Rainbow Springs State Park Reviews

This was a beautiful find in our search for parks in FL. Just a $2 admission to see lots of waterfalls along a paved path. Also enjoyed sitting beside this clear water spring, wishing it was a warmer day. One of our highlights!

This place is amazing! There is a $2 fee per person but that’s cheaper than any pool around. Water is 72 degrees year round. So clear. Great place to cool off. We drove there after finishing kayaking Dow the river for a nice swim. You can see small fish and turtles. Bring a mask and snorkel. You will want it. A pool noodle if you want to just float and few the beautiful place.

We visited here with my Aunt and Uncle (in their 70s). The walkways were really nice and even. Lots of flowers and beautiful scenery. The water temp of the spring is 72 degrees. And the water is crystal clear. The waterfalls are very pretty. We spent a couple of hours walking around.

Super cool dive, loved the boiling sands! 72° year round water was a treat. Boat was quick, plenty of room for our 25 diver.

Best Two Bucks you will ever spend! Beautiful park to walk and enjoy the trees and flowers and springs. Also birds and butterflys and fish! Plenty of walking to do and pictures to take!

The worst experience that I have had in my life on 05-16-21 I went to the park raimbow springs park I went to make the trip that is in the green floats I went directly to the banks left I got stuck for more than 20 minutes in the bushes without power Leaving does not have security people for the help of any eventuality I was absolutely alone there since everyone went down the current, then when I was able to leave after the tour I was sent again towards the shore where a large alligator was and I go where He was there, I could see a person who was nearby and I told him that alligator had jumped and could help me, I cannot understand in this country that they put so many people in danger knowing the animals that are there, what are you waiting for? that a misfortune happens so that they can become aware of the danger that they expose to the people who visit that place there to make the journey of that river, and my wife, seeing that it was too late, tried to swim and almost drowned and asked for help Nobody did it since they do not have people to help with any eventuality that happens in that horrible and stressful journey since when leaving and while I was inside I saw many people stressed and that I did not enjoy that trip at all, to the point that I something fatal happened since the trip took me right to where the alligator was located.

You can do the tubing on one side. $20.00 per person for the rafts to go tubing down the river. Then you can go around to the head spring that feeds the river and bathe there. Keep in mind water is very cold , but the body gets used to it quickly. Very economical. If you just do the head spring it’s only $2.00.

The water is absolutely beautiful! We rented a kayak and just went at our own pace down the river. We saw so much wildlife and I know I took too many pictures of turtles anyway go and enjoy you will be happy you did.

This place is fantastic. I used to go as a child and wanted to revisit on my trip back to Florida. I was not disappointed. It was beautiful, not crowded (Friday in January), dog friendly, with lots of trails and wildlife to see. We say some really cool birds and a snake. I forgot how amazing this place really is. We chose here because there weren't as many limitations on where we could take the dog, unlike some of the other parks that only allow dogs on certain paths. Lots of beautiful, well kept trails and the water, of course, was gorgeous-cold, but gorgeous.

Been here before and I love the river. Drove two hours with my 11 year old this morning and arrived at 10am only to be turned away and told to leave “at capacity”. That was great. Did the idea or a “car-queue” ever cross their minds or is that kind of social engineering too advanced for the bumpkins of Dunnellon to fathom? It's a pretty basic basic concept and you’ve only had 6 months to figure this out. I could have built a whole new park in that time. Very disappointed in these caved heads.

Great swimming area, kids loved the crystal clear water. Park is beautiful, well worth the $2 admission per person. Great bathrooms near swimming hole!

We rented kayak and paddle to cover a stretch of river. We took a lot of eyes on the colors. Moreover, the water is so clear that we easily observed turtles, fish .... and an otter hunting.

This is one of our favorite springs in florida. We have gone in by car and rented a kayak and this time we drove to KP hole and put our own kayak in and paddled up.

The grdens at the headwaters is a lovely walk!
We camped for 7 nights.
The fact that the campground, gardens, and tubing are all separate was disappointing in that we wanted to ride bikes but that limited us to an area.

Even tho the waterfalls are manmade they are cool. There’s a butterfly garden area and it’s not overwhelming to walk on the trails and see everything. Great little place to hike around!

It is nice to take a walk before attempting the cold spring. The butterfly garden needs serious maintenance and the pool area is small. Mature is great

This is a hard one to review. We are happy we visited once but we wouldn't go again unless we lived nearby and then it would be for the park as much as for the beautiful springs. The entry fee was only $1 per person when we visited due to a limited discount by the governor. Normal admission is $2 per person. Can't complain about that. You are limited to what type of floats you can bring in so make sure to read about that. The main thing I would address is the fact that the swimming area is over your head the entire space. I saw a man step off the steps and down he went totally not expecting to go over his head. He was surprised. Also, many parents had children that did not have appropriate floats on. Because of not being able to touch bottom and the coldness of the water, most people just crowded around the dock and all the stairs and steps were blocked most of the time. We enjoyed going in the water and had pool noodles that we brought in. They are allowed. But, it is nice to be able to put your feet on shallow spots in most of the springs we visit. If I had children I wouldn't go here when there are so many other springs that have shallow areas. The park itself is absolutely beautiful, with waterfalls and a very nice paved walkway that is a 2.5 mile loop. Definitely worth a visit....or several.

This place was absolutly Beautiful , I Don't have alot of Pics. becuase I took mostly Videos , We took the 2 1/2 Hr. trip and I Highly recomend if you ever get the Chance , get you a Water proof Camera/ Phone case and do it , the water is So Crystal Clear and the Wild life is Amazing , The Birds , Turtles , Otters and Gators (Yes we were about 20 ft. from the Gators ) but they just swam along the bank and didn;t bother us , I Highly Recommend !

We brought our own kayak which weighed about 80 lbs. and carried it through the parking lot, up the walk, through the ticket gate, down some stairs, down to swimming hole, past that, and to boat ramp. OMG. and back up again. My knee is the size of a grapefruit from all that carrying. Didn't swim but from what i saw it was extremely crowded and people had to wait to enter the water.

The river is nice, but again if you don't rent one of their boats you get no ride home, so you have to float down and then paddle upstream to get home. Wow that was a long trip

Good trails and a lot of wildlife variety. The area has a lot of shady placers which makes it easier to go even on Florida summer.

we went on a warm summer day and the water was cool and refreshing we tubed down the river and it was quiet and relaxing the trip down the river had nice foliage and some shade there was a restaurant at the end where we got off and right near where we parked

Loved all the different plants growing in the area. I cannot write 100 wordsxxxxxxxxxxxxxxvvvvvvvvvvvvv hhhhhh dddd mm mmm kkkkk aaaaa sssss oooo rrrr t yyyy uuuuuuu kkkkkk mmmmmmm

Awesome nature trails with waterfalls and a crystal clear swimming hole with a dock to go swimming. The visitor center also has some great and fantastic history about this place as well

We had no clue what to expect beyond the pictures of the River, which I assumed had been heavily filtered. We went around 3 pm through the main entrance and was able to park easily. We walked across to the park entrance, payed about $2 per person and went directly to the spring where you can swim. It was pretty full and the water ice cold but it was beautiful! We also walked around the park and saw the small waterfall. We checked the kayak but ended up not renting. Everything was inexpensive and the park so enjoyable.

The park & springs are beautiful. The water is crystal clear & cool. There are ramps & stairs to enter the spring, or you can just jump off the platform. I will say that it can get quite crowded, especially on weekends. Despite that there are plenty of areas spread out to see in the park. Tubing is at a separate area. You park where you will finish your tubing experience. The cost is $20pp plus $2pp park entry fee. They take all forms of payment. The tube & tram ride up the river is included. Everything is clean & in working order. There are bathrooms, & changing rooms there so you can change into dry clothes after your trip. This tube trip lasts about 2 hours. There is another company that goes 4 hours. They will transport you back to your original starting point. It’s a relaxing & beautiful leisurely float down the river. You’ll see some lovely homes, animals & nature. Yes gators live there, I did not see any, but some kayakers reported seeing 2 nearby. People have been tubing & swimming there for decades, & haven’t heard of any tubers taken by a gator. Just enjoy the ride.

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting this park over two days. The first day, we went tubing, which is at a separate entrance than the visitors center. Very relaxing, easy "lazy river" ride. The second day, we went to the main entrance, which, because of the pandemic, they only let in a limited number of cars. We waited in line an hour before the gates opened at 8 a.m. Within 10 minutes, no cars could get in. Also, bring exact change ($2 per person!) or a credit card to get in. Well worth it! We kayaked and swam the crystal clear Rainbow River. On our way, we saw otters, birds and turtles. After a picnic lunch, we walked the easy hike around the grounds to see the man-made waterfalls amidst the tall cedars and foliage. We didn't leave until after 4 p.m.

We loved walking around this park. The water was beautiful. The trails could be marked a little more clearly but it was fun to get a little lost.

Fed by a large spring, Rainbow River begins here. There's a food pavilion and a large swimming "hole". And you can rent canoes and kayaks for a trip down river. The scenery down the river is wild, wonderful and calming and you can get off at any point for a swim. I've totally enjoyed myself every time I've been here. It's the perfect place to get away from the city and relax in the quiet and beautiful ambience of the river.

Rainbow Spring was a beautiful place to either swim, snorkel, paddle boarding, kayaking & trail walking. It is pet friendly (see below). You can spend the whole day there & bring food/drinks. There is a gift shop, cafe, restrooms & changing buildings. Not enough to see for snorkeling but do it. Bring goggles. The water is clear blue & so refreshing!!! Admission was $2.00 per person. This is a must do & will go again.

Rules to what we seen:
-“No” floaty’s or wave boards is accepted in the swim area except baby floaty’s (for babies).
-Pool noodles & life jackets are allowed in the swim area.
-“No” pet swimming at all. (I don’t know if you will be fined.)

I am absolutely appalled at this place! It looks like a great place to go if the coronavirus didn’t exist, but in regards to the pandemic they take no precautions. We were super excited to go because reviews said that they were being careful and people were wearing masks and sanitizing but that is not true in the slightest bit! When I got there i was the only one wearing a mask and then we had to take a shuttle (packed with people not wearing masks/without it being sanitized) to the spring. at that point i was so freaked out i didn’t get on the shuttle. I was thankful that they gave me a refund but i would have left regardless

Camped here in Jan 2022 .I have camped in the majority of state parks in fl and have never seen a more poorly maintained park although the head spring is maintained the rv camping section is not bathrooms closed trash on the ground and these people don't believe in mowing,after talking to the manager her only responses she wanted it to return to its natural setting.i don't get it somebody spent alot of time and money to make this place nice and the mang is running it in the ground

We love rainbow river! Perfect place to peacefully float down the river, soaking up the sun, observing the wildlife (fish, turtles, otters, birds). It's a cool 72 degrees which is perfect for our hot Florida summers.

Took my family for a day trip. The water is cold but you get used to it. Such a pretty place. I recommend floatation devices for everyone as the water can get pretty deep.

Nice and relaxing tubing adventure down the river. We were excited to do something fun and adventurous with the family.

Rainbow Springs is amazing. Beautiful clear water, great for swimming, tubing and kayaking. Their campground is also amazing. Nice large spaces with privacy.

It's only $2.00 per person to visit and it's a nice day trip. Take a picnic lunch or use the snack bar. You cannot put tubes in the water in the park. There are a few nice trails but the signage is pitiful and the map is almost impossible to read. There is a swim area and in October it was packed, it must be a mob scene in the summer! The falls are nice, the butterfly garden is no longer there, the water is gorgeous. Worth a visit if you're in the area.

Was so beautiful! Waterfalls tropical gardens and we snorkeled in the spring. The water was very cold but refreshing on such a hot day. It's a little garden of Eden! The clear turquoise water was amazing! You gotta see it!

We've visited Rainbow Springs State Park Campground twice—once in the spring and again in early summer—and both visits were absolutely delightful! For an up-close look at all the campsites click on my profileto find a link to my campground video.

Site 50 is a spacious, level, pull-through site offering privacy in loop A.
Site 18 is a private back-in site nestled among lush foliage.

All non-tent sites are full hook-ups which is a nice convenience. The campsites have a picnic bench and firepit. They do also have one dump station.

Tip: Be sure to have your gate code ready upon arrival! You'll need it immediately after turning off the main road since the entrance is unmanned and designed for just one RV with no extra pull-off space. Also make sure to set your GPS to the campground entrance NOT the headspring, they are several miles apart!

The standout feature of this campground is its direct access to the breathtaking Rainbow River. Whether you're into kayaking, canoeing, or tubing, the clear, inviting water is a must-see. I recommend paddling up to the headspring, where you can take some time to look around or enjoy a hike, then float or paddle back down to the campground. The campground office provides kayak, canoe, and tube rentals (available during tubing season),.

In addition to the river, we also enjoyed exploring the 6 mile Pruitt Trail on foot under ancient oak canopies, and cycling along the paved path at Blue Run of Dunnellon.

This park offers a lot. We were fortunate to go tubing!!! The park has a separate entrance (check website) for tubing. After about 1/2 hour wait in car, we got to entry booth, paid $22.00 per person entry/park fee, filled out waiver and went to where tram picks you up & brings you about 5-6 miles upriver. Requires little to no experience. You float down-river for approximately 1 3/4 hours. If hot as it is now (Labor Day Weekend), water is in mid-70’s and is crystal clear... very refreshing!!! Along the way, we saw otters, turtles, ospreys, fish and all kinds of bird life. Only negative are pesky boats from time to time with foul engine smells. Most of the time, it’s perfect!!! Highly recommended!!!

We always talked about visiting, so we did. Entry price for a van full of guests was amazing, less than $8. We purchased our floating devices at a nearby Walmart so that was very inexpensive as well. Even though the good think about renting at the springs was for $7 you get a float already blown up. But really such a beautiful day we spent with family and friends. They have so many picnic and bbq areas. Grassy area by the water, nice walk to the beginning of the spring, very well cared for. I suggest wearing water shoes because the rocks at the beginning of the spring are covered in algae which wasn’t bad just extremely slippery. And like all Springs prepare yourself, cause that water is chilllllly!!! Enjoy!

