Manatee Springs State Park

Tuesday, 2/7/12

We drove the 138 miles to Manatee Springs State Park.  This park cost $23.80/night including tax. We are in site #57.  Somehow, we were able to get a satellite signal, which was a miracle in itself.  The site is spacious and very private with lots of tall trees.   We really like the Florida State Parks.  They are very well maintained and the bathhouses are clean.

 

This little guy greeted us at the spring run.  There are many hawk and lots of vultures, as you will see below. 

Manatee Springs State Park is an important winter refuge for West Indian manatees.  So far we haven't seen any, but we know they are out there.  The spring is ideal for swimming and scuba diving with a temperature of 74 degrees.  The spring run and the Suwannee River are well suited for kayaking and canoeing.   Water-loving trees grow in the swamps and bottomland forest surrounding the spring and bordering the Suwannee River. 

 There is a nice boardwalk out to the river.  These dainty yellow wildflowers were in full bloom. 

There is a huge population of vultures that hang out in the trees at the mouth of the spring run. This is only a small sample.  There were hundreds, if not thousands!

We sat outside in our screened canopy until almost dark.  There are not too many mosquitoes, but lots of no-see-'ems!  

It was a wonderful day.  The temperature was in the 70s with lots of sunshine!