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Silver River
Overview: Silver Spring, which feeds the Silver River, has long been a Central Florida tourist attraction. Located east of Ocala, the beautiful Silver River corridor below the springs is part of Silver Springs State Park. River access has been improved with the establishment of the park. Now you can follow the current downstream from the headspring to the Silver River’s confluence with the Ocklawaha, rather than beating your way upstream from the Ocklawaha all the way to the headspring. The Silver River is an Outstanding Florida Water.
Maps: Silver Springs State Park (Florida State Parks); USGS Ocala East, Lynne
Silver Springs State Park to Ray Wayside Access
- Class: I
- Length: 5 mi
- Time: Varies
- Gauge: Phone, online
- Level: Spring fed
- Gradient: 1 fpm
- Scenery: A
Description: The Silver River is where the first glass-bottomed boats were used. And they are still used today to see the array of aquatic life below the water’s surface. I can still remember touring Silver Springs as a kid, looking down on another world. Nowadays, the headspring area and downstream to the Ocklawaha River are a state park. There is a fee-based canoe-and-kayak launch at the park’s main entrance at the headspring, and a free second launch (still requiring a park entrance fee) at the park’s campground entrance that requires a half-mile carry to the put-in. I have done both—pay the launch fee, it is worth it. Canoes and kayaks can be rented at the headspring.
Once on the river, you can enjoy spring water measured at 550 million gallons flowing per day. It is 2.0 river miles from the headspring launch to the carry launch. It is 3.0 more miles downstream to the Ocklawaha River through junglelike banks with waterweeds bordering the steady current. The takeout is downstream on the west bank of the Silver River, at Ray Wayside Park, which is reached via a short canal.
Shuttle: To reach the takeout at Ray Wayside Park from Exit 352 off I-75 in Ocala, drive east on FL 40. After 11.9 miles, bear right on Northeast 28th Lane. In 0.5 mile, reach the takeout before you reach the bridge over the Ocklawaha River. GPS Coordinates: 29.214034, -81.992374
To reach the put-in at Silver Springs State Park, backtrack 3.9 miles west on FL 40 to the park’s main entrance, on your left. Head to the paddlecraft-rental and launch area. GPS Coordinates: 29.213189, -82.055377
Gauge: The spring-fed Silver River is paddleable year-round. Call Silver Springs State Park (352-236-7148) for the latest river conditions, and find real-time water levels and flow rates at waterdata.usgs.gov/fl/nwis/rt. The USGS gauge helpful in determining flow rates for any given day is Silver River near Ocala, Florida.