We wanted to see this park since we were visiting the west side of the state. Unfortunately, it was thundering and sprinkling rain when we arrived, but we decided to brave it and do a quick walk around to see the waterfalls and spring since the entrance fee is only $2/person. It would have been nice to spend more time on a better day, which hopefully we can sometime in the future. The paths are good solid footing for walking and the landscape lovely.

**This review is primarily of the tube and tram company, not necessarily the head springs facility and swim area.

We arrived around 12:10pm, the website stated the last tram was at 12:45pm so we rushed down from Jacksonville around 9:30 to make sure we would make it on time. The sign by the gate says 3:30 is the last tram.... okay. So we rushed for nothing we had plenty of time. We assumed the tram would be a lot faster yet after unloading at 12:15 we didn’t see the tram arrive until 12:50 and then we didn’t leave the pavilion until after 1:00pm. The most shocking was arriving under the impression the price was much cheaper.

Their website and google listing states, $11.00 per person if you BRING YOUR OWN TUBE. Myself, mother, two teens and two 11 year olds each brought our own floats to secure this price. Sadly when we arrived the clerk informs us it’s now $20 per person regardless of raft rental or not and was just changed on Saturday. After promising this trip and driving the 2 hours we paid about $130 for the six of us to ride the tram and get dropped off with our own floats. So now after a few years of using this service this was the final straw.

Why is it that much to use a tram? I understand if your renting floats from the company or they are providing like an air conditioned bus with a trailer for floats but no... it’s wide open aluminum trailers with benches pulled behind an economy van. The campground no longer allows visitors to drop off tubers, you must pay the tram or stay at the campground. Hell, the campground is only $30 a night, they just didn’t have any availability the night before we arrived.

We were dropped off at an unload point a few hundred yards from the shoreline. There was a concrete pathway you follow down to a ten foot wide dock. We waited around the drop off building and used a large air compressor to top off our floats. They provide it free of charge, how nice.... but we only deflated our floats so we could get onto the tram comfortably with them. We were willing to wait there a few moments longer either way because honestly getting into the water right on top of the other 30-40 rafters would have felt like a traffic jam down the river. The river is only 100 feet wide in some spots. We waited till the dock was semi clear, but you also have to share the dock with kayakers and SUP users launching from the camp ground. So it was more waiting around for these kayakers to pull their kayaks and leave us a little room to get in. Now years ago you were not allowed to have jet skis just small boats, low power, like John boats. But there they were and made quite the wake where as the other boats stayed slow enough to cut by without rocking us around. Not horrible, but a little frustrating.

We had a decent time tubing, it was very sunny. We saw turtles, cormorants and a little gator sun bathing. It was just under 2 hours from dropping in to getting out. The walk back was long with our rafts in tow. We deflated them slightly so they were easier to carry. I felt bad as one elderly woman was waiting for I guess the tram to come back around to the tubing exit off the boardwalk and take her back the the pavilion where the parking was. Unfortunately the tram had already come by so she’d have to wait another 30-45 minutes or keep walking until she reached the parking lot. We asked the clerk as left if we got to go again that day at a discount or if it was free? It was full price to go again. REALLY? The money they are making here is astonishing, not at all worth what you actually get.

The only decent point was how the head spring facility was included in the tram ticket price. But it’s only a couple bucks to get in anyway. Overall the head spring was cramped and no one was watching the swimmers. Kids flipping and jumping off the dock; when it’s not busy thats fine but on several occasions people were trying to exit the water but were having difficultly with people jumping around everywhere. I think people would really appreciate some type of rock or platform further out from the dock. Treading water away from the dock with nothing to hang on to became quite exhausting. The redeeming feature; the new bathroom and changing facilities, they were stupendous, clean and easy use. Not at all like the original bathrooms up on the right side of the closed visitors center.

Overall it just wasn’t what we were used to, or expecting for the price... So go with a different tubing company, if you’re going to charge an arm and a leg I want more to show for it. Not herded around like cattle in the hot sun waiting on a glorified aluminum trailer with a few benches. And last but not least FIX YOUR FREAKING WEBSITE!!

My husband and I visited on Monday 4/2/2018. We enjoyed the $2.00 entrance fee, Hiking, Hidden water falls, Canoeing, and Picnic at Rainbow Springs. From the moment I randomly came across a youtube video about this hidden gem of a location I had to put it on my "Must Do" list. The history, the wildlife, the flora, and overall ambiance is fascinating, and the views are so immensely beautiful and picturesque. A camera does not do this place justice. The staff at the canoe rental area are the true MVP's! They will get you fitted and equipped for an experience of a lifetime. Don't let the clauses you fill out fool you, these people have big hearts and provide 100% prime customer care. I felt like royalty getting assistance with my life vest, and especially getting in and out of our canoe. Do yourself a favor and get off of the well worn touristy path and give Rainbow Springs State Park a visit.

Nice place to kick back and enjoy what Mother Nature has provided. The springs feed the Rainbow River where you can swim from a sandy beach, kayak, canoe. Part of the Florida State Park System.

What a gem. They have a Holiday lighting them that’s beautiful and prior to Disney, this is where many people came for entertainment. Still gorgeous.

Get here early! By 9:30 it was closed due to covid distancing restrictions. We never saw the park at all so the 3 rating is based on the early closure

The weather was sunny, high of 70 but was a great day to kayak and then swim. Make sure to bring pool noodles for swimming bc it’s deep. With a noodle, you can stay out for longer. We rented a 2-person kayak and went for one hour. We’re not athletic outdoorsy people so one hour was perfect for us. We saw a river offer, lots of turtles, and a 5-ft. gator.

Arrived at 8:40 am to be turned away. Lot full. Apparently COVID is spread easily in open spaces and UV light.

We loved this state park.The waterfalls and hot springs were awesome. The park has wonderful walking trails and a hot spring swimming pool. It is also popular for Kyaking down the river. We visited once our self and later visited again with our grandson. A very scenic place to visit.

This was a wonderful place to spend the entire day. Swimming, picnics, sightseeing. The springs are refreshing and so beautiful, We love the waterfalls. although they were not large, Just very relaxing. THE ONE PROBLEM AND THIS IS BIG: THE SPRINGS HAVE ONLY ONE MAJOR STAIRWELL TO GET IN AND OUT. THERE IS A SIGN THAT SAYS "PLEASE DON'T BLOCK." Well, it was always blocked by people who can't read or don't care. THINK SAFETY HAZARD. (The ladders are no good for older people or young kids.) The place needs someone stationed there to ensure the rules are followed.

What a clean, beautiful park! And only $2 per person to enter. The kids loved swimming in the spring and jumping off the dock since it wasn’t too crowded. We brought our own paddle board and were able to launch at their kayak/canoe ramp (the park’s rental area). We would definitely go back and swim in the crystal blue (72 degree) water! I recommend this place for families with kids of all ages.

Plan ahead for a FULL DAY of fun! Bring your coolers, food, drink, and an umbrella or other sun shade. Our family started the day on the tubing side of Rainbow River. So, when you want to swim in the headspring (which is very very cold), you go straight to the address for the state park and follow the signs. If you want to go tubing, you pass the entrance of the state park, go to the next big intersection which is HWY 484, turn right and then you'll make another right on 190th ave. Follow the signs from there. You'll need to leave all of your things in the car or a locker. You may leave your car keys with the front office; they will hold them for you securely. You'll sign a waiver from all in your party then get on a trolley that will take you to the launch point. Then you will get into the river with your rented tube (I think it was about $20 to rent) and float for a little over an hour. It was great fun! A whole family ranging from ages 7 to 67 (a total of eight of us) went tubing and had a blast! It is really worth it. When you're done tubing, head over to the headspring and enjoy lots of sun and COLD water to swim in. It is a state park. There are red ants in the picnic area within the grass so plan accordingly.

The waterfalls, plants and springs made for a beautiful walk. It was well priced. We didn't swim as it was cool, but on a hot summer day I bet the cold springs are refreshing! Not many things you are able to do on vacation for $2 per person. The paths are hilly and we walked over two miles.

Beautiful! Great kayaking. Pristine area. We have visited here in the past and will return. Much to do close by.

We took friends who are new to OTOW (the community we live in) to this park to see the beauty that is there.
Rainbow Springs State Park...serene, peaceful, beauty, blue/green water, azaleas, trees with Spanish moss swaying in the breeze from the branches, water falls, Florida blue sky and warm weather, picture ops...all of this for a small entrance fee of $2.00...Wow!

Other than the scenery, this place was a total disappointment. Got there around noon, hadn't gotten in the water yet. When the ranger kicked everyone out of the swimming area because he said of a storm moving in. Apparently you can't get in the water if there is lightning within a 10 mile radius of the area. We waited storm moved in store moved out. They were going to open the area again and it started the cloud up. Beach was closed again. We left at 3:30 after not once setting foot in the water.

In the 3 and 1/2 hours we were there. Some thunder was heard in the far distance. Never any lightning. I get being safe but this was a little ridiculous.

There were a lot of exhibits and vendors there that demonstrated how Florida used to do things in "The Old Days". I especially liked the bee demonstration and explanation. Top Rate. A must see...next year!

Love to see all the wildlife and pretty vegetation along all the paths inside the park. Great place to take a walk with family and friends of all ages!

This state park was once a private tourist attraction with the waterfalls being created from a nearly mining operation. The location is the headwaters of the Rainbow River, The crystalline water rising from the springs creates a beautiful swimming or small boat experience. Kayak, canoe and tube rentals available. There is a gift shop and food is available.

The park / water was amazing and very clean. Very refreshing. Safe with young kids. Would definitely do it again.

Always 72 degrees and crystal clear water to swim in. Bring a noodle, this is the only float they allow. Little kids can wear a vest, tubes are not allowed. We went when school had started so it wasn't overly crowded. Bring goggles to check out the fish.

Beautiful, clear, cool headwaters of the Rainbow Springs! So refreshing to swim in! The park has a concession stand or you can bring in your own picnic. There is a pavilion with picnic tables and a grassy large field. The paths around the park are fun to walk through. The main attraction, though, is the swimming area! You need to have a swimming noodle (they sell them at the gift shop for a fair price). You jump in from a “pool deck” and then can swim around. It’s quite deep, so you need the noodle- no floats or tubes allowed. We went on a Tuesday and it was quite crowded, I imagine the weekends are packed. But it was still fun and refreshing.

Alec, our guide met us right on time and took us for a lovely paddle up the Rainbow River. Bahama clear water with lots of turtles and birds. The clear kayaks are sturdy and add to the uniqueness of the clear water. Would definitely recommend.

A lovely park with plenty of easy walking, as well as some more serious hiking if one is so inclined. A nice swimming area, a great place to get out in a kayak, and a good gift shop. Parking is quite a distance from the park entrance, so be prepared to lug your stuff.

My wife and I visited Rainbow Springs State Park for an afternoon hike on a hot May afternoon. The swimming area at the springs and river were very busy, but the rest of the park was quiet and secluded. There are several manmade waterfalls which at a nice ambiance to the garden area. The butterfly garden could use some work at it was heavily overgrown. The trails were well maintained and largely shaded even in the afternoon. We ended up hiking the Yellow Trail. There was a wide variety of landscapes along the trails including oak forests and Florida Prairie. We even saw a deer running through the woods at one point. There are several abandoned phosphate pits along the trail as well which display the early industry of the area. Make sure to bring water though even on a short hike as the heat will dry you out quickly.

We did canoeing and it was amazing the staff was very helpful and accommodating. The guide used the map and explained everything that I was needed to do

Never got in the park. They closed it on a Sunday afternoon with no warning. No option to go in and visit without swimming just said it's closed. Meanwhile, cars were leaving the park as we sat on the highway being told it was full. Drove 2 hours for the visit. Please do not waste your time. Don't go...too many other options in Florida. Please put a message on your website indicating a suggested arrival time.

Campsites are well spaced. Water, electric, grill, firepit and table on site. Clean restrooms with laundry. Lots of hiking trails. Beautiful spring fed river with swimming area and boat ramp. Kayak and tube rentals. Great place to spend a week camping. Close to shopping but far from the noise.

The park costs $2 per person at the headway springs entrance to get in which is all I would be willing to pay for this park. The "swimming" area was the most disappointing. We brought our mask & snorkel and the only place in the park you can use it is in a roped off square that has nothing to look at because it's bare bottom in the swim area. Outside the swim area looked awesome and gorgeous, but you couldn't go over there. I understand they want to preserve the beauty of the springs, and too many people being jerks and touching things would ruin it but that leaves a very disappointing snorkeling experience. With little else to do in the park, we decided to rent 2 paddle-boards & a canoe to explore down the river. Once you are outside the park (short 5 minute paddle) then you can stop and snorkel the river. It was a lot of fun. River was crystal clear and we stopped several times to swim and snorkel. We even found a really cool little arm of the river we explored. Two hours cost my family a little over $100 which I thought was a little expensive for a state park. The people working the rental store were very nice and helpful. Word of warning we did see an alligator on the river, it was small about 6 feet, but heed the warning signs saying they are there are.

Rainbow Springs is an Old Florida attraction that showcased some of Florida's natural wonders to tourists long before Orlando became a primary destination, after being open to the public for decades it closed in the 1970s and thankfully the State of Florida purchased it and made it a State Park along with a few other fading attractions around the state. Since the Department of Environmental Protection is focused on conservation they removed many of the commercial elements.

My family and I visited around noon on a Friday, we paid the modest $2.00 a person to enter the park and made for the swimming area. The swimming area is a roped off section at the spring head. It appears to be well used as aside from a small pile of limestone rocks made by swimmers to stand on there was not much to see besides the occasional fish and small spring vent. If your goal is to swim in spring waters this is a good choice if you are snorkeling and checking out the view underwater I would suggest going to a different spring. The water depth is fairly deep throughout most of the swimming area, I am 6'4 and it was over my head.

