Friends of Blue Spring State Park

MANATEE BINGO!

Please come out and join us for Great Food, Great Prizes, and all for a GREAT Cause!

Every Wednesday night at 6:30, we have Manatee Bingo at Riverwalk Pizzeria in Orange City! This terrific restaurant and brewery is located at 1070 S. Volusia Ave.

Bingo cards are only $1 cash per card and all proceeds go to Blue Spring State Park.

We play 4 games with various terrific manatee prizes and would love to see you come out to this family friendly event!

Experience the enchantment of our moonlight hikes

Our Moonlight Hikes are a magical experience, showcasing the park's stunning beauty at night. Our full moon hikes are only once a month and are very popular! As we have a capacity limit, we encourage you to get your tickets soon at the link below.

We have two all-terrain chairs available for those who aren't able to walk the path; up to 2 guests can go on a rolling hike. Please contact khallumbluespringcso@gmail to reserve a chair free of charge!

On December 15th, please plan to arrive at the park around 5:00 PM.

At 5:30 we'll gather in front of the Manatee Outpost located in the Lower Parking Lot next to the restrooms.

The park closes at 5:45 PM; you'll receive an after-hours pass for your dashboard before then.

What to bring:

Flashlights
Bug spray
Closed-toe shoes
Water

Important Notes:

No flashing or light-up sneakers
Please don't bring pets on the hike
The hike will cover 1-1.5 miles, depending on trail access, and last until around 7:00 PM
The terrain includes sidewalks and sandy soils with some roots and trip hazards

Park entry fees are not included. Typical fees are $4 for a 1 person car and $6 for up to 8 in a car.

The hike will be canceled in case of inclement weather.

Enjoy the serene night-time scenery! 🌌🌿

Dec 15 Hike!

Manatee Quilt Giveaway!

Once again, our fabulous quilter Kellie has custom made a beautiful Queen Sized Manatee Quilt!

ON-LINE DONATIONS / TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE UNTIL FRIDAY JANUARY 24TH AT 6:00 PM

$5 Donation = 1 Entry ~ $20 Donation = 5 Entries

Grand Prize: Hand Made Manatee Quilt

2nd Prize: Hand Stitched Stuffed Manatee

3rd Prize: Manatee Travel Tumbler

You may donate in-person to receive your entry tickets at the Manatee Festival January 25th & 26th, 2025

Drawing to be held at the Manatee Festival on January 26, 2025 at 3:00 pm

Please get your tickets now!

QUILT GIVE AWAY!

Adopt-A-Manatee® in Partnership with Save the Manatee Club

The Friends have teamed up with Save the Manatee Club to offer you a special opportunity! When you symbolically adopt a real living manatee through this link, you not only support the efforts of the Club, you also support us, the Friends of Blue Spring State Park!

Adopt Now

Make a Donation to Support Us!

The Friends of Blue Spring State Park is a Non-Profit 501(C)3 Citizen Support Organization (CSO) of volunteers dedicated to helping to ensure Blue Spring State Park remains a fun, interesting, educational, and beautiful place to visit!

We provide support to the park through volunteering, educating visitors, hosting events and raising funds, like your donation, for specific park projects. The funds you donate can provide additional equipment, buildings, programs, and renovations according to the needs of the park.

Thank you very much for your generosity!

DONATE!

THANK YOU FOR LEAVING YOUR MARK AT BLUE SPRING STATE PARK

We are very sorry to announce that due to a decision at the state level, the brick order program has ended.

The bricks will remain on display at the park to share your memories, memorials, gratitude, and appreciation!

All brick purchases that were completed by July 31st have been checked in. Installation was delayed due to hurricane impact and will be completed as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support of this program. Your donations really made a difference as all proceeds benefitted the park.

Tracked Chair Now Available

Mobility challenged guests can experience the scenic trails in Blue Spring State Park using an all-terrain chair. The chair is FREE, but reservations are required.

Please use the link below to make your reservation!

There are multiple trails where the chair can be taken. Some trails thread through palmetto patches, pine scrub or oak hammocks. Other trails follow gentle curves under the canopy of large oak trees.

It's common to see deer along the trails and occasionally one can see (from a distance), wild hogs, a variety of small mammals or even a bear.

We hope to see you on the trails!

Tracked Chair Reservation

Closures at Blue Spring State Park

Effective April 2024: In-water activities are closed while we stabilize the shoreline at Blue Spring State Park. This closure includes swimming, snorkeling, tubing, diving, and paddling in the spring run and spring head. Boat tours and paddling are only allowed in the St. Johns River. Visitors are asked to adhere to all posted signs and avoid closed areas when visiting the park.

Why are we conducting the shoreline stabilization?
The stabilization project is necessary because the flow of water from the first magnitude spring has created an undercut along the shoreline. Undercuts can be dangerous for wildlife, recreation, and important artifacts.

While the stabilization project is underway, other improvements including an upgraded manatee release area, an improved swimming platform, and a new boardwalk along the spring run to the spring head will also be constructed.

Blue Spring Adventures will maintain their St. Johns River Nature Cruise, along with paddleboard, canoe, kayak, and bicycle rentals during the closure.

Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates and park events.

We hope to welcome you back to being in and on Blue Spring in 2025.

calling all corporate and family sponsors:

Wouldn't your logo or family photo look great here? Please see the Memberships tab above.