beautiful Suwannee
River.

Even while the Second Seminole War was
still underway, steamboats coming up the
river used Fanning Springs as a port. A
settlement called Palmetto or Sikesville grew
around the fort and spring.

Sikesville was large enough for a post office
by 1847 and mail service has continued off
and on ever since, even though the name of
the community has been changed several
times.

Steamboats used Fanning Springs as a
landing for loading and unloading cargo and
passengers for as long as the beautiful
paddlewheel boats continued to run on the
Suwannee River. The arrival of railroads and
modern highways brought their era to an
end, but they remain a colorful memory along
the Suwannee basin.

As steamboat traffic came to an end during
the early 20th century, the springs evolved
into a popular recreation spot. Surrounded by
beautiful oaks and known for their crystal
clear water, they became a popular place for
swimming, picnicking and sightseeing. By
the 1950s there was even a skating rink at
Fanning Springs.

The State of Florida finally purchased
Fanning Springs in 1993, assuring their
preservation for future generations. Fanning
Springs State Park became part of Florida's
state park system in 1997 and has greeted
visitors ever since.
One of the most important of the myriad of
springs that feed the Suwannee River,
Fanning Springs produces an average flow
of between 40 and 60 million gallons of
water per day. This makes them a second
magnitude spring.

The state park is a hub of the Suwannee
River Wilderness Trail, a 170-mile state trail
that begins at White Springs and ends at the
Gulf of Mexico. Visitors can paddle or boat
down the river stopping at various points of
interest along the Wilderness Trail, or they
can drive the roads that follow the river south.

Key points of interest along the Suwannee,
such as Fanning Springs State Park, can be
accessed by road or water. In addition,
outdoor enthusiasts can hike miles of trails
that follow the river and originate from the
numerous hubs along its banks.

Fanning Springs State Park is a great hub for
exploring the Suwannee River. In addition to
the beautiful springs, it features cabins,
hiking trails, picnic areas, a boardwalk and
more. Special focus is given to planting and
maintaining native plants around the spring
to encourage other Floridians to landscape
using native species.


Fanning Springs State Park is located at
18020 NW Highway 19; Fanning Springs,
Florida. The park is open from 8 a.m. until
sundown, 365 days a year.

Admission to the park is $6 per vehicle or $4
for a vehicle with only the driver. Pedestrians
and bicyclists pay $2. The fee for visitors
arriving by water is $2 and an honor box is
available at the dock.

Please click here to visit the official park
service website for more information.
A Natural Wonder
Fanning Springs State Park is
a must for eco-tourists. In
addition to the springs, it
offers camping and cabins,
picnicking and more.