After the swim, we took a walk around the footpaths and looked at the manmade waterfalls (that look real) and areas of the park that are no longer in use such as the zoo cages. There were other trails and kayaking experiences that we did not do.

Overall Rainbow Springs like many of the other State Parks are a good deal. I recommend it.

Our family of 5 with 3 kids ages 5, 8,10yrs tent camped for 3 nights at the state park. Site 44 is shady until around 1pm. We enjoyed to benefit of being able to swim and tube for free as campers. We bought large tubes from wall Mart ($5) and floated down the crystal clear river 2 times. TIP: a rope to the your tubes together if you ha ee a large group with kids so you don't have to chase tube when kids. We either had one person in our party pay $10 for the tram back to the campground and get our van to retrieve the recampgroun. The 2nd day a few in our party stayed back at camp so we kept a cell phone in a dry box and called them when we were done to pick us up. Total cost for 11 people to go tubing twice $20. Campground bathrooms were clean.

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We went to the Springs to walk around after lunch. I brought my fishing pole, just in case. Found a nice little spot to cast with some left over cornedbeef slices ftom lunch. In just a few minutes I caught a blue gill. That made my day.

We went and visited the Head Spring in the park. Tubing is allowed at a different location down river, but you can rent kayaks and canoes where we were. We enjoyed the peace and quiet. We walked around and enjoyed the waterfalls that were made in the 30's. Was to surprised at the history of Rainbow Springs as it was a popular tourist stop with zoo, rides, and activities until1971 (Disney). Beautiful springs that has a swimming area.

My husband and I took a trip over to the nearby state park to see for ourselves what was avaible. The water is unbelievable here with a small swimming area, picnic pavilions, walking paths, kayak and canoe rentals. Admission ia $2 per person, quite the bargain. Leashed dogs are welcome but are not permitted to swim.

Went here on a Tuesday and it was an ok time. The place is beautiful and is the beginning of the springs. Water is crystal clear and ideal for kayaking and swimming. We decided for a hike since it was a little on the cool side for swimming and the trails left you yearning for more. If you compare to the st George trail over in Ocala National Park it loses big time. Mostly sandy pine forest with not so much scenery of the spring. I would come here only if I was planning to swim. Cost was $2/person so very reasonable compared to surrounding sites.

Nice day, nice getaway, seen the family over the holidays.the water was clear, the underground springs were meet to look at. A nice place to travel to if you have the time when your passing through the area.

The park and springs was partially opened quite recently. The parking lots are filling up and the trails are open for a wonderful walking experience. Those who brought their own kyacks and tubes were out on the river. The admission is extremely reasonable at only $2.

We have visited Rainbow twice now. Once to camp and once on a company trip floating down the river. Both were super awesome and fun. The water is crystal clear and always at 72 degrees. There are waterfalls through the park itself that make for a really nice shaded walk. Great photo opportunities everywhere. Just a heads up, children 5 and under are NOT allowed to float down the river. They are however very welcome at the spring head and have a designated swimming area that is shallow enough for them to enjoy. Bring a noodle or something to float on at the spring itself. Once you are in the water, you cannot touch the bottom. We brought a picnic lunch and enjoyed that under one of the pavilions. Restrooms were clean and roomy to change in if needed.

In the 1930's, Rainbow Springs became a privately owned theme park. Most freshwater springs tourist attractions around Florida offered some form of glass bottom boat ride. But at Rainbow Springs the distinctive submarine boats had stairs that went below the waterline and visitors could look out at eye level. Waterfalls were built, and there was a zoo and rodeo. The stone enclosures that housed the animals are still there.
This is a beautiful state park with lots of history. There's something for everyone.

I am from Texas and heard about the Rainbows Springs State Park and went with my family on Christmas Day and was shocked to see a volunteer at the gift shop and her name was Jackie very nice and surprised to see someone on this special day and she mention to me there open 365 days But want to mention was really nice to see her there and spoke to me a little about the park and was very nice. People like this deserve something and what a beautiful park.

Beautiful river, great trails. Make sure you check out the waterfalls too. We just moved to Dunnellon and couldn't be happier.

Just beautiful! Great place to go with your family. Water was clear, but beware the water is cold, but refreshing. It’s a natural spring so it stays about 72 degrees year round. Lots of activities we did the canoes and had a blast!

Transparent water and cool spring. Inexpensive to enter park but bring swim device or rental can add up. Real Florida experiience

Truly one of Florida's most beautiful places. If your job, or life, lets you arrive early and spend some time here, then by all means go!!! You'll be in heaven.We stop here EVERY time we travel from Tallahassee to Central or South Florida, squeaking in just in time to grab a dip and walk out by 7pm thanks to a work schedule that doesn't allow us to leave any earlier and enjoy more time at the park. This location has both the friendliest and the meanest staff in the state. Even the young man who picks up garbage is wonderful here. Sadly your enjoyment 100% depends on who is in the office that day. It's a total crap shoot in the office though. Come on the right day and the young sweet girl at the window encourages you to grab a dip and make it out by the 7pm closing time. But... arrive when the mean other woman is at the window and you can forget about it, even if you arrive 30 min before closing time. Rude and cold as ice. It doesn't make sense they keep this woman when the rest of the staff is so pleasant. Our three hour trip ended with this person refusing to let us enter because we were just past the 6:30 mark and in her opinion we would be able to dip into the water and make it back out by 7:00, even though we've been doing it for years. What a crummy way to end the day this time.

This is the headsprings of the Rainbow River. At $2 @ entrance fee this is a bargain. We hiked around to the waterfalls overlooking the swimming hole and enjoyed the flora and fauna very much. Then we went to the swimming hole where families were enjoying the cool, clear water. You can also rent kayaks and other watercraft there for a cruise down the river. Everyone was sporting big smiles.

This is a place where people generally would like to go to commune with nature and quiet. I drove into the parking lot and could hear the 200 decible road of a leaf blower that never ended. Some dude was slowly blowing leaves from the walkways AND all the groundcover! It was already an hour past opening and you couldn't hear the birds chirping, the squirrels, OR THE WATER FALLS! I could have stayed home and not driven 2+ hours and just listened to garbage trucks, jackhammers, WalMart freight trucks and ambulance sirens. WHAT A WASTE!!!

We visited with family and friends for the short tubing run. It was about a two hour trip. They supply tubes and life preservers and a ride on their tram to the drop off point on the river. The tram ride is scenic. The water was cool but not cold and clear. It was beautiful and relaxing.

For those following my post about tubing springs. Here is the comparison for KP Hole & Rainbow River state park. 2 complete separate tubing places on Rainbow River.

We went to KP hole. KP hole (which is the county park) tubbing was (It was 4 hours long) excellent. Nice and wide open. The water was so deep you never touch grass (unless you go to where you see it's high on purpose). You can bring a cooler while floating if you bring your own float. You can bring food & drinks in with reusable containers (no ziploc bags or plastic bags) we used Tupperware & yeti cups. No alcoholic drinks they search you coolers & your drinks. Saw some fish & birds & turtles. Little man loved it and he's 9. They did not require lifejackets & they give you a discount if you bring your own tubes (they have an air station for you to fill up your tubes). Bathrooms are clean with separate changing areas. Very nice facility.

Went to Rainbow Springs State Park after. We were not impressed with the springs. Where they let you swim is super deep probably 8ft maybe deeper. Too deep for kids without lifejackets (the only shallow part they had was maybe 5x5 area for little babies & kids if no one else is there it might be good but it was to small of an area for even 10 people) & they don't share that information at the gate. The only floaty you can bring is a noodle. I wouldn't go back to the springs for swimming. When its busy because so many people are hanging onto the sides & sitting on the dock you can't really jump from it. Bathrooms were ok but no separate changing areas.

If you choose tubing with Rainbow Springs state park it's a 2 hour tube ride. You must have a lifejacket, they do not give you a discount for bringing your own raft and from my understanding they only allow yeti cups for tubing -no cooler.

I have bad experience in rainbow spring, me , my wife, my daughter 17yrs tubing than we separate bcs the water and wind , just after 5 mnt my wife get stack in the tub because the tube is not comfortable for her and she daesn’t know how to swim even she wear life jacket but she so scare (this couldn’t happened If the officer asking everybody first before we get in the water, and my wife should use the tub without hole , we asking but She said oh thats for the baby!!
After than I am off from the tub, to get my wife and the only I can do pushing her tub to closest and in the back some body house, and I call the customer service thats mention I have emergency, She (kind old lady) doesn’t understand only just keep asking repeat2 the same questions, I figure out everything my self,
BAD MANAGEMENT RAINBOW SPRING
NEVER GO AGAIN!!!!!!!
Just be carefull if don’t know how to swim , they don’t ask and think every body know how to swim and have fun, they are not proffesional!!

I first went to Rainbow Springs when I was about six years old and it was a tourist attraction. Now nearly 50 years later it's much more beautiful! Lovely gardens and amazing waterfalls; you'd never know they were manmade! My daughter had a great time taking photos.

Swimming hole is small and DEEP. No floaties are allowed, so be sure your little one can swim. You are allowed to use pool noodles and I think those little puddle jumper things or life jackets. Water is cold if you're not used to it. Some people were swimmin but most appeared to be from out of state. :)

Staff was very friendly and helpful. Snack bar very small so we ate in Dunnellon. Nice place for a picnic lunch.

Springs themselves are lovely and a beautiful blue. Saw lots of bream and perch swimming around. Several places where you can see the white sand boils where the water bubbles up out of the aquifer.

There is another entrance where you can go tubing which we hope to do this summer. You can rent regular or see-through kayaks within the park which looks fun.

Pets are allowed in the park but not in the water. Must be leashed.

Highly recommended. See the real Florida!

This is a great spot. It has easy parking, and a short walk to the springs. There is a small charge to enter the park ($2 or $3 per person, I can't remember). They have a small gift shop and a snack bar as well as bathrooms and changing rooms. But get this over with and get down to the water!

The landing was large enough during our visit in the spring. But I imagine that it might be crowded in the summer.

The water is so clear! You can see for hundreds of feet. Bring a mask or goggles and a snorkel and swim around. The area is roped off so you can't go into the weeds or down the river...but that is OK. You can see well into those areas and see plenty of fish of several species, lots of turtles (again, multiple species). People complained about how "cold" it was. Coming from California where the ocean is ~58 degrees, I found the 72 degree water wonderful!

We came here 4 out of the 5 days we were in the area. We tried other springs, but kept coming back here.

What a beautiful place to watch the gorgeous blue water, foliage, and birds. There are a number of peaceful hikes, water to swim in, and kayak trips in the proper season. Well worth the $2 entrance fee.

We took out of town visitors to see this place. To see the blue-green water, the thick foliage everywhere and to see the picturesque falls.
Tom's sister Deb from CA & her friend Steve from MN were impressed with the beauty, color and cleanliness of this park. The $2 entrance fee pp was so worth it.

Camping the Rainbow Springs State Park campground has been wonderful. Friendly staff, clean bathrooms, spotless campsites. Inexpensive rental of canoes or kayaks at $25 per day makes the paddle two Rainbow Springs head waters especially enjoyable. The river is aqua blue and Crystal Clear. Local ordinances protected from trash and debris.

Spectacular!!! a magical place, the perfect stimulus for the 4 senses (smell, sight, touch, hearing), a true pleasure

The views of the lake are spectacular, the walkways are quite nice and while our memories were of a day when it was all working so well, it was still beautiful to spend an afternoon walking this park.

I have been coming to this place since childhood. I take my children as well. This historical park is a gem of the state. Rainbow River State Park is not only fun and full of wildlife, but calming, centering and refreshing. The ancient waters that come up from underground rivers deep from within the watershed on the east side of the Appalachians have long been heralded as healing. The water is 72 degrees all year. So many activities to choose from, near by camping. If you wanna experience the REAL Florida this is ideal.

I am obsessed with this river. I have kayaked on it dozens of times now, and it is stunning and awe-inspiring every time. If you like nature and kayaking, this is the spot. If you like snorkeling and swimming, this is the spot. Its a hidden oasis full of turtles! There are so many turtles...and the snake birds and cormorants swimming around you eating fish...it's just perfect. Come in the winter and enjoy the serenity.

Short visit in the morning. Jumped straight in to the water which is warm all year around. Lots of nice short trails for walking

small but beautiful. Dogs are allowed when on a leash. the springs swimming area is 72 degrees all year long. You can rent kayaks or go tubing

Just expecting a spot to take a quick dip and a stroll to a small waterfall, I was very pleased with my visit. The price was right and the grounds were more extensive than I had anticipated.
Although, please be careful if you go for a walk. There are yellow painted bumps, which can be quite slippery. Perhaps rain or sprinklers had dampened the grounds prior... In any event, I took a spill. If you are at increased risk for fractures or bleeding, I hope you'll be cautious.

For just $2.00 per person, you and your group or family can have a wonderful day in a tranquil, peaceful setting. The springs are crystal clear and the trails are quiet and stress-relieving. Bring your cooler with lunch and drinks and have a picnic at one of the many picnic tables provided or on the gently sloping lawn near the springs.

What a wonderful park. Paved walking paths and very well kept. Was not busy today but I'm sure it is on hot days with the beautiful spring for swimming. They rent kayaks and canoes. Admission is only $2 and well worth it.

If it were possible to give zero stars, I would have. We had no idea the swimming area closed at 4:30. We arrived at the park entrance at 4:10 and rushed in, but just as soon as we got into the water, the guard banned swimming… at 4:15. There was no sign at the entrance, even though we mentioned we were coming for the river. Beautiful place, yes, but we wasted 5 dollars and a 45-minutes-drive. Yay !

This is the tail hole of Florida State Parks. An alkaline field of Spanish needle weeds, dog fennel and lime rock dust. The springs are several miles away by car. There is access to the river from the RV park via a long, long walk. No driving down there, oh no, that would have been benevolent. Prepare to be unimpressed.

