O’Leno State Park
History Meets Natural Beauty on the Santa Fe
Florida State Parks
Nestled on the banks of the Santa Fe River is one of the best kept secrets of Columbia County, FL: O’Leno State Park. If you haven’t yet heard of it, I’m not surprised. (That’s what makes it a secret!) Located just 6 miles north of High Springs, this underrated gem of a destination is often overshadowed by it’s more showy (and crowded) neighbors, including the famed Ichetucknee and Gilchrist Blue Springs State Parks, and Ginnie Springs (privately owned). While those adjacent parks are showstoppers indeed, don’t make the mistake of thinking that O’Leno doesn’t deserve a spot on your “Must See ASAP” list. No pity necessary for this gorgeous slice of the golden past. O’Leno can undoubtedly hold its own in the “make your jaw drop” arena of state park hall-of-famers.
Much like Torreya State Park, O’Leno was a state park we visited for the first time almost on accident, mostly because it was one of the few places with campsites available at the late notice with which we usually book. Boy-oh-boy, did we hit the jackpot. We’ve been back 2 times since, and it is one of our absolute favorite state parks in Florida.
Getting there:
The drive from any direction to O’Leno will take you past wide open rolling pasturelands, filled with wildflowers from spring through fall. It is delightfully off the beaten path, just past the small town of High Springs, where you should definitely stop for some browsing of antiques and a meal at the Great Outdoors Restaurant, right at the heart of downtown.
O’Leno sits on more than 6,000 acres of forested hardwood hammocks, wetland swamps and sandhill habitats, with the winding Santa Fe River, a tributary of the majestic Suwanee, running right through the center of it.
It was built in the late 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) and is one of Florida's very first state parks. For over 80 years now it has stood as a remarkable living monument to the efforts of the young men of the CCC and President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s incredible New Deal to assist families suffering from unemployment during the Great Depression. You can feel the history oozing out of the original and early buildings there. More on that in a bit.
First Impressions:
From a wooded wonderland to memories of a town lost in time, this park is glorious! It’s very likely you’ll spot a few deer as you make your way from the park entrance past the Dogwood Campground circle and on towards the Magnolia Campground, the original CCC camp, and the river. We’ve seen them on each visit so far.
Great Playground
As soon as you reach the main parking area, one of the first things you'll notice is an awesome playground for the kids in front of a nice restroom and beautiful picnic pavilions. If your kids are like ours, you should just start there for a few minutes to let them get their wiggles out. It'll give you a chance to get the lay of the land, check out the "CCC Boy" statue and make a plan for where to go next.
Town of Leno, FL
The park service has done an incredible job of preserving some of the artifacts and history of the mid-1800’s town of Keno, FL which originally occupied this land. Remnants of the town’s grist mill are housed under a covered pavilion and signage tells all about the town and the people that once called it home. We obviously love Florida wilderness, but we also love Florida history, and are so grateful when we come across these glimpses of past habitants of these areas we have come to love.
The Bridge
One of the highlights of the park, O’Leno’s suspension bridge over the Santa Fe and the river that runs under it is right out of a Mark Twain novel. It reminds me of the suspension bridge over the Little River where we used to live in Tennessee and it’s almost too good to be true, really. I had to pinch myself to make sure I was still in Florida and not dreaming. Our kids couldn’t wait to explore over and under it and all around the banks, and I had to remind myself that I was not a kid myself, at times. (Although it’s these types of adventures we seek in order to keep our childhood alive as adults anyway, right?)
There is a swimming area just to the west of the bridge, roped off with buoys, for those of you adventurous enough to jump in. But the presence of a current and lack of visibility due to tannins in the water (the water is clean, but it is DARK), was enough to give us pause and decide to explore this beautiful park above the waterline.
The Sink
While you are there, be sure to take the whole family on the 1.5 mile River Trail. It’s one of three wonderful hiking trails in the park, and THE ONE you absolutely can’t miss. If you start on the camp side of the river, and head east, it will only take you a few minutes (.5 mile) to reach one of the COOLEST places in the whole park: the River Sink. No lie, you will see the exact spot where the entire Santa Fe River gets sucked underground, where it then flows, submerged, for 3 miles before resurfacing at neighboring River Rise Preserve State Park.
