Springs Fever: A Field & Recreation Guide to 500 Florida Springs.
3rd Edition by Joe Follman and Richard Buchanan

Treehouse Spring (ALA112971)

Alachua County

Summary of Features

  • Scale - 1st magnitude
  • Scenery - very good
  • How Pristine? - completely pristine
  • Swimming - fair
  • Protection - excellent
  • Crowds - none
  • Access - good, boat only
  • Facilities - none
  • Safety - good
  • Scuba - yes
  • Cost - free

Directions

From downtown High Springs drive about two miles north on U.S. 41/441 to bridge over the Santa Fe River. The boat ramp to the river is on the NW side of the bridge. Put in and go upriver about 2/3 mile. Look for a circular cove on the right, created by the spring.

Additional directions and a map

Spring Description


The large first-magnitude spring, with an estimated flow of nearly 260 MGD, was not formally classified as a spring or
measured until 1997 by Hornsby & Ceryak (1998, p. 20).  It is, however, one of Florida's largest individual springs.  Water
flows up in wide slicks from a depth measured at 44 feet.  The spring pool is oval and was about 150 by 200 feet in diameter
on date of visit (April 2000), a time of drought.  On this date, water in the Santa Fe River was quite clear, but the water in the
spring was not clear enough to see the bottom or any limestone formations. Partially because the water is not very clear, the authors speculated the flow might be an additional portion of the Santa Fe River Rise a short distance upriver.  The land surrounding the spring sloped upward about eight feet into low rolling hills of hardwood and floodplain forest.

Use/Access

Local Springiana

Personal Impressions

One of Florida’s largest springs, this site was not named until 2001.

Nearby Springs

Other Nearby Natural Features