This place exceeded all expectations
We got there early on a Saturday morning and decided to tube down the river first
It was breathtaking and beautiful and so relaxing.....just floating down the river for 2 hours
After we went to park to check out the springs!! Double amazing
The line was very long around noon but we stuck it out and we're not disappointed
The springs area is amazing
The water is chilly but so refreshing
Walk along the trails to see the beautiful water falls
Pack a cooler, spend the day relaxing
We will definitely go back!!! Just beautiful!!

So grateful for those folks that had the foresight to preserve this lovely park! We loved seeing the waterfalls and the blooming azalea. The weather was gorgeous in January with a perfect temperature for walking! There are some hills and uneven walkways but still easy to navigate. Plenty of parking, very clean bathrooms and changing rooms for the swimmers/kayakers. Incredibly peaceful as there were few people on a cool January morning; well worth the $2 per person admission price. I loved seeing the old amusement park map and wish I could have seen the park "back in the day"!!

This is an awesome park. You can see why this was such a major Florida tourist attraction back in the day. There is plenty of parking and it's only $2 each to enter the park. The park is very clean and well maintained.

Absolutely beautiful. The water is clear and crisp. I think the temp was like 72. Tubing, boats, pontoons, kayaking, paddle boards, up and down this gorgeous river. The wildlife shared the river with us and we had such a good time. I saw a piece of Florida I hadn't seen before. We camped for 4 days and are planning another trip there next year. What a way to start the summer off.

The water is amazingly clear and cool (72 degrees year round). This was a perfect way to stay cool on a hot summer day.
There is a tram that takes you to a drop off point and you float back to the park landing. Total trip was about 2 hrs or a little less.
Other than the drop off, it's pretty much self serve. You pick up your tube and float to the end. There was a guy there to assist with getting you out of the water, but he was not the friendliest person. Then you carry your tube to a rack, put it in the rack and you're done. For a longer day on the river I would suggest kayaking or paddle boarding the river.
The tubbing fee of $24 includes entrance to the Rainbow Springs State Park as well. There are two separate entrances, one for tubing and one for the park.
This is a fun, relaxing activity and I would do it again.

Way too many people swimming so that you are not really able to enjoy the springs and the beautiful clear and fresh water. The park nearby had his best years longtime ago. For a state park I would have expected more nature and less concrete.
Try to find a day where no people are there - then you have a good chance to enjoy the perfect water...

We've been to dozens of springs and were very disappointed because we've heard so many great things about this beautiful spring. It looks like so many other springs, but at this spring, you can only swim in a tiny area. Tip: If you do come to swim, bring pool noodles and life jackets. The area for swimming is 6+ feet deep. The spring has areas that are more shallow, but you're not allowed to enter them. They have a small area roped off and that's the only place you can swim in. I don't know anyone who enjoys spending long amounts of time in water when you can't touch the bottom and you're not allowed to bring an innertube. * Yes, they have some manmade waterfalls, and yes, they look manmade. Those are roped off as well. You can view them. from a distance. * We did enjoy seeing fish and turtles.

The spring itself is beautiful, but if you're looking to snorkel or swim be prepared to be roped into a small area the size of a swimming pool and have tons of people around you. The area is beautiful, there's no argument there. The problem is that they force you to swim/snorkel in a roped-in area that is roughly the size of an olympic swimming pool. We went in August which is off-season and it was still crowded in the "pool". We were hoping to snorkel and see fish and turtles, but with all those people in there, there weren't any wildlife to be seen. If they didn't confine you to just a small space, I would highly recommend this place, but because they do, I wouldn't ever go back there.

was told there are no waterfalls in Florida not true this beautiful park has a few and just walking around is so relaxing get a chance to visit you will love it

We visited this place on a day only very few visitors showed up so we had the swimming area for us alone!
Crystal clear water, you can various fishes and turtles. It is like swimming in a fresh water aquarium!

We’re Tampa locals and this spot is one of our faves to steal away to and get a break from the busy beaches and traffic. Perfect for families with small to older children. Truly unique and the colors of the water is like a jewel. No better place to cool off! Tube, kayak, float, swim, snorkel...

Plenty of trails to walk, crystal clear springs to swim, kayak, tube & canoe. Attended the Cracker Festival, was a real good time with great vendors, and excellent Blue Grass music. Lots of flowers and water falls to see as well as wildlife. Well worth the modest admission price.

$2 per person is very reasonable. The swimming area is on the smaller side, but adequate for the day we went.
Lots of shade for those not swimming

Worth every bit of $5. Nice pathways and beautiful spring. Not a real big area for swimming, but it was beautiful. Waterfalls are man-made, but are easily walked to. Nice history preserved. Walking trails were great until came across a snake (have major phobia), but then we are in nature. The azalea bushes were at their final bloom but still beautiful everywhere we walked.

This park was very nice and clean. It's very big. Parking areas are big and not too far from where you walk up to pay. Very inexpensive. Bring coolers, tents for shelter from sun,
and a portable grill and food and drinks etc. to have a better time. No alcohol. Swimming area is big, but you only can go where it's roped off. No hanging on ropes, they enforce this. Snorkeling with mask,goggles, and flippers/fins allowed in swimming area. More important, it's kind of cold, 72 degrees. You can access by stairs, but just jump in, you're used to it in 1 minute. I highly advise fins on your feet. You get tired, and it's 6 feet deep as soon as you step or jump off. Floaties and life jackets for kids is a must for those little ones as far as I'm concerned, but not required. Bring a noodle! No inflatables allowed. Bathrooms and a small concession with hot dogs and a few snacks and drinks is available at cheap prices. Gift shop with many items as well. There are trails and kayak and canoe rentals. Bring your own kayak, it's $16.00 hr. to rent. But, we did rent a one man and a two man kayak for one hour, and that was enough. You can swim further down if you want, the water is really clear and quite pretty. Keep an eye on your things, no lockers, but when renting things, they put your things in a bin behind the desk and watch them for you. Excellent price for a day trip, lots of people there.

Covid 19 restrictions cause the park to fill up early, cost $2 per person. The springs feeds the Rainbow river & Withlacoachee River. You can swim, canoe, facilities, small animals, beautiful flora and fauna.

Absolutely beautiful.. 5 stars isn't enough to rate this location. Super clear waters, clean, easy hike to water. We had a really good time visiting the park and river. We rented kayaks. Water so clear you can see all the way to the bottom and the fish.

What a beautiful place to go for a walk and have a picnic. There is also a place to swim and to go kayaking.

The beautiful colors and clear sweet water surrounding this natural reserve makes this one of the best experiences one could have in nature. There is plenty to do, from enjoying a leisurely walk to the waterfalls and gardens, tubing or swimming in the freshwater headsprings of the Rainbow River. There are canoes and kayaks for rent and a picnic area with grills. It is known that people have been coming to this beautiful spring for thousands of years yet it retains its magic and secret paradise-like atmosphere. You can camp! We stayed here two nights and the grounds are great, you have an outlet and water access right on your camp and bathroom, showers and laundry facilities easily accessible, they also have wood for sale and yes there is a grill on each camp as well!. Rainbow Springs, It is the fourth largest spring in Florida, one that combines a wide variety of activities for every age. Bring your snorkel because it’s otherworldly down there.

Lovely little spot off the beaten path. We went on a Thursday and enjoyed mild crowds. The waters were crystal clear and cool on a hot day. We rented kayaks for a hour, which was plenty to see the area and get a good workout in. It was very serene. The swimming area is very deep, so there wasn’t a spot to just hangout in the water. The trails were a nice walk through the nature of the area. The card machine was down at the time, so they were cash only and the gift shop was closed. Overall, an enjoyable experience.

Went there on sunday. Get there early as with all springs, they reach capacity early morning. $2 to get in for such a great place is surreal. The manmade water falls are cool, and old structures of the old 30's Florida holiday place is works seeing.

We took my granddaughter Keri (from Wisconsin) to see this lovely park. Being that she lives in 'snow country'...it was an added treat for her this time of year. She loved the blue-green water and said "I want to come back this summer and swim in that water". The park is clean, well laid out, with a variety of azaleas blooming to enhance its beauty.
Also, the gift shop has reasonably priced items to choose from

Stopped here while traveling past.

Small entry fee is $2 for some impressive scenery and nice walks.

We weren't offered a map when we paid so had to go back and ask for one. I'm glad we did as some of the signage is quite confusing, especially if you do the walking trails.

There are restrooms, cafe and a shop as well as some pretty waterfalls.

I would definitely recommend stopping here as the scenery is so nice and it's a great way to spend a few hours walking.

Wow the water was crystal clear and so beautiful! The water falls are few but very pretty to look at. They do offer kayaks and Canoes to rent. There was people snorkeling, I am sure they were able to see lots. We could see fish and turtles swimming. You could see the water bubbling up from the springs on the bottom of the water beds.

The park had already reached capacity by 9:30 on a Saturday morning. Moreover, judging by the amount of people waiting in parked cars outside the entrance, it had been closed for some time. I recommend being there when the park opens if going on a weekend. The tubing entrance is different from the park entrance and the signage is terrible.

These springs are gorgeous and a must see. Temp. always remains at 72 degrees. You can snorkel or diver over the aquifer which is amazing.

I hate to share this campsite as I wish it could be a secret! Excellent sites, lots of trails to hike and bike and perfect kayaking

We were originally going to visit a different spring but read a lot of reviews about it being over crowded and a party scene. So we decided to go to rainbow springs and ended up having an amazing time. The water is beautiful. And we were really able to enjoy it and snorkel and take a canoe ride. Due to covid they close for the day after max capacity is reached so you should get there early. We arrived about 20 min before they opened on a Saturday and made it in.

The water was the most clear water I’ve ever seen. Fun fact, the water stays at a constant 72 degrees, so you could go anytime during the year and swim, and the water would be perfect. You can also go kayaking and there is an area specifically for having a fire or laying out on a beach towel. There are a couple of pretty waterfalls as well. Just a beautiful park with plenty to see and do. One more awesome thing is that the admission is very cheap! Definitely a must-do if you are in the area!

I’ve lived in Florida since I was two. I wish I found this place sooner. It is a must see spring. Rainbow Springs State Park is quiet and peaceful. We saw otters and al types of birds on our tube float from the campground to the pick up. There was even a baby gator who acted like he didn’t care we were there. My entire family bought tubes (you can rent them too) and went on a four hour float from the campsite to the local pick up spot. It was gorgeous and relaxing. The spring head not only had a place to picnic and cookout but they had a couple of waterfalls and a beautiful trail to walk. They have a fun concession if you want to buy food. The smell of the jasmine and all the other trees and flowers within the park was breathtaking. I highly recommend this for a family vacation.

Very nice park. Water was beautiful. Great place for a hike or romantic picnic. Have cash to pay $2.00 admission.

This drift was a portion of my scuba open water certification process. The water is spring fed and was very clear. In several sections you could see the springs flowing from the earth at a constant 70 plus degrees. The small spots looked as if the river bed of sand was bubbling. There were fish and lots of flowing plant life. At the deepest point, it was about 21 feet. It was worth the cost to complete this dive.

Our family had a great time playing in the swimming area and walking around to see the waterfalls and azaleas! A great spot!

One large swimming hole, one smaller one for little kids. Enjoyed the man-made waterfalls and zoo remnants from when the property was privately owned in the 30’s. Didn’t get to see the old barn, was closed off from public. Nice day trip for kids to see and experience a natural spring but nothing to write home about.

This place is absolutely beautiful! The spring is crystal clear and the setting is stunning! You can swim and kayak too.

We have been coming here for 5 years. It’s amazing crystal clear sparkling water. Theres a dock everyone uses to either lay out on or for jumping into the springs. Warning it’s deep so be prepared with the right gear for little ones. Noodles! They don’t allow inner tubs in the swim area. Gators they could show up but it’s not the right temp for them. I have never personally seen one there myself. But have notice photos taken I’ve seen online. This park is super clean with a nice bathroom area. Campground With showers and a laundry area. You can rent tubs our kayaks or bring your own to the park. They have picnic areas waterfalls walking trails and a butterfly butterfly garden. Dogs are allowed and also at the camp grounds. Bring a camera it’s beautiful! Side note there is even a rope off area for the tiny ones to take a dip. Durn certain times of the year they offer shuttle service for the tubers. Oh last thing I can think of snakes spiders gators AKA wildlife & annoying mosquitoes ants its there just be cautious alert! It’s wild Fl not a theme park. Have Fun my family sure does:)

My loved one and I were guided by a most amazing guide, Sam Winfree. He was knowledgeable, historically accurate, informative about nature, history, wildlife, had a great sense of humor, included everyone and knew all about the nature of kayaking in Florida. Incredible Guide, made our day!
My sweetie is from China, so this was a special day for her as she has never seen anything like this. The Rainbow Springs are stunning, our new favorite and inspired us to purchase Stand Up Paddleboards for our next visit.
All around, a fabulous day.

this is an easy to get to lovely state park We visited mid-week and only visited a small part of the park There were no facilities open when we visited

Great place, natural nature, the kids like it very much
The facilities are very good and the area is clean

We spent the day at beautiful Rainbow Springs State Park today. The 'peak' of the azaleas is almost over for this year but there's still the tranquil blue/green water to photograph and many flowers left to enjoy. The price to get in ($2 per adult) is minimal for the benefit of all there is to see and experience. Beauty, joy, Mother Nature's wonders.

We have stayed here several times and always have nothing but very positive things to say about this park.It is always has very clean facilities,camp sites, and clean ,quiet

We were in the area to kayak the Rainbow River. However, the weather was really nasty so we visited the state park instead. It was absolutely beautiful. The springs are gorgeous of course, but the entire park was beautiful. There were several waterfalls as well.I would really like to return and visit in the Spring when things are blooming. We took our dog and the nice lady at the admissions window gave her a treat. The gift shop was also nice. We already have plans to return to kayak the river soon. Do not miss this if you are in the area.

If camping at Loop A, you may want to bring an air conditioner. When I was there the electric was out for 8 hours in the middle of a 90 degree day. Most Loop A sites are not shaded and it can be hot. I was really surprised when I went to take a shower and noticed the bathrooms in disarray. See photos.
The better showers are in the other loops.

