Hontoon Island State Park - Mainland Kayak Access

On Saint Johns River

The St. Johns River is the longest river in Florida. It runs 310 miles north from its headwaters at Blue Cypress Lake and the St. Johns Marsh in Indian River County, west of Vero Beach, to the Atlantic Ocean east of Jacksonville at Mayport. Its headwaters sit only about 27 feet higher than its mouth, so the river flows very slowly and has a long tidal backwater. Its watershed covers nearly 9,000 square miles. The Ocklawaha River is its largest tributary. Along a 140-mile middle stretch the river flows through or connects to more than half a dozen natural lakes, ranging from 380 to 40,000 acres. They include Puzzle Lake, Lake Harney, Lake Jesup, Lake Monroe, Lake Beresford, Lake Dexter and Lake George. The navigable channel begins at Lake Monroe near Sanford. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredges and maintains it, and the U.S. Coast Guard maintains the channel markers. More about Saint Johns River.

Boating rules on Saint Johns River

• Many parts of the river and its tributaries are no-wake zones to protect manatees source
• State-adopted manatee protection (speed) zones on the river in Putnam, Lake and Volusia counties, marked by FWC waterway signs source
• Blue Spring spring run closed to all boating and water activities from about mid-November through March (manatee refuge) source

Community

Where people who use Saint Johns River talk about it.

• St. Johns Riverkeeper Association
• Lower St. Johns River and Lakes - FWC Fishing Sites & Forecasts Agency
• St. Johns Riverkeeper (Facebook) Facebook
• St. Johns River Bass Fishing Facebook
• St. John's River Boating - The Hull Truth - Boating and Fishing Forum Forum
• Search Reddit: r/florida Reddit
• Search all of Reddit for Saint Johns River, Florida Reddit

Nearby launches

• Volusia Blue Spring State Park - French Landing Boat Ramp · 2.2 mi · Saint Johns River
• Volusia Blue Spring State Park - Canoe/Kayak Launch · 2.5 mi · Saint Johns River
• Ed Stone Park and Boat Ramp (aka. Crow's Bluff) · 2.9 mi · Saint Johns River
• High Banks Road Public Boat Ramp · 5.9 mi · Saint Johns River
• Blue Lake Boat Ramp (4x4 recommended) · 6.5 mi · Blue Lake
• Ocala National Forest - Cowpen Pond Primitive Access Site (4x4 Only) · 7.0 mi · Cowpen Pond (Deland)