This story is part of our weekly Hidden Gems feature series as the USA TODAY Network-Florida takes readers around the state to highlight some of our most interesting attractions.
FORT WHITE — Deep in the north entrance of Ichetucknee Springs State Park, a half-mile trek leads visitors to Blue Hole Spring, a roaring vent where the aquifer breathes, and one of Florida’s most remarkable natural wonders
The walk begins on a sturdy boardwalk crossing wetlands thick with cypress knees and songbirds before giving way to a root-studded forest trail that ends at a wooden dock and steps descending into a spring that’s anything but still.
The surface boils with energy, driven by the venturi effect of a 10-foot-wide opening where roughly 67 million gallons of water surge upward every day. The spring’s constant 72-degree flow classifies it as a first-magnitude spring, among the most powerful in the Southeast.
Below that roiling surface lies a portal to another world. Blue Hole opens into a vast limestone cave system that can be explored only by cavern and cave-certified divers. Sunlight streaming through the throat of the vent forms a shaft of ethereal blue-white light, illuminating the cavern walls in a scene divers describe as cathedral-like. From there, the spring water spills through a short run to the Ichetucknee River, though paddlers on the river never pass directly above or near the vent.
For decades, thousands of tubers floated right past this hidden marvel without ever realizing it existed. Until May 2021, visitors could tube the river from the headspring through the north section to the south entrance. That changed when the Florida Department of Environmental Protection restricted the upper half of the river to canoes and kayaks, citing heavy recreational traffic that eroded banks and damaged submerged vegetation.
The swimming area near the picnic area is open for swimming but not for diving at the north entrance of Ichetucknee Springs State Park in Fort White. Blue hole is a half-mile walk from the parking area and offers a lovely swim and exciting dive for those with the right training.
The change quieted the north entrance considerably, though it still draws healthy weekend and summer crowds when school is out. A small concession stand serves snacks and cold drinks near the shaded picnic tables, and a separate swimming area remains open — but diving there is prohibited.
Now, much of the commotion once caused by busloads of tubers has given way to birdsong, the hum of cicadas and the steady rush of spring water. For many longtime residents, it’s a return to the Ichetucknee they remember from decades ago.
Taylor Schott hovers over the entrance to Blue Hole, also known as Jug Hole, at Ichetucknee Springs State Park on Oct. 22 in Fort White.
Those willing to shoulder a tank and make the walk to Blue Hole are rewarded with a glimpse into the beating heart of Florida’s springs. Above, the surface churns in constant motion; below, light dances through limestone passages carved over millennia. In the hush of the north entrance, the spring’s power and beauty remind visitors why some treasures are best left hidden — and preserved.
Taylor Schott, right, and Joe Wallace explore the cavern at Blue Hole, also known as Jug Hole, at Ichetucknee Springs State Park on Oct. 22 in Fort White. Blue Hole offers a lovely swim and exciting dive for those with the right training.
Joe Wallace, left, and Taylor Schott explore the cavern at Blue Hole at Ichetucknee Springs State Park on Oct. 22 in Fort White. Blue Hole offers a lovely swim and exciting dive for those with the right training.
Taylor Schott descends in the beam of light at Blue Hole at Ichetucknee Springs State Park on Oct. 22 in Fort White. Blue Hole offers a lovely swim and exciting dive for those with the right training.
ItchetuckneeSprings State Park
Where: North entrace is located at 8294 SW Elim Church Road, Fort White. South entrance is located at 12087 SW U.S. Highway 27, Fort White.
Hours: Open year-round from 8 a.m.- Sunset
Cost: $6 per vehicle. Other fees may apply
More info: floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ichetucknee-springs-state-park
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Blue Hole Spring on the Ichetucknee River in Fort White Florida