Love.y park and facilities. The springs were beautiful, however, please be aware that it is 6ft. deep with no areas within the swimming area to stand. No rafts allowed, only noodles. Suggest water wings or life vest to float as you can get tired from wading water all of the time. There is a snack bar, kayak-canoe-water board rental. for an additional charge. You can even tube down the Rainbow River. Only $2.00 per person to get into the park and swim and hike the various trails.

This park is reasonably priced to visit at $2 per person, the grounds are impeccable, there are flowers blooming everywhere, the falls are crystal clear and offer great photo ops, the blue-green water at the swimming area and the river itself is supreme plus ample free parking.
The varied azaleas are blooming with lots of buds yet to open. The Camellia are beautiful and enjoyable to see.
Rainbow Springs State Park is.....Delightful. What an awesome experience under Florida's blue, blue sky.

Definitely go early! Tubing entrance is not at main entrance you travel about another 8 miles around to backside of park! It is pretty cheap and a leisurely sit in the tube and float for a few miles. Do not bring plastic water bottles with you, not allowed. Lots of sunblock and go before summer afternoon storms hit. Beautiful place of cool water and one with nature! Lots of birds in water, turtles on dead trees sunning and otters playing a few manatees but hard to see them.

Beautiful, serene and breathtaking park. We all loved it! The park was amazing and pool was 72 degrees but tolerable. We did kayaking about 1 hour trip. A true nature experience.

Very beautiful park but if you are going with children under 5 beware they can’t go on tubes. This isn’t noted on their website and they told us when we got there (major disappointment). We instead went to state park main entrance and had the kids swim and we walked the trails. Left by 1pm when a ton of people were coming in.

Great fun and very relaxing. First time for us but we really enjoyed it. Will take grandkids next time.

It was a great relaxing day. Everyone was very helpful to help direct us. I would recommend water shoes, spraying with sunblock before you go out, bring a large drinking container for whatever beverage you like (cannot bring anything that may potentially be thrown in the water) and waterproof phone holder. The water is cold but feels good cause the sun is beating down on you!! Will definitely come back. We got here at noon and had no trouble getting a raft right away and onto the tram. It was $22/ person and a 10 sec form had to be filled out prior.

We go to this State Park about 6times a year and always enjoy it the walk around is very pretty and very relaxing

Born and raised in Florida, but had never been to this beautiful park before. So glad we decided to visit during the week, it was quite empty. Lots of shady walkways down by the gorgeous springs. It was a zoo back in the 40's I think it said, so the animal compounds are still there. I'm sure it was a pretty cool tourist attraction back in the day, but Silver Springs in Ocala, or Weeki Wachie Springs with live mermaids probably couldn't compete. It was a simple park, but very enjoyable. Bring your suit for a swim in the cold refreshing, crystal clear spring water, there are nice, new changing rooms and restrooms on site. $2.00 entry fee, but so worth it! Bring a swim noodle, or buy one there at the gift shop for $3.00. No plastic around the springs, no swim rings, or rafts or floats allowed. Keep the springs clean for generations to enjoy!

Swimming in crystal clear waters, renting a canoe or kayak are the top features. Man-made waterfalls pretty. Hiking trails could be better marked.

Ok, we didn’t take the tram or bike over to the spring head during our short stay … we just did a one night stay with our dog … but the camp site area is one of the best I’ve seen … the sites are large, have 30/50 amp power, water hook-ups, fire rings and grills … we had site 009 which was large and private and it had it’s own waste hook-up … the bathrooms were super clean!

Florida State Parks are beautiful, and this one is especially so … there are a couple of trails right in the camping area that are short (30 minute walk) but well maintained and take you through palmetto and live oaks … the Rainbow River is a short 10 minute walk … the park has kayak / canoe rentals at the camp grounds …

The park rangers were great … and sold me wood as late as 8PM …

I'd give this park 5 Stars for the grounds, camp sites, trails and sheer beauty ... there was nothing I would complain about … and we’ll be back again in our RV when we can stay more than one night to explore the entire park.

The swimming area was one big box.. flat bottom, nothing to really see. I guess getting wet in clear water is enough for some. However, the kayaking rental was reasonable and able to see several birds, fish, and turtles. Not a river through the woods though. Very residential on one side, and woods in the other. Kinda odd considering.

It was our first visit to the park. I’ve seen pictures so I was looking forward to seeing the park. We stayed at the campground which was a few miles down the road. I didn’t realize when I booked that they were separate, but that was ok. The springs are beautiful. We rented a kayak at the campground and kayaked up river to the spring head. There is no shallow part for the kids at the springs so I would not recommend for kids that can’t swim. The park was really pretty. We loved the nature trails and the butterfly garden. We wanted to see the waterfalls but only one was working. The main waterfalls were not working and appear to have been down for a few years. Lots of weeds and looks like lots of run down areas. There is no zoo, even though there are signs. Just weeds. Overall it was still really beautiful but the park does need some tlc. Would love to see all the waterfalls up and running.

I went there to look around. I was not as impressed as the other spring heads I have visited. I saw some bird wild life there. No alligators or snakes. I am an armature herpetologist.

I’ve lived her for several years and I had never been here. Wow I loved it. We got an annual pass. It was such a beautiful place. Crystal clear spring pool to swim in, kayaking, walking and seeing so much vegetation and waterfalls. It was so beautiful. A must see.

Alcohol policy is weak, cant take beer. The charter service ends at 145. Got to get to park before 12 noon. Bring quarters to blow up your raft if need be. Park rangers are dousche bags. Ginnie Springs is better!

It's been years but still have fond memories of snorkeling here. It is some what deep and the water is very clear. Lots of fresh water plant life with fish and turtles every where. We arrived by boat and moored with many other boats and then swam to the spring area. Last visit 1992.

Very scenic park. Waterfalls and flowers are very pretty. Easy to get around. Accessible for scooters. Pets are welcome. Lots of parking available.

We stayed here overnight & primitive camped. Area is nice & clean, has full hook ups with shower house.
They offer tubing & kayak trips. The springs are beautiful & we took a refreshing dip in them after we set up tent.
I would love to visit here again.

We had a great time tuning! Everything was super organized. It rained the entire time we floated, but hey that’s Florida for ya!

We drove 2.5 hours to get to the springs, not knowing there was not a beach area or an area to walk into the water.

The store did not open until 11, and our kids are not the strongest swimmers, especially if they can not touch the bottom. We didn't bring any noodles, and since tubes are not allowed in the swimming area, we couldn't use those.

The swimming area is very small and only 2 ladders to get onto the dock. People were very pushy and there is no lifeguard.

Rainbow springs in Dunnellon, Florida
Is a beautiful springs with walking blacktop trails, man made waterfalls on trails, swimming area in the springs, however is deep with no shallow parts. There is also kayak rental available and is highly recommended! The kayak experience is relaxing and has very clear, deep and beautiful spots to stop and take it all in!
Rainbow springs also has two days in February where they have crafters come in and set up booths and activities for the entire family to take part in...the dates this year are February 22 and 22...😊

We stayed at the campground! It was very nice and well kept. The state park where the Spring is was amazing! For only two dollars per person you get to walk through many trails and see the springs itself! It is beautiful there! I recommend everyone in the area to go and visit.

This is a beautiful place to swim. It has a roped off area for swimming. There are not any places that are shallow in the swimming area, just FYI for young children. Nice walk to the water fall.

Perfect day at the Springs headwaters. If you are in the area this is such a fun way to spend the afternoon. The springs swimming area allows noodles but do not allow any other floats. You can bring food and also grill out while in the park. Several pavilions are available, but you need to arrive early to stake a claim. There is a kayak, canoe, and paddle board rental area which is reasonably priced and you can rent either hourly or all day. We did an hour and were pretty tired by the time we returned. You can also jump out in the river while cruising around. Restrooms are clean and located in several places. You can also follow a small trail to a waterfall area which is a nice walk around the springs. There is a small entrance fee of $2.00 per person and parking is free.

This park is layed out terrible. It is a long walk from the parking lot to the pay booth. Then another long walk to a picnic area. There was not much to see in the park the day we went. Unfortunately the plants had all frozen and were dead. Only one waterfall had any water. The only nice thing was the swim area…but again it is a long walk back and forth to the parking lot. Not able to carry much in. The swim area is deep, no beach, so not that great for little kids. Very pretty and clear water, but not much to see while snorkeling. The official state park page says $5 a vehicle, but we were charged $2 a person, making it $8 a vehicle for us. Definitely not worth it! There were rangers standing around the money collection area, but the visitor center, shop, and concessions were all closed. I thought it was ridiculous to charge so much when nothing was opened and there was nothing to see…

This place is absolutely stunning very beautiful. great place for site seeing kayaking, paddle boarding water sports oh yeah

This park is located about 1 hour 40 minutes drive from Orlando. We think is one of the best that we have ever been. The deep cold water is indescribable in another words is “amazing”. The entree fee is 2 bucks per person and free plenty parking, plus you can kayak in their river. The only think that I was disappointed is that some people brought alcohol and were smoking cigarettes that bother us a lot. May be we saw two personal staff to watch the whole area. If you are reading this and smoke or drink: “Don’t bring your vices at this wonderful place that Mother Nature gave us” Be consider with others. Thanks

it was a good park to be at with the kids and the family. We took the dog, as long as he’s on a leash it was OK. we went canoeing, that was a lot of fun to do with the kids, the river was extremely clear and nice. So many fish that I normally don’t see it down here in South Florida so it’s cool to see new species of fish in the water. The staff was very good at controlling the amount of people in the park. Unfortunately the waterfalls were mostly Off but at least the one that was there working was very nice and nature trail was good. I saw some wildlife and butterflies. The swimming area was awesome, the kids enjoyed theirselves and you could swim down and look at the springs under the water. All in all it was a good experience and we enjoyed ourselves and felt relatively safe compared to most places where there might be a much bigger crowd especially at this time. Sounds like Aarons

Beautiful clear water with a hour and a half tube. Saw several water fowl with a few turtles. Peaceful if you get there early. Avoid the crowds!

Went to a reunion of our northern state of Vermonters who were spending the winters in the area. Sadly it was raining pretty hard so used the large shelter for our meal and with a 100 or so people not much room to move around and visit due to all the tables and chairs being set up, but can imagine on a warm sunny day we could have all been outdoors in the sun. Took a walk around the falls which were smaller than I expected but very pretty. Lots of pretty flowers and ferns that were well taken care of. It was a long way from the parking lot to the entrance so a bit hard for some of those folks who could not walk so well. Would be a fun place to see on a warm day with all the tubing and swimmers.

Though we walked around the spring and paved area, we chose to go on a hike. We went the yellow trail. Was a beautiful hike with varied scenery. Not a hard hike at all with level terrain...though it is a dirt trail. Well marked. We saw deer twice. Definitely worth it. All total from entrance it was just over 3 miles.

Such a huge body of water, yet the buoyed off swimming are is tiny. Nothing really to see in the water as well. It gives “overcrowded waterpark” vibes 😅

The most beautiful and amazing park I have ever seen! You can swim in the crystal blue water and on a super hot day it really cools your skin. And yes I have seen alligators in the water....but you are in Florida. Great place for a picnic too.

My wife and I spent a couple of hours at Rainbow Springs on the way to Orlando. We went swimming in the spring for a while. They have an excellent floating platform to access the spring. The water was 72 which was nippy on a 94 degree day. It was extremely refreshing and enjoyable. We took a walk through the forest above the spring and enjoyed the man-made waterfalls and gorgeous scenery. There is also a gift shop which helped us purchase some things we forgot. The cafe also offers some basic fare as well at reasonable prices. It is a must-visit spot in the Central Florida area.

We had a great time. The staff was friendly. The website was helpful but I picked up extra tips here. First, arrive early. Try to go on a weekday. We wore water shoes. We brought a try sack to carry wallet, keys, etc. we wore hats and insect repellant. The ride takes you by the nature park on one side and some houses on the other side. We saw otter, turtle and lots of birds including a beautiful hawk.

Good place for the family to spend the day. The river is fun, there's plenty of free parking and it's a safe clean environment.

We went to swim in the spring. The water and landscape are beautiful, that was the only positive for us. The swimming area is not very big and was crowded. The water is cold and it was difficult to "work your way in" because it was so crowded. We went on a Saturday. I likely will not return. If I do, I would try for a weekday.

My family decided to go kayaking up and down the river instead of tubing we figured that it would be more fun and it was, the kids (6, 9 and 16) jumped in the water which was really refreshing with temperatures reaching 100+. The water is supposed to be 72 degrees and I believe it was it felt supper cold at first but you get used to it. The designated swimming are is pretty big and the best way to get in the water is to jump in, don’t think about it so much! The small noodles from Walmart can hardly hold you up in the water you need 2 per person to be able to really float. The bathrooms were clean and they have changing room which is nice and clean.

Rainbow Springs State Park was a great place for three of us to go kayaking for a couple of hours. It costs $2 per person to get into the park. There is a swimming area, waterfalls, kayaking launch, picnic areas, gift shop and walking trails. My wife, brother in law, and I rented some kayaks for a few hours and got to go up and down the beautiful, crystal clear river. It was a great way to spend an afternoon in the state park.

It is a beautiful place to take a look at nature, swimming and kayaking whit your family. it is worth to be visited

Great place for beginner divers. Getting a little on the expensive side for divers. With what they charge we should get front parking

Just as beautiful in person as it looks in photos. We had a lot of fun walking the trail-several beautiful little waterfalls. We went on a Friday in the summer. We arrive around 10 am and when we left around 2 it had gotten increasingly crowded (though still would have been worth it).

I’ll reiterate: bring pool noodles and don’t bring other floats. We saw many people walking floats back to their car. Noodles are important to relax and enjoy because the water is deep.

My two year old found the water far too cold. My 7 and 9 year olds enjoyed it in short spurts and my 11 and 12 year olds stayed in for quite sometime.

If you keep walking passed the dock where everyone is getting in, you will find a more shallow area where kids could have more fun. Unfortunately the area was packed with adults but I imagine it’s nice during the off season.

