Rock Springs / Kelly Park — Orange County's 68°F Tubing River That Never Closes
A spring-fed run where 68°F water bubbles straight out of limestone, and a lazy one-mile float takes you past cypress roots and bass hovering like they own the place.
Thirty miles north of downtown Orlando, a first-magnitude spring pushes roughly 65 million gallons of water per day up through a limestone vent, and the whole thing pours into a 700-foot swimming area before narrowing into a one-mile lazy river you can float with an inner tube. There is no wave pool. No lazy river engineer. No admission bracelet with a barcode. Just limestone karst doing what it has done, uninterrupted, for at least ten thousand years.
Rock Springs sits inside Kelly Park, an Orange County park so quietly functional it doesn’t feel like a hidden gem — it feels like it was always supposed to be yours.
The water reads 68°F year-round. That’s not “refreshing.” On a 95-degree August afternoon, that is a physical shock you will think about on the drive home, in a good way.
“They sold farmland around here for decades without ever mentioning the spring. The spring didn’t care. It kept flowing.”
What it is
Rock Springs is a first-magnitude karst spring — a classification reserved for springs that discharge more than 64 cubic feet of water per second. The vent itself is a fracture in the Floridan Aquifer, the same aquifer that feeds most of Florida’s famous springs from Ichetucknee to Silver Springs.
The spring run measures roughly one mile end to end, with an average depth of 3–5 feet and occasional deeper pools. Water clarity is exceptional on uncrowded mornings — 15–25 feet of visibility before the day-use crowd stirs the sandy bottom. The run narrows and widens, passes beneath a canopy of cypress, red maple, and live oak, and empties into a slower section near the park’s exit point where rangers manage the tube return shuttle.
This is Orange County. Forty-five minutes from the most visited theme-park corridor in the world. The contrast is almost absurd.
What you do there
Tubing the run is the main event:
- Rent a tube at the concession stand near the main basin — around $5 per tube, cash or card.
- Enter the spring run at the head basin or via access points along the run.
- Float the one-mile route. Budget 45 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on flow and how many stops you make.
- Exit at the downstream end. A shuttle van runs back to the main area — included with park admission, no separate ticket.
Swimming at the main basin is excellent on its own. The basin is concrete-edged, clearly signed, and has lifeguards on duty during peak season. Water depth in the swim area varies from 2 feet at the edges to about 8 feet near the spring vent.
Snorkeling is permitted and rewarding. Bring your own gear — no rentals on-site for snorkel equipment. Bass, sunfish, and the occasional gar cruise the run. In winter, look for manatees — the warm spring water draws them to Rock Springs Run starting around November.
Camping is available inside Kelly Park. Thirty-one sites with electric hookups, plus primitive sites. This is one of the very few spring parks in Florida where you can camp within walking distance of the water.
Park admission: $3 per vehicle for Orange County residents, $5 per vehicle for non-residents. Day use only unless camping. The park has a strict vehicle capacity limit — on summer weekends, the lot fills by 9 AM and the park closes to incoming traffic until cars leave. Arrive before 8:30 AM or after 3 PM.
Conditions, honestly
- Crowds: This is not a secret. Summer weekends at Rock Springs are packed. The tube run can feel like a conveyor belt by 11 AM. The spring itself is big enough that it never feels dangerous, but the vibe is absolutely family-festival, not solitude.
- Capacity closure: Orange County actively closes the park entrance when the lot fills. There is no waitlist, no reservation system for day use — it’s first come, first served. Plan accordingly or go in the off-season.
- Water clarity varies: Heavy rain in the watershed upstream muddies the run within 24–48 hours. After a dry week, visibility is remarkable. Check Orange County Parks social media or call ahead after storms.
- Current: The spring pushes steadily. You will float the run without paddling. Going upstream against the current is possible but exhausting — not worth it.
- Bugs: Mosquitoes are a non-issue in the water. At dusk on the primitive campsites, they are very much an issue. Bring repellent if you’re staying overnight.
- No alcohol: Kelly Park is a dry park. No exceptions, no gray area.
- Manatees: When they’re present (November through March roughly), the county may restrict access to certain sections of the run. Check before you go.
What it’s not
Rock Springs is not a wilderness experience. The main basin has a concession stand, a parking lot, organized tube rentals, and lifeguards. It is a well-run county park with real infrastructure, not a backcountry spring you hike to.
It is