July Spring
Columbia County
Summary of Features
- Scale - 1st magnitude
- Scenery - excellent
- How Pristine? - adjacent to developed camp/swim/dive/recreation area,exotic plants in water, float marking site, otherwise fairly pristine
- Swimming - good
- Protection - unknown/private, no landfall allowed
- Crowds - can be heavy on warm weekends
- Access - very good, boat or swimming only
- Facilities - excellent at Ginnie Springs nearby
- Safety - good
- Scuba - yes
- Cost - free from river; $14 for adults and $4 for children age 6-12 to swim
Quick Directions
Directions
Accessible from the Ginnie Springs complex at 5000 NE 60th Avenue, High Springs, FL 32643.
From High Springs, drive south on U.S. 27/41 about 1 mile. Turn west (right) onto State Road 340 (Poe Springs Road), drive about 6.5 miles, and then turn right onto graded road at sign for Ginnie Springs. Follow another mile to the entrance. July Spring is directlyacross the river from the three Devils springs at the upstream end of the Ginnie Springs complex.
Spring Description
The spring creates a semicircular cove at the edge of the Santa Fe River. The alcove is approximately 85 feet across and opens directly into the river. A small sign on a tree on the bank identifies the spring. The area around the spring is infested with elodea. The spring is a 40-footlong fissure that parallels the river and forms several vents and boils on the surface. The water is clear and varies from blue to greenish depending on conditions. The vents appear to be 6-10 feet deep and are narrow openings in the limestone. The land around the spring is dense floodplain forest with a bank of about three feet. Water in the spring is clearand can be blue or green depending on lighting and other conditions. The inteconnected cavern systems associated with this and other springs at Ginnie Springs have been mapped for 33,000 feet. Over 30,000 diversvisit the Ginnie Springs complex each year. Water in the spring isaround 72 degrees. Studies show that the springs are fed by two watersheds that encompass 300 square miles (Rauch, 2003).
Use/Access
- Nearby Ginnie Springs is a full-facility recreation/divesite, with camping areas along the river and springs, a store, compressors for air tanks, scuba lessons, tubing, picnic areas, bathrooms, and other concessions.
- It is best to visit anytime but on a warm summer weekend, when the spring will be crowded and have reduced visibility due to too many swimmers in the water.
- On dates of visits in 1999 and 2000, only the vents at July were free of exotic vegetation.
- Signs on the trees say "Private Property–Keep Off!"
- Many people swim across the river to July Spring, or rent canoes at Ginnie Spring and canoe the short distance upriver. If you swim across, watch for boaters and account for the current in the Santa Fe River.
- July is the fourth of four major and attractive springs that lie in almost a straight line going from the south to the north side of the river. The other springs are Little Devil (at the southern end), Devil’s Eye (near mouth of the Little Devil run), and Devil’s Ear (on the south side of the river). This happy alignment reminds JF of the constellations in Orion’s belt.
- Because it is not part of the Ginnie Springs complex, July is not regularly cleared of exotic vegetation and is not as accessible as the Devils Springs or Ginnie Spring.
Personal Impressions
Almost anywhere else, July Spring would be considered a beautiful spring and a great place to swim and snorkel. However, with so many spectacular spring neighbors, July winds up being an ugly stepchild by comparison.
Nearby Springs
- Poe Springs
- Darby Spring
- Hornsby Spring
- ALA112791
- ALA930971
- Lily Springs
- Pickard Springs
- COL101971
- Rum Island Springs
- Blue Spring
- Naked Spring
- Johnson Spring
- Ginnie Springs group
- Sawdust Spring
- COL1012972
- COL1012971
- GIL1012973
- Myrtle's Fissure
- GIL1012971
- GIL1012972
- 47 Boatramp Spring (or GIL1012974)
Other Nearby Natural Features
- Ichetucknee Springs State Park
- O’Leno State Park
- San Felasco Hammock State Preserve
- Devil’s Millhopper State Geologic Site
- River Rise State Preserve
- Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park