Finally, we talked to some people who rented kayaks and they said it was enjoyable but they didn’t see anything interesting to note due to the time of year.

Park Ranger was funny. Gift shop gal pointed us to amazing/reasonable meal at The Blue Gator. Families all around. Nice big concrete pads.

Our family of 5 had a great time tubing down the river. The ride takes about 2 and as long as everyones over 5 yrs old you can all go. For about 20$ a person definitely something fun to do.

Visited this Spring the weekend of Presidents’ Day. It was beyond gorgeous and the water is crystal clear. They have a few paths you can walk along and beautiful landscaping. The swimming area that was rolled off was a little small and in the summer I’m sure it’s packed. There was about 60 people in the swimming area and it seemed a bit crowded. The water is FREEZING!!!!! The temperature was 84 outside when we visited and my kids couldn’t be in the water more than a few minutes at a time.

Great place to launch a kayak on the Rainbow River. $5 fee to launch. The River is beautiful...saw turtles, an alligator, annhinga, cormorants, and lots of pretty houses along the shore.

If you enjoy a clean park with nice separation between sites, great fishing and Kayaking you will love it here. I have caught as many as 30 bass there in a single day. Kayaking is great. Wilderness on one side and homes on the other side, water crystal clear, current minimum. They also offer canoe and kayak rentals for very reasonable rates and the tubing consession is excellent. The only negative is you have to transport your kayak from your campsite to the water which is around 300yds.. They do have carriers available to use. A great park

They have a very friendly grew - Very helpful. Beautiful waterfalls, a swilling area with spring fed water -- But what I like the most is my 3 dogs are welcome.

What a gem for a $2 admission fee! Walking, photo ops, swimming, kayaking, sunbathing, picnics...this is just generally a feel-good place to visit! February is especially pretty with all the azaleas blooming.

I guess I needed to do more research on this place before going. The information on their website is extremely limited. First, I didn’t know the park had different locations for tubing and swimming. However, when you drive up to either location, there are tons of signs around the entrances saying tubing is at one spot and swimming is another. If you’re spamming your own entrances with these signs, then perhaps you need to put it on your website as well. So, my family ended up at the tubing spot first, which was fun. Again, more info on the process would be great. We didn’t know where the takeout was or if we took the tram before tubing or after tubing. They didn’t have lockers. You had to leave your car keys at the gift shop. None of this was a major issue, but again, to know all this beforehand would have been great. Other tubing places have offered tandem rope for free so you can stay connected with your group. Didn’t get that here. The run was fun, the water is beautiful, and it’s a very relaxing ride. Didn’t care for the people that brought waterproof speakers and had their music blasting for all to hear, so we just slowed down and let them pass. We were on the river for about 1.5 hours. Then we tried to go to the swimming area, which is 20 minutes away (again, no info given about this except for the physical signs plastered all over the entrance). We knew with it being a holiday weekend and close to noon time that our chances of getting into the springs was slim. By 11, the park had reached capacity. I knew before going that this was an issue, which is why we got up early, but I thought everything was at the same location! I thought we’d be bussed to a tubing put in from this spot. So needless to say my kids were in tears because we couldn’t go swimming. We’re going to try again late this afternoon and worse comes to worse, if the park is still at capacity, we’ll go tomorrow morning before we drive home. I pride myself on being a good trip planner. I read reviews, the websites, any piece of info I can get on a place that I’ve never been to and NOT A SINGLE THING was mentioned about the two different locations. If you have signs all over your entrances, then obviously this is a common problem, that people drive up to one spot expecting one thing and then discover they’re in the wrong place. So put it on your website! For tubing, all they say is we offer tubes and you can cruise down the river. No mention of having to go to a different location. If I had known this beforehand, we would have done swimming at the headsprings first and then gone tubing later in the day, that way we would have beat the crowds before the park filled up. I hope this review helps other families avoid this issue. If you want tubing go to this address:

10830 SW 180th Avenue Rd
Dunnellon, FL 34432
United States

If you want swimming, go to this address:

19158 S.W. 81st Place Rd
Dunnellon, FL 34432
United States

I recommend doing the swimming location first before it fills up and then go tubing. Hopefully, my family will be able to do the swimming part later. I hope this review is helpful to others who haven’t been here before because this is info that I wish I had had before going. Update the website!!!!!

Pretty place to spend time walking the trails and watching those who swim. There is lots to do here. Bring a picnic lunch.

We had a group of 7, so we brought our own rafts. The parks still charged $20 per person to go tubing. We ended up trying to come out of the place near swampt's which was all about the money. After a $7/ person transfer fee, then $10/ person into KP country park, then another $15 for tube rentals because we were told our 2 person tubes were too big....even though there were plenty out there. We went broke, and our disabled veteran state park pass did. Nothing to save us from a bunch of scam artist rednecks. The actual river could have been lovely, but its crowded with plenty of people smoking, drinking, or diesel boats driving by. Welcome to swamp people. I will gladly drive the extra distance for Ichetuckness in the future and leave Dunnellon to the drunks and scammers. Very disappointed. And swampy's was a dump. The rental place next to it was worse...save your fee for their shuttle because they cant even get their van to start.

Lived in FL for 30yrs and NEVER knew of this place...shameful!! This was an amazing day - my mom and I found a trail to stroll. The weather today was perfection, too. We highly recommend this area and perhaps next visit we can kayak (?)

Wonderful experience! My husband and I visited many years ago and hiked around and it was great for that then. This time we brought our kids (ages almost 8 and 9) to swim in the (cold) springs and kayak.

We went at 9am on an August morning and the water was freezing. Of course, once you get in, it's fine. There's not much to do in the swimming hole besides swim/play/tread, so we bought some pool noodles at the gift shop (opens at 11am FYI) and that helped.

We paid for two 2-person kayaks - first time we took our kids. We went for an hour and saw a river otter almost right away! Also tons of anhingas and turtles. I was pleasantly surprised that the beautiful nature ride kept the girls entertained for an hour. It was so lovely! Highly recommend!!

DO NOT MISS THIS!!! One of the best things I’ve ever done. The water stays 72 degrees year round and it was sooo nice! We went to swim in the head spring and wow oh wow was it magical. The water was 10 feet deep, so I suggest bringing a noodle. It was only $2 to swim and it was worth every penny. The gift shop was great and priced really well. The bathrooms were clean! Just all around a great place. I did hear that they close the gate when they reach max capacity, so get there early in the day! Cannot wait to get back.

We visited the park on a whim and was truly blown away. The water is breathtaking, and the overall access to the park is amazing. You do have a bit of a hike to the actually swimming area so if you have difficulties walking keep that in mind. The actual admission was $2.00 per person so it was really affordable. The waterfalls are really peaceful and the grassy area where the zoo use to be is a great shaded place for a picnic lunch.

While there we did rent a canoe which was awesome the staff there was super friendly and willing to hold you belongings. Just keep in mind you can't bring drinks or food out with you so hydra before going.

All in all it was a fantastic park that we plan on visiting again.

Nice swimming area - incredibly clear water. No shallow wading area. Walking trails are nice. Butterfly habitat area was ripped up with a sign saying being restored (Feb 2020).

The Most beautiful springs. You have to see it to believe that this really exists.You can swim,there,picnic,and enjoy nature. It is a Park you return to hundreds of times!!!

We have heard about this place for sometime. We heard about tubing and boating.
We did hiking. Down the yellow trail and back the blue. Yes, the blue. The blue trail needs to be marked much better.
The flowers were beautiful this year. We will return.
Hint take yourself $2 each for entry. It is worth it.

park temporarily closed, no reason why. visited day after Thanksgiving, other parks were open.
drove there for nothing, ended up at nearby bridge park towards Dunnellon, whihc made up for the loss in driving there for 30 minutes.

It costs $3.00 to get in per person. There is quite a bit of poking. The trail is about 100m long to get to the gate. Even with the sun not being out you could see it was a gorgeous place.
There is a separate place to go swimming and also a place to rent kayaks or canoes.
There is a short trial that take you around the immediate area where you will see some nice small water falls - very unexpected. I'd say the entire small loop is less than half of a mile.
We also took a longer hike that was likely about 4 miles. I will saw they could do a better job with the trail markers. If two trails are running together both colors are usually shown. That was not the case here. We actually met a couple of other groups of people who had no idea where they were. No real danger of being lost - you may just walk longer than you intended.
The trails are very good in terms of footing. The trail we took - was along the river, but you cannot actually see the river.
I can see how this would be a VERY popular place in the warmer months!

We walked note than an hour on the wide paved trails and soaked in the serenity and beauty of this lovely state park. Camellias and azaleas were already in bloom in mid January. The waterfalls are manmade, but as beautiful as any nature made falls we have seen.

This is a place to which we would enjoy returning in every season. Crystal clear river with bubbling springs feeding it. Birds and fish observed, but no gators!

Beautiful park with large, very well kept campsites and clean facilities. We only stayed one night but two would have been better for more exploring. Great place from which to visit nearby Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens and Devil's Sink Hole.

My husband and I walked the paths to see the waterfalls which were pretty and peaceful. The springs were beautiful! The butterfly garden and areas around the park did seem to be a little neglected which you hate to see but I’m sure it’s due to funding. The people at the kayak rental were nice enough but could use some customer service etiquette for sure.

My husband and I decided to take a trip here after hearing from friends how amazing the river is. We drove three hours to get to Rainbow River State Park and was so excited. I felt devastated when we arrived and found they were limiting capacity due to Covid-19 restrictions, which is understandable, it just wasn't posted on any of the websites. We did a quick loop down the long road past the park and when we got back around, I was amazed that we happened to be pulling up as another car was pulling out. They were doing one in, one out, so we barely made it in. We arrived around noon. I recommend getting there earlier! It's $20 for the tube and experience which was well worth the price!

We waited for a tram that took us up river. The wait was about 15 minutes. The ride was enjoyable!

I left another review on the actual river and how amazing the experience of being on the Rainbow River was. This is for the actual park and our experience there. In short the river is crystal clear and you can see 30 feet down at some points. Everyone must experience it.

I recommend packing light! We brought water bottles, shoes, glasses, snorkeling gear, sunblock- oh my gosh, just way too much junk! As if we were going to be putting more sunblock on as we floated down the river anyways. Bring NOTHING other than your bathing suit. I would leave your shoes in your car.

When we exited the river at the end of our 2 hour journey, there was a really bad current while trying to exit! Be aware. The walk back to the car was beautiful and actually very relaxing. We definitely will go again.

For anything other than tubing, we didn't explore at all so I'm not sure about any other amenities in this park.

Wonderful place to swim and walk a couple nature trails. There are waterfalls along one trail and a butterfly garden at the end!

There is no food allowed down by the swimming - Spring area.
We were there one beautiful morning and some family had entire chairs, refreshments, soda, Kool aide and eating snacks. Really sad seeing food down by the swimming area.
It's posted " NO food Allowed Beyond this point".

Please help keep one of few remaining natural areas from looking like a kitchen!

This is one of the best state parks we have visited.

We stayed at the campground and they are very nice (privacy, full hook- ups, nice trails).

You can also drive to a separate entrance at the headwaters for the Rainbow Springs river. The water at the headwaters was exceptionally clear and they had excellent facilities to swim or kayak in the river. There were also nice paved paths thru the park with 3 waterfalls and lots of greenery. You could either enter the headwaters section of the park by paying $2 or using your campground pass.

Pets are allowed in the park and on trails, just not in the water.

Beautiful water and area, but sad that once popular attractions such as Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs have lost the battle with overpriced places in other parts of Florida. We arrived a little after 8 am when the only other people were swimmers there for the exercise. It was quiet, peaceful and surprisingly hilly so if you're not swimming you can get a work out anyway walking the paved paths which lead to man-made waterfalls, an abandoned zoo area, and butterfly habitat. The gift shop nor snack bar were open the hour that we were there.

We love Rainbow River🌈 we have floated it Dozens of times and since having kids used the state park as a base camp for fun weekends.

Children must be 3 to tube, so the head springs is a great option if you have younger children. There is a shallow kids swimming area in addition to a large deep swim area. You can also rent canoes to paddle our and back which is great with kids.

Snorkeling in the river is so cool, it is crystal clear and you can see a myriad of different fish, turtles & other wildlife.

The head springs park is currently under construction (new bathroom area) so be prepared for some noise if you visit right now!

Rainbow River is a great place to visit with friends, families or a date. Swim, cookout, paddle, whatever you enjoy, just go!!

There are lots of trails to walk on and the various plants are beautiful when they are flowering. There are also waterfalls in the park and you can swim in the spring year round with a water temperature of 72*. There is a gift shop on site. The day i was there the Florida Cracker festival was going on.

At my wifes suggestion, we visited Rainbow Springs State Park. I was surprised that it was only $2.00 per person (Adult) admission fee. We wish ish many other State Parks were like this. The park offers many trails that are concrete and lead to the Springs , Waterfalls, Butterfly Garden, and former Zoo attraction. There is also a small Snack Shop offering Hot Dogs, Burgers and refreshments with covered out door seating, and a Gift Shop. The park is mostly covered with many trees that must be extremely old, tall and offer shade keeping you cool while walking. One can Swim in a roped off area, Kayak, Paddle Board, Picnic or Canoe on the Rainbow River that is crystal clear and 72 degrees year round. There is plenty of parking available but watch for some of the potholes in the roadway. We strolled along the trails taking in the waterfalls, the Flora, and seeing some Fish and Frogs along with many Birds. They Falls are small but offer a tranquil place to just listen to the running water and enjoy the view. Some paths lead to higher viewing areas. We are thrilled that this park is still preserved and undergoing some refurbishment. We highly recommend a visit. I hope you find this review helpful in making your next travel plans.

The river was beautiful and our guide Sara was so helpful and knowledgeable about the area! Perfect!

This place is incredible, it's an absolute must if you're in the area. You can swim in crystal clear water, spotting fish and terrepins/turtles. Once you've had a swim, walk a few minutes along the path and hire a Kayak to explore more of the water. We saw a small alligator further up! But there are patrol boats checking the gators aren't near the swimmers.

