Orange Spring
Marion County
Summary of Features
- Scale - 2nd magnitude
- Scenery - fine
- How Pristine? - low wall around spring, some land cleared, plant nearby
- Swimming - no
- Protection - unknown
- Crowds - none
- Access - restricted
- Facilities - fair
- Safety - very good
- Scuba - no
- Cost - NA
Directions
From county line where Highway 21 crosses Orange Creek into Marion County from Putnam County, take first turn east into parking lot for Acappella Natural Spring Water bottling plant. The spring is behind the plant. >
Spring Description
The spring lies in a low area near Orange Creek and forms a nearly circular pool that is about 85 by 100 feet in diameter. The pool is bordered by a low concrete retaining wall that raised the water level for swimming. Water in the pool is shallow - 2-4 feet - except at the south end when the bottom drops away to a depth that appeared to be over 20 feet among limestone ledges. The water is fairly clear and is greenish. There are algae and waterplants in the pool, and the spring has a sulfur odor.
Water exits the pool on the east side through an opening in the concrete and flows over a short flume into the natural spring run. There is algae in the run, which is only a few inches deep, flows swiftly, and is about 10 feet wide. Land on the western side of the pool is partially clear and is used as a picnic area. The rest of the land around the pool is lush hardwood and pine forest and floodplain.
Use/Access
- The spring was a local swimming pool for many years, before the water bottling company built on the site in approximately 1990 and closed off access due to liability concerns. Water is drawn from the pool and bottled under the Acappella Natural Spring Water label. JF could hear the water pumps going but could not see any pipes leading to or from the pool. He suspected water was drawn from underground.
Local Springiana
- The employee who allowed JF to see the spring said the sulfur is removed from the water before it is bottled. She grew up in the area and had swum in the pool as a child.
- A 19th century house on the site serves as the main office for the bottling plant and has an historic register sign relating the history of the house and use of the spring - see photo of sign.
The bottling plant has a vested interest in taking care of the spring, and their extractions made no visible impact on the spring, its level, or its appearance.
Nearby Springs
- Alexander Springs
- Fern Hammock Springs
- Juniper Springs
- Sweetwater Spring
- Silver Glen Springs
- Silver Springs
- DeLeon Spring
- Salt Springs
Other Nearby Natural Features
- Lake Woodruff Wildlife Refuge
- Welaka State Forest
- Tiger Bay State Forest
- Withlacoochie State Forest
- Ocala National Forest