Manatee Spring (main spring)
Open water diving; cave divers may enter: Florida State Parks diving rules [1] (Cavern diving is listed for the Catfish Hotel, not the main spring.). These categories are the named scheme's own; they describe the training a site calls for.
The first-magnitude headspring of Manatee Springs State Park, open to open water divers and used by cave divers as an entrance to the Manatee cave system; strong current and park diver limits.
The main spring is the swimming area of Manatee Springs State Park, a broad first-magnitude boil feeding a quarter-mile run to the Suwannee River. Florida State Parks warns that the current is swift.
Open water divers may dive the main spring, and cave divers may also enter the cave system here. Freediving and swimming are permitted in the main spring but not at the Catfish Hotel. Manatees often use the spring in cooler months, and divers must keep at least 50 feet from them.
The environment
High-flow spring basin with swift current; water about 22°C year-round; tannic river water can back up the spring run during Suwannee floods.
Conditions
Swift current. When the Suwannee River floods, dark tannic water fills the spring run and visibility drops. Manatees are present in cooler months.
Typical ranges from published sources, not current conditions.
Facilities
Shower station, boardwalk, picnic areas, campground and canoe/kayak launch are listed by the park. A notice effective 2026-01-14 said the waterfront restroom was closed.
Other entrances to Manatee Springs cave system
For orientation, not navigation. Hollow dots are approximate.
Every fact on this page, with its source (10)
| Fact | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Open water diving is allowed in the main spring and cave divers may enter at the main spring. | Verified | [1] |
| The park warns that the current in the spring is swift. | Verified | [1] |
| The spring stays a constant 72 degrees year-round. | Verified | [3] |
| Divers register and present certification, dive in parties of two or more, keep 50 feet from manatees, and open water divers may not carry lights. | Verified | [1] |
| Diving is first-come, first-served; reservations and holding spots are not allowed and all parties must be present at registration. | Verified | [1] |
| Admission is $6 per vehicle, $4 for single-occupant vehicles and $2 for pedestrians; diving is included with regular admission.Read 2026-10-14. | Verified | [2] |
| The park is open 8 a.m. to sundown; divers must be registered by 3 p.m. and out of the water one hour before sunset.Experiences page says registration must be three hours before sundown. | Sources conflict | [2] |
| A park notice effective 2026-01-14 said the waterfront restroom and dump station were closed.Dated notice; re-check. | Verified | [4] |
| USGS lists Manatee Spring at latitude 29.4896808. | Verified | [5] |
| USGS lists Manatee Spring at longitude -82.976791. | Verified | [5] |
Verified: stated by an official or primary source we opened. Reported: from a secondary source only. Sources conflict: the note gives both versions. May be out of date: the newest source we found is old.
Written in our own words from the sources above. Report a correction