Great scenery, beautiful river, be sure and rent glass bottom boat and tour river. River is very clear able to see bottom and many fish throughout entire length of trip.
Wildlife along river banks. Snorkeling and scuba diving also offered. Fishing along river, tubing, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. Clean restrooms offered at KP Docks.

A beautiful area. The state park has lovely paved short walking trails and an amazingly clear river with a swim area. Worth a visit as a stop to stretch or as a day visit. Being everything you need, though, towels, food, maybe bug spray. It has a concession area but for drinks, ice cream only. You will want to get in the water - it beckons you - so bring a suit - or just get wet and use the shaded benches to dry. There are rest rooms, air conditioned souvenir shop, and sitting by concessions. Costs $2 a person to get in. Well worth it even for a 1 hour stretch stop.

Guarantee you'll love this place. From the walking paths to the beautiful waters, don't miss this stop on your trip. Take it from a local!

This place has walking and swimming as well as areas for kids to play. The only thing I do not like is all the people. I'd you want quiet go somewhere else, if you don't care this is a good place for the family to spend the day.

This park has something for everyone... If you want to swim or kayak the park is set up nicely for both. If you want to walk in a lovely, shaded, garden filled with tropical plants on a paved surface with or without your dogs you will enjoy this too. There's also a butterfly garden and other points of interests. Need more walking or hiking - there are three trails of various lengths. Oh, and there are lovely pools and waterfalls. It's only $2 and you can stay all day if you want. Check on the hours of the concession stand or bring a picnic. It's truly a lovely destination.

We only had a couple days when visiting my brother & sister in Ocala. They took us here on the glass bottom boats. It was awesome!
Great for all ages! Our tour guide did a awesome job, we would go back again.
Yummy ice cream to cool you down afterwards too.

We took a group of Isle Brand Ambassadors to the springs for the first time and it was such a great time. This area is full of wildlife and great photo locations and you just might see a small alligator passing by . There is a small fee to launch your own vessel into the water but it is well worth every penny.

Beautiful super clear water. The swimming area is pretty small. We honestly as a couple only stayed an hour. Got there at opening time and no line. Short walk to the water. No floats only noodles are allowed. Bring your snorkel gear, you’ll see some fish.

The Rainbow Springs state park at one was a main Florida location.It has been made into a breath taking place to ralax.The Crystal river ends inside the park.There is also swimming available year round with a spring feed roped off area.The only negative is that is water is a constant 72 degrees,its takes a while to get adjust to the cold water.

Not a lot for those who cant kayak due to impairment You can swim but limited facilities

Shame as the springs are so pretty

We drove two hours to the river first for the 2-hour tubing which was a very leisurely slow experience... there’s no current so you need to swim or pedal. I didn’t like touching the weeds in the water as they were every where. We saw otters, turtles and birds along the way. My kids got bored pretty fast, but there was no way to turning back or getting off. Once you start you need to finish the course, so go prepared. The homes and the scenery were nice and beautiful tho. It is $20 per person for admission, tube rental and the shuttle rides. At the end of the course, it’s a 500ft walk back to the admission/parking lot area. The rainbow spring state park is about 15 min drive from the river and your receipt from the river covers the admission at the spring. I would bring swimming noodles to the spring or buy one there for $3 a piece as the water is deep. The swimming area is nice and clean as shown in the photos. I saw they were building a new bathroom closer to the swimming area. Fun to swim there but it was not worth the two-hour drive for us as we have Kelly Park springs near us.

The place is beautiful and there is a lot to see, our entrance in the morning was to start with 2 hours of floating, exhausting, it is not the ideal option nor should it be an option to enjoy this tour, only those who leave laughing are what they received the entrance, so as not to waste the day, we wanted to go back to the swimming area through the same park where we had already managed to enter, but the people there "are full of fingers", and to go to the swimming area we could no longer take the same path as it would be simple, accessible, we had to leave to access another entrance, which didn't happen as they closed at 11:30 in the morning claiming it was crowded with literally 6 dozen heads, it seems like forced marketing, the area where we were and where we should spend the day , it was empty, with literally a dozen heads, frankly, the place is beautiful but it's not worth spending that much anger under the hot sun...

This was my first visit to Rainbow Springs. A couple friends and I had an enjoyable experience walking some of the paths, viewing the waterfalls and lush vegetation, and checking out the springs and swimming area. Such a beautiful and peaceful place to visit. We almost had the whole place to ourselves on this particular day in January.

Loved tubing Rainbow Springs. Seems like an ideal
place to try out kayaking, too, with the calm wide waterway. Was super excited to spot an otter!

I would highly recommend this park. We went during the week and the ctowss were not bad at all. The rangers that helped us rent out canoe were very nice.

Overall, beautiful park, great time, and really cheap! I highly recommend it.

$25 well spent - the float down the river starting at KP Hole took about 3,5 hours. Awesome wildlife (turtles, otters, eagles, funny fish, ...). The water temperature felt a little cold first, but was just right after all. Arrive early!!!
May also bring your own float - just make sure it is within size limits.
Shuttle worked well for us.
One of our best Florida experiences!
Even though we came there on Labor Day, it was just right for us to relax and enjoy the calm river and the crystal clear water.
On-site snacks at KP Hole are not expensive.

Much like most visitors, we came to see the springs.
I've never seen a freshwater river so clear.
You really can see the floor bed. 👀
There is also a large nature trail within the park that loops around.
Most people were too skeptical to take the entire trail.
If you have doubts, just stick to the main trail.
It would be great if we all would appreciate natural habitats and nature parks.
It's the only way to preserve them for future generations to enjoy.
Otherwise, they will need to visit museums to know what FL nature once was.
#DoNotLitter #ReduceReuseRecycle

It takes forever to get in now since they changed the procedure…now the front gate collects all the money…not just parking. And there is only one person collecting, answering questions and handing out paperwork. People down by the trams just collect paperwork and your keys…seems rather inefficient. River was beautiful! Enjoyed the float once we got to the Tiver.

Get there early! There’s a line a mile long and parking is limited. The boat takes you upriver and it’s 40 minutes round trip so there’s long waits. Beautiful and chilly water. It was cool seeing bubbling hot springs in the sand. My first time scuba diving in fresh water and I loved it!

Beautiful, serene park! We walked around a little, watching people swim and kayak, before deciding to swim ourselves. The water was so clear and we saw several kinds of fish and turtles. We can not wait to come back and swim again.

Make sure to ask the park ranger about military discounts and possibly free state park cards. The entrance fee is waived but not the fees for tubing. The launch site for tubing is located down the road at the headspring entrance. The fee to rent a tube or bring your own is the same. We used our own tubes with head rests which were awesome after floating for an hour. It made it a relaxing experience. Make sure to follow the rules about plastic or disposable containers when you are on the river. It was a great experience. The water is crystal clear. We saw otters, fish and turtles during our float down the river.

Tubing down the river is a relaxing, fun experience. The water was extremely clear and refreshing.
The staff was very friendly, and the process was extremely easy. After signing waivers and picking out lifevest, the wait for the trolley to river was very brief. Followed by a quick ride and then picking out your tube, you walk to the tube launch area and you're off.
Highly recommend going early. We arrived about 8:30 a.m. - plenty of parking and no line to pay. When we were leaving around 11:30 a.m., the parking lot was full; and there was a long line waiting to enter.
We followed the advice of other reviews and took rope to tether the tubes together. Great idea, and it works. Without it, we saw people having to hold on to each others tube or paddle to stay together.
Also recommend taking some carabiners with you. We used them to clip on our water bottles, flipflops and waterproof bag for snacks, car keys and phone.

When you enter you feel like you are in old FL. Spanish moss hanging from the trees, azalea bushes blooming, trails, ‘waterfalls’, etc. Such a nice easy stroll and then you can end up at the water/swimming area. They have a portion of the headwaters of the spring roped off where you can swim. The area is fairly deep so you cannot stand and if you have small children, they will need to have some floatation device. There is not a real place to lie out like at the beach but you can picnic at a few tables. Further down from the swimming location you will find a place to rent kayaks. Personally if I went to a spring to go swim, it would not be this one. I prefer like Alexander Springs or Kelly Park where there is a beach area as well. I find these two areas more kid friendly too. Cost: $2/person. Well worth it.

Arrived just after the park opened to hike and swim, unfortunately, I went on a day when kayaking and tubing were not available. I was told there was a group that uses the swimming area every morning and it was suggested that I do the hike first by the Park Ranger at the gate. I attempted to go to the gift shop but it is run by volunteers and the opening time is “when they feel like coming in” and at that point they had not arrived. Headed out to walk the garden paths that lead to the hiking trail and had a guy with a leaf blower following me around clearing the pathways. They can’t do that in the hour between sunrise and the park opening time? I skipped a bunch of the garden area just to get away from the noise. The old Zoo area was neat to look at after a short hike I was able to go back through the gardens. Unfortunately, all of the little waterfalls in the gardens are man-made and they only had the pump for one of them working while I was there. Walked back to the parking lot to retrieve things for swimming as the morning group had left. They do have a very nice building with multiple private changing rooms near the swimming area. It was also nice that they had both steps for entry and a ladder on the dock. The designated swimming area is very small and as strange as it may sound the local wildlife seems to know where the boundaries are as there were only a few small fish to see while snorkeling and all the turtles and larger fish were out on the other side of the rope. After a swim, I saw the gift shop was open. I picked out a small souvenir but I was told the limit for card usage was $5, which was odd as I had paid with a card for the entry fee which was less than $5. Usually places with a limit will have snacks, candy, or drinks near the register so you can add something to increase your total, they had none, not even bottled water. I left without a souvenir. Nice place but room for improvement.

We love Rainbow springs state park and campgrounds.
We camp using our travel trailer. Recommend the tubing, very relaxing. Need to spend at least 5 days there to really do everything you want to do.

The view of the clear water is beautiful and very enjoyable , is all nature and pure air .
Perfect for a beautiful family day and have a picnic , kayak, and get some excessive done ,the walk is also very nice and you get see a lot of beautiful animals around , of course the water falls are very beautiful and relaxing .

Típs: bring floats even if your an adult as you can’t reach when you go in the water it is very deep , water shoes , towels and tent(tent can’t be all closed it has to have a big opening for the coast guard to see you is one of their number one rules ) you can also bring a camp bbq to cook out , bathrooms are very clean and the water is cold as ice but is a good thing because is good for you body and circulation . Enjoy !

This park has so much interesting history. You can explore swimming, waterfalls, hiking, a butterfly garden, an abandoned zoo.

Overall it was a nice park but the years have not been kind to it. Much of the gardens were over grown with weeds and needed attention.
The trails were nice but need to be better marked. I spotted 7 deer during our home earlier in the morning.
The waterfalls looked good still but could use some attention.

Easily accessible park with breathtaking views of crystal clear water and waterfalls. A lot of nature!

We visited five different springs over a long weekend. Rainbow Springs had the clearest water of the springs we visited (Poe, Blue Hole at Ichetucknee, Manatee, Three Sisters). It was georgeous. The entry to this park to visit the headsprings is only two dollars. There are paved paths to the headspings and the public facilities are nice. We would recommend visiting the park's website to plan your visit. There are three entrances to this park, one for the headsprings area, one for camping and one for tubing.

The swimming area at the headsprings is large and deep, great for swimming and snorkeling. Flotation devices are not allowed (except for life jackets and noodles).

The paddle launch at the headsprings area is quite a distance from the parking lot and would be a haul. If considering paddling from this area one would want to look into renting from the launch area unless your board or kayak is very light. From the launch one can paddle in the river but the headsprings area is roped off for swimming.

If you are interested in more information about Rainbow Springs and other area springs visit our blog site in our profile. We also captured video footage of each spring that can be found on our YouTube Channel - Explorcation.

Peaceful, Excellent Staff with well maintained/clean areas. It's a "hit/miss" on the time you get there due to the Covid Virus. Truthfully I don't know how many people are allowed in at this time. If you're going on the river (canoeing or kayaking) make sure you sign in asap... you might have to wait awhile before 3:00. p.m. Swimming stops at 4:00 p.m. Overall, great place to spend the day with family, etc.

This park contains a really nice swimming area (not for little kids as it's deep throughout), a kayak rental area, nice bath house, good walking trails and a nice gift shop. All for $2/ person. We decided to move to Dunnellon because of it. It's rural Florida, much different from the coast.

Beautiful clear cold water surrounded by lush green tropical foliage. Not super crowded and just good family fun. Beautiful lush trails to a short hike to a small waterfall . Very relaxed and chill.

Absolutely beautiful park. Stunning swimming area and clean, well maintained trails. The gift shop also seemed to be decently priced.

Rent a tube, float down the beautiful crystal clear river and relax in the sun enjoying the views. Great place for family and friends to spend some quality time together.

Rainbow Springs is just one of many natural springs located from north of Tampa up to the Florida state line.

Access is very easy with plenty of state signs to get you to the park. It's an easy stroll from the parking area to the waters edge.

Parking is mostly shaded with tons of spots.

Actually getting into the springs itself is easy - you can dive off the dock, ease down one one of the ladders, or use a large wide set of steps situated at the far end of the dock. There is also a mechanical lift to make it possible to enjoy the springs if a visitor has a disability that challenges their entry.

If you've never experienced swimming in a natural spring, you have yet live.

And, yes, the water is always 72 degrees.

Rental kayaks are also available right there at the springs

Get ready and JUMP!

Wonderful day kayaking on this beautiful river!! We used Rainbow River Canoe & Kayaking But they did Not have clear directions so we did not know where to go to beach our kayaks & rest & play in the water. We ended up kayaking the entire trip without taking a break to enjoy the natural springs or any beaches on this beautiful river. We did have a map but not 1 person out of 15 of us could make sense of it!! We did enjoy the otters playing but only wished we could have taken a break to play as well! Hopefully on our next trip we can get them to give us better directions because we know there are beautiful spots to beach the kayaks along this river. We did go through the state park & it is beautiful!

