My First Spring Dive

De Leon Springs State Park centers on a clear artesian spring whose water remains approximately 72°F (22°C) year-round. The enclosed swimming basin ranges from shallow margins to about 30 feet (9 meters) at the spring boil, where groundwater rises from Florida’s limestone aquifer. The site also preserves a long record of human activity: Indigenous Mayaca communities used the area for thousands of years, and later plantations operated water-powered mills near the spring. Scuba access is now limited to instructional diving led by certified, insured instructors holding a Florida State Parks permit; ordinary recreational diving and freediving into the spring cave are prohibited.

Fun Fact: Archaeologists recovered a dugout canoe from the spring that Florida State Parks dates to approximately 7,000 years ago.