Plantlife
View
wild rice, pennywort, foxtail, and the entire underwater forest while snorkeling in a pristine freshwater spring ecosystem.
Relax on your tube or canoe and watch the maples, dogwoods, and majestic arching live oaks in the hardwood hammock give way
to the enchanting cypress swamp. Walk our trails and gaze at open vistas of the sandhill plant community where the wire grass,
bracken fern, chinquepin, and wildflowers weave a carpet under the soaring longleaf pines.
Resources
The
Ichetucknee River is the MOST pristine spring-fed river in the state of Florida. Two hundred and thirty three million gallons
of fresh water flow daily from the springs within the 2,241-acre park. The year around water temp is 72dg.
The vibrant upland pine ecosystem that surrounds the hardwood hammock and cypress swamp is increasingly rare and not to
be missed on a visit to the park.
Wildlife
As
you travel down the river, an abundance of wildlife can be seen around every bend. Glide silently past turtles sunning on
logs at the river’s edge. Listen for the great blue heron’s primordial cries or the echoing of the barred owl’s
call. Watch wood ducks startle the unsuspecting from behind its cover of grasses. A canoeist may observe river otters stretching
their heads above the surface or sliding playfully into the river. White- tailed deer, raccoons, and even the camouflaged
wild turkey make the riverbanks their home.
Look down into the clear waters and be amazed by the abundance of aquatic wildlife. Largemouth and Suwannee bass, catfish,
red-bellies, bluegill, mullet, and gar are but a few of the many species of fish that are present in the Ichetucknee. Peer
yet closer into the crystal waters and see snails, crayfish, small turtles, grass shrimp and more.
Stroll our trails and look for five-lined or broadhead skinks. Keep an eye to the sky for a glimpse of a kestrel, a red-tailed
hawk, or maybe a swallow-tailed kite. The gopher tortoise, indigo snake, or fox squirrel may also be out among the pines.
Whether in the water or on the land, visitors will encounter Florida at its best!
To aid in preserving the river, pulling up plants in the river or climbing on trees along the bank is prohibited. When
possible, keep your feet away from the stream-bed to avoid stirring up the sediments. With your cooperation the Ichetucknee
River will flourish.
Fish
Florida's clear spring waters provide a natural aquarium for many of the state's most common as well as most unique fish
species. Some, like the American Mullet, migrate to the springs from the ocean. Others, like the White and Brown Bullhead
Catfish, live in the dark recesses of the springs' underwater caves emerging only at night to feed.