Yes, you read that right. The river just disappears underground!!! It happens to be the largest swallet to resurgence system in all of Florida. We hung out at the observation area for a while to see if we could watch the path of the water, but it moves so slowly at the surface we found the best way to capture it was by time-lapse video. You can see that the vegetation on the surface swirls counter-clockwise as the water underneath moves underground. How incredible is that? Even more incredible is learning that cave-divers have explored 50,000 feet of underwater passages from the sink toward the river rise. Interpretive signage on the trail talks a bit about the system, and if you’re really curious, you can read about the incredible experience of the divers here.
I recommend you start the hike in this direction so that you can turn back toward the main camp after the sink if your kids have had enough, but it is 100% worth it to keep going for the additional mile if everyone’s up for it. Our 3 and 6 year old have done phenomenally well with the hike both times we’ve done it, but make sure you pack water and snacks. We’ve learned the hard way that you don’t want to get caught without those necessities, even on a short hike, with children. The trail will bring you past an awesome system of sinkholes, a pretty little lake, and then through some dryer scrub habitats before returning you to the suspension bridge at the end of the loop. We saw a number of turtles, several alligators, and even an otter on our last hike there!
Gorgeous Spring Flowers
Also, for those of you who are into wildflowers, this park is in the southernmost range of the only Azalea native to Florida. Common names for it are Wild Azalea, Piedmont Azalea, Pinxter Azalea, and unlike non-native azaleas, our Florida native is wonderfully fragrant, as well as beautiful. All of these things combine to make a truly lovely hiking experience. My kids once again referenced one of their favorite books as we walked - The Chronicles of Narnia. When that happens I know we are tapping into places that feed their young, imaginative minds, and I smile inside.
The Buildings
Another of our favorite things to do in this park is to explore the original CCC grounds, the museum, and the other buildings, including my favorite, the gorgeous original Recreation Hall. Every time we go there, I get lost imagining hosting a huge gathering there at Thanksgiving or Christmastime.
The old Recreation Hall feels both ancient and timeless all at the same time. Vaulted ceilings and exposed beams make it feel grand, while being grounded. Wooden windows push out onto a covered porch overlooking the rambling river. It would be an absolutely gorgeous location for a wedding reception. There are even 16 summer camp style cabins to house all of your family and wedding guests. Don’t forget to invite me
Campgrounds
The RV and tent campgrounds are lovely at O’Leno as well. 55 total campsites are split between two campground loops: Dogwood and Magnolia. Both are beautiful, but If you can get into Magnolia, be sure to book there. It’s closest to the river, and the ground is a bit more level. Also, there is not as much forest walking to the bathrooms at night, and as there is a healthy spider population at O’Leno, you might appreciate that during late-night walks to the potty.
Nearby State Parks to include during your Visit to O’Leno
One of the best things about an extended visit to O’Leno are all of the additional places you’ll be able to see during your time there. The following destinations should be on your list of places to see during your visit to O’Leno, and were on ours as well. I will be linking future posts about each of these places to their names listed below.
Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park
River Rise Preserve State Park
Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Ginnie Springs Outdoors
So, dear wild Florida adventurer, if you’re like we used to be, mostly trying to find state parks near springs or beaches, snap out of it! You may have been overlooking one of Florida’s most special hidden treasures. O’Leno State Park is something out of a different time and place and checks all the boxes for a grand adventure with your family. Prepare for a deep dive into the best that natural Florida has to offer, with a healthy dose of nostalgia on the side, and reserve your trip to O’Leno today!
Do you have memories of a favorite experience at O’Leno State Park? Let me know in the comments if there is something you think is unforgettable that I forgot to mention!
Just the details:
O’Leno State Park
410 SE O'Leno Park Road
High Springs FL 32643
Park office: 386-454-1853
Park Hours: 8am - Sunset Daily
Entry Fee: $5/Vehicle
Lodging Options:
55 Campsites (water/electric).........................$18/night
Primitive camping......................................... $5 per person, per night, plus tax.
Cabins..........................................................$25-$150/night (When not occupied by a group)
Cabins in Group Camp:
The group camp includes 16 cabins, a dining hall and a recreation hall. The cost is $300 per night, plus tax, plus a non-refundable $6.70 reservation fee.
Cabins are not heated or air conditioned.
Pavilion Rentals:
Smaller four-table covered pavilion: $15 plus tax.
Large pavilion in picnic area: $50 plus tax.
Reservations:
Up to 11 months in advance, call (800) 326-3521 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern) or online at Florida State Parks.
More of our favorite pictures from our adventures at O'Leno State Park:
