Newsletters

  PARK UPDATE Blue Spring State Park is now operating at full capacity again. The park is open to swimming, scuba diving, tubing, snorkeling, hiking, and picnicking. Due to the bank stabilization project that is currently taking place at the park, the spring run is closed to kayaking, canoeing and paddle-boarding, however visitors can still paddle in the St. Johns River or go on a guided boat tour   FUNDRAISER: UPGRADED MANATEE RESCUE & RELEASE AREA By Cora Berchem As many of you know, Blue Spring State Park is a vitally important warm-water winter sanctuary for the threatened Florida manatee...

  PARK UPDATE Blue Spring State Park is currently open to visitors at limited capacity and social-distancing is encouraged. All water activities are closed between November 15th and March 31st for Manatee Season. We hope everyone is staying safe!   THE MANATEES RETURN TO THE PARK FOR THE SEASON By Cora Berchem With temperatures cooling down, some of Blue Spring's most famous visitors return - the manatees! Between the months of November and March when ambient waters drop below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, large numbers of manatees visit Blue Spring State Park and take refuge in the protected 72 degree sanctuary....

  PARK UPDATE Blue Spring State Park was closed from mid-March to mid-May due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are happy to report that the park is back open to swimming, day use activities, camping and paddling with social distancing guidelines in place. We hope everyone has been staying safe! MEMBERSHIP UPDATE By Candia Flasch & Cora Berchem Membership to all current Friends of Blue Spring Members has been extended an additional 6 months to make up for the time that our members were unable to visit the park. We appreciate all our active members, who continue renewing their memberships...

UPCOMING: FIREFLIES Our Lights at Night (firefly) event will begin around mid-March and last for a 2-week period. While there is no way to determine exactly when the fireflies will first appear, we will be making an announcement on the Florida State Parks website and Facebook page a few days prior to the event. All participants should be in the park by 7 p.m. to meet on the Thursby House lawn at 7:45 p.m. After-hour passes will be given out upon entry to the park for a $10 event fee, plus regular park admission ($4 for one person in a...

UPCOMING: ANNUAL MEETING Join us for our Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 14th, 2020 from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. at the Orange City Council Chambers! This is a great opportunity to meet other members, learn how you can get more involved, and give feedback of what you would like to see in the future. You do not need to be a member to attend! We will be providing an overview about our past projects, introduce our board members, and outline our membership, fundraising, and event committees. We need people to help out on all these committees, so this is...