Florida / Santa Fe River /

Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park - Kayak Launch

Carry-in (canoe and kayak) · on Santa Fe River · near High Springs · Florida

Open per Florida Boat Ramp Inventory (FWC)'s data, updated weekly. Seasonal gates, low water and storms are not always posted; check before you tow.

At the launch

Type
Carry-in (canoe and kayak)
Fee
$6
Hours
8:00 AM until Sunset, 365 days a year
Managed by
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Website
floridastateparks.org
Coordinates
29.82945, -82.68290

Directions (Google) Apple Maps

On Santa Fe River

The Santa Fe River is a 75-mile river in northern Florida. It rises at Lake Santa Fe near Keystone Heights and drains a watershed of about 1,380 square miles that covers parts of Columbia, Suwannee, Bradford, Baker, Union, Gilchrist and Alachua counties. Florida State Parks traces its source to Lakes Santa Fe and Alto and the swamps around them, northeast of Gainesville. A half-mile downstream from the main parking area at O'Leno State Park, the river sinks into the karst limestone. It flows underground for a little over 3 miles and comes back up at River Rise Preserve State Park. This is the largest swallet-to-resurgence system in Florida. Its tributaries include the New River, Olustee Creek and the spring-fed Ichetucknee River. Gilchrist Blue, Ginnie, Poe and Rum Island springs lie along its banks. The river joins the Suwannee River near Branford. More about Santa Fe River.

Boating rules on Santa Fe River

  • Flood-stage idle-speed, no-wake Zone 5: from the River Rise in O'Leno State Park down to the US 27 bridge, when the High Springs gauge reads 34.2 ft or higher source
  • Flood-stage idle-speed, no-wake Zone 6: from the US 27 bridge to 0.5 mile above the SR 47 bridge, when the Fort White gauge reads 23.25 ft or higher source
  • Flood-stage idle-speed, no-wake Zone 7: from 0.5 mile above the SR 47 bridge down to an unnamed island, when the Three Rivers gauge reaches 18.75 ft source
  • Flood-stage idle-speed, no-wake Zone 8: from the island about 4.25 miles above the Ichetucknee confluence to the Suwannee confluence, including the Ichetucknee up to the US 27 bridge, when the Three Rivers gauge reaches 16.25 ft source

Community

Where people who use Santa Fe River talk about it.

Nearby launches

Sources

Why it is listed as public: listed by Florida Boat Ramp Inventory (FWC). Something wrong, or is this launch private? Corrections help everyone; a reporting form is coming soon.