We took newbie residents/friends of ours from the community we all live in...OTOW...to local attractions.
Both John & Laura were pleasantly surprised at the blue-green water in the river.
The four of us walked the trails, enjoyed the water-falls and took pictures of the beauty.
This park is a great place to spend some time and the entrance fee at $2 per person is an added bonus.
There is also a gift shop close to the entrance that sells unique items at reasonable prices.

Beautifully park, low price nice trails, waterfalls, swimming area fed by spring. Best to visit on weekdays.

We enjoyed walking through this beautiful park. The water is crystal clear, and they had kayaks and other rentals available on site. There is also a swimming area but it was a bit cool during our visit in February so we didn't swim, but there were people swimming. We would love to return to this gorgeous state park!

One word for this park - beautiful!! We stayed at the campground, which was very nice. It was a little too cold to swim in the river, but we did walk around the park. It is just stunning. Will definitely be back soon!

We visit rainbow springs very often usually after 4pm. The water is always clear. Bathrooms are always clean. It’s a great spot for family fun.

Nice park to go with family, you can rent kayaks, canoes or paddleboards, swim in the crystal clear water. Water is cold but feels super fresh. We got there late so we couldn't rent. There are trails to hike, lots of nature and just feels great. You can also camp. Entrance is only $2 per person, super cheap.

Everything was as beautiful and fun as the pictures look!
The only problem was finding the tubing area. It is in a completely different place than the camping or canoeing or picnicking areas. There should be better directions to each gate.

A $2 entry fee gets you in where you can wander to your heart's content. Take a dip in the springs to cool off, or rent a canoe or kayak and explore your surroundings. Follow the trail to some waterfalls and to the remains of an old zoo from days past. The butterfly garden is a nice attraction. There's a gift shop to explore as well.

Nice day trip. The river is better suited for kayaking than tubing because it really has hardly any current whatsoever, which is fine if you don't mind lolling in one spot and hardly moving. If you want to move you have to work for it (paddle with your arms). Wear a hat and sunscreen!

Wear a life vest..bring rope to tie off to each other if tubing..bring a paddle for steering. There is no one to help you if you fall in and the current is swift. Tubes are not built for people under 5ft..your arms and legs don't reach the water. There is no one to help you out of the river...if you miss the landing your on your own. The only way to get off is to jump in and pray you have enough strength to pull yourself out. There are no Rescue boats...so you have to really know what your getting into...be careful and believe.

It's been several years since our last visit but still a great hidden gem. Nice walking trails with beautiful fauna. Also if you like to swim or kayak this is a great spot for many outdoor activities.

This place is wonderful. There is a lot of walking so if you aren’t good with that then probably not the place for you. It’s $2 per person to enter and has beautiful views. It reminds me of Bali! They have a cool old zoo area to walk through and some nature trails in addition to the paved trails by the waterfalls.

There is also a dock that kids can jump off of into the springs. I believe there’s kayaking as well but we didn’t do that. I highly suggest this location and it’s worth the drive.

Awesome views Photo options galore Trails are paved and waterfalls are beautiful Sit and relax benches everywhere

Unfortunately, the weather was very overcast during our visit, but even with all the clouds, we could see what a beautiful place these springs are. We walked on the trails and enjoyed the two gorgeous waterfalls, Seminole and Rainbow. It is a very peaceful place although I heard it can be quite crowded on the weekends. Kayaking, canoeing, and swimming in the crystal clear waters are top activities here. There is also a very nice gift store on the grounds.

After our glass bottom boat excursion Shawn told us where to see the waterfalls at the State park. What a beautiful park! We had a person in our party who just couldn't make it to the third waterfall. Hubby and I plan on going back and walking the trails and maybe taking a dip in the spring.

I first discovered Rainbow Springs while just driving and exploring Florida on a whim, This was the first day they were open to the public, many years after closing as an attraction. The park was beautiful, the water clear and blue, like a big marble shooter marble, really awesome to look at. There are long paved trails where the animal attractions used to be, and over the years the cages have been removed. Two man made waterfalls are within the park, and you can rent canoes to paddle the river which is really something to see. There is also a rental place in dunnellon that rents canoes and tubes for those more inclined to stay wet the whole time. We have done it all there, and anticipate our trips there with much joy at the thought of relaxing in the cold water, picnicking and now camping in the RV spaces when they are available, but you will need a car or transportation to get to the park from the RV site, as it is a few miles away. we found that our Honda Helix worked well for a day jaunt, but if taking a cooler, a toad would be better suited, but make sure the spot is large enough to accommodate one. So far this is by fer our favorite park, and the rangers are first class and very friendly,two of the ladies have been there several years and always remember us when we return.

Despite being very full up we had a lovely walk and saw all of the waterfalls and pools before having a dip in the clear swimming area. There was also an infant pool which was great for my young niece.

I would recommend a visit here, very pretty place, water is so clear. Do a kayak or canoe if you can its really nice out on the river, calm water easy to paddle. My husband and I are in our 50's overweight and out of shape LOL but we did a 3 hour tour down the river with Rainbow River Canoe and Kayak and it was really nice.

This place is beautiful. It has several waterfalls. The paths are all paved for easy access. It is kind of hilly so you do have to do some work if you're pushing a heavy wheelchair or fully loaded stroller. The water is as clear as a swimming pool if not clearer you can see the small fish swimming around your feet. It is very very cold the water. The large swimming area ranges from about 5 feet to 20 ft. There is a small wading area for smaller children and their parents. They also have kayak, canoe, and stand up paddle board rentals. Bring your beach chairs and towels and lie on the side of the hills for sun bathing and when you get really hot jump into the cold waters to cool off.

I’d love to leave a review for the tubing experience however after driving an hour there, 10 of us applying sunscreen in the parking lot, and unpacking all of our belongings we were told our almost 3 year old grandson was too young to participate. We did not see this age restriction on their website or we would not have made the trip. Very disappointed.

Early spring is the best time to see the many azaleas and camellias etc. The trails are well maintained and mostly paved, There is a large area roped off for swimming. Some swim there all year round as the water temp stays between 68 to 72 degrees year round. There is no commercialized entertainment. This is a nature lovers area with many types of birds, Anhinga, Cormorants, Hawks, Egrets etc.
Several times of the years there are craft fairs etc.

Gorgeous park. The springs are pretty. Feeds from a nice lake. Paved walkway. Three major nature trails. Check All Trails for maps for Yellow, Blue and White.

Awful personnel dealt with Miss Casaro.
Holden early for campsite was not allowed to wait in the parking lot which was completely empty and was able to handle anywhere from 9 to 12 vehicles. Hauling trailers was forced to leave the park waited on the highway for over two hours along with two other people in order to arrive at check-in at 3 o’clock Miss Cassaro stated that she would call me as soon as the site was clear since she knew I was there never got a phone call from her but the two people on the road did get a phone call with the gate entry code.
Everyone pulls in at 3 o’clock like a herd of elephants. I have one person ahead of me. She was first checking in Miss Caserio then had to take phone calls and deal with that and stop the check-in process totally unprofessional unorganized and all I kept being told was these are the rules she doesn’t like them either. Sounds like she needs to find another profession.

My site was never clean. I have pictures of garbage still on the site and there are no rake marks so I know it wasn’t gone over

Facility has limited swimming. The bathrooms were clean, but their rules were awful. They were unaccommodating unfriendly and unwelcoming. I would not recommend going there. Everything is an inconvenience.

While staying in Ocala in late February, we visited Rainbow Springs State Park, which is near Dunellon, FL. Part of the property is an old zoo from the 1930s. There are winding walkways and several man-made waterfalls, which are fed by water from the crystal clear Rainbow River. The whole area is so lush and green felt like I was in an old Tarzan movie. In addition to the paved walkways are two nature trails. We chose the yellow trail, which is sandy and mostly level. The day we went it was cool and clear, but we only went as far as the river overlook before turning back.
Back at the visitor center, we went closer to the roped off swimming area. The water was incredibly clear and different shades of blue. A volunteer told us the water stayed at 72 degrees year round because it's spring fed. There is a kayak/paddle board launch just past the swimming area with paddle boards and kayaks for rent.
I would love to come back sometime and explore this park more. There is a campground a few miles from the park but we since we were just there for the morning we didn’t look into it. There is as least one other outfitter in the area that offers tubing.

This park is very special located on the Rainbow river. When the flowers are in bloom it’s sensational. Azaleas so beautiful. Come visit

The water is so clear and refreshing but there is no life guard. I wish they would add a life guard because people do not read the signs or they just do not care. They just put up a new yellow sign but it is only visible when you are in the water they need to put another sign near the do not smoke past this point sign. Bobby Kennedy for President!

This is a beautiful spring! Because we went over Labor Day weekend, it was too crowded for our liking. I’d definitely go back, though. I’d just go during the week.
In addition to the spring. There is a paved walking trail. That was a very pretty walk.

We arrived to the springs and were told we were not allowed in the water because there was lightning 5 miles away and every time they heard thunder or saw lightning within 10 miles they would delay the opening another 30 mins. Despite the beautiful sunshine we were told it would not open for the entire day. However, if you bring your own kayaks and/or paddle boards you can launch at their dock. Make the 3 mile drive to K P Hole where you’re permitted in the water unless their is a visible storm in sight.

The Rainbow Springs State Park is a place to visit if you want to experience old/real/ Natural Florida with beautiful flora and fauna. This park has lots of amenities. Canoes and kayaks are available to rent; also, there are walking the trails. You can enjoy a 2-hour float down the Rainbow River. The river is created by natural spring bubbles up fresh spring water from the marvelous earth. The water is a beautiful greenish blue, and there is a section where you can swim. The water temperature is 72 degrees water all year round. Jumping right in is the easiest way to get in. If you put your foot in to try it out, you may not get it in because it will feel icy cold. But once you are in the water, your body gets acclimated to the coolness. On a hot summer day, it can cool you off, and on a cold winters day, it can warm you up.

My husband and I have been to Rainbow's last year and we were delighted. It's a wonderful place, beautiful and you only pay two dollars to enter the park although the water is very cold.

This park is a gem, very reasonable entry price, I think it was $4 each. The park offers some trails to walk a lovely area for picnics and a beautiful swimming area with crystal clear water and kayaking just down river. The swimming area is about 8-10' deep so small children will need life vests or some kind of water wings.

This is another great Florida State Park. The river is said to be the cleanest in all of Florida! But for camping one needs to be selective about which campsite on picks. Some campsites are nice and have partial shade and nice surrounding foliage. Other sites are like a bare spot in the sand with no trees or privacy. (There seems to be no effort to plant any trees or bushes around these sites either!) The campground store did not have firewood or ice for sale. Seriously!!?? The park is divided into two sections. The Rainbow Springs headwaters and main swimming area is to the North with it's entrance off of one highway and the camping area is downstream to the South with a different entrance off a different road. We brought our own kayaks and there is a place to launch them behind the campground store. The campsites are NOT on or along the river but several blocks away. The good news is you can drive down to the campground launch and swim area and drop off / pick up your yaks or canoes.
The Headwaters area has a kayak and canoe rental facility, souvenir shop and a little grill that sells snacks, burgers and hot dogs and the like. A lot of local kids and daytrippers hang out at the headsprings. It's kind of like the local swimming pool but with nicer and cleaner water.

Probably wouldn't be much fun with small children. We didn't do any tubing or kayaking, just swimming and the nature trail. Be aware that you are either in deep water (I'm 5"5' and couldn't touch at any point), on a concrete dock (tends to be crowded), or on grass far from the water. There is no beach or wading area. I brought a book and a lawn chair expecting to read and relax, but even with older kids (two 11s and one 8yr old) I was needed to constantly supervise them in the water. Definitely bring a least one noodle per person, goggles/mask, and a beach cart to carry your stuff from the car to rec area. All that being said, it is an absolutely gorgeous spring, water temp is wonderful and the little hikes are easy and very enjoyable.

we try to come here every year as we are snowbirds and love camping and this campground is a favorite ,most sites are very spacious and well maintained, water, electric, and sewer are provided

At first we booked a clear kayaking tour with “Get up and go kayaking rainbow springs” and got a chance to go down the local rainbow river and it was amazing. We loved it so much we decided to do check out the state park side and see the beginning of the spring. Paid only 2$ per person and was shocked an amazed at the large swimming area.... we jumped right in and had a great time. The water is so clean and cool and don’t worried there were no alligators near by, too many ppl around keeps them away for sure. Don’t be scared jump in. This park also has 3 man made water falls to see and come walking trails.

Nice old park with walk ways and trails, pretty waterfalls, great swimming area and kayak and canoes rentals. The headwaters are so beautiful, and there are wonderful views here. We rented a canoe and paddled in the rainbow river. It is so clear, and you can see the fish and turtles all around. Wonderful birds in the area too. No manatees here, though.

We came here from Ocala to see the park and do a bit of walking. The entrance fee was $2.00 pp and well worth it. The map we got wasn't the greatest. The walk was nice with a number of flowering bushes. The waterfalls were pretty, manmade, but looked very natural. The walk was fairly easy, The path was mostly fairly even but it did have areas that needed repairs. Really enjoyed the visit. If you are in the area and you want a nice walk it is the place to go. We didn't see too many butterflies in the butterfly garden, but probably not the time of year. There is a nice terrace where you can picnic as there is no food available. (at this time of the year?)

For only $2 per person, such a great place to walk into to see a stunning view of the springs. 72 degrees year round and fun to swim in or walk the trails along the waterfalls with gorgeous plants along the trails and water falls, makes for a lovely time. Then you can still kayak there or rent kayaks and/or tubes down at KP Hole and then they will pick you up and bring you back to your car. Such a nice thing to do in this area. Many of our Airbnb guests do just that. They come here from all over just to swim in these springs or tube and/or kayak down the Rainbow River. Lucky to live in such a gorgeous area.

This was an amazing park and the springs are just so beautiful. The day we went, there were two mermaids swimming around in the swimming area. It was really cool! There are huge pits on the way in to the park that were used for mining way back when. They are overgrown now but you will pass them when you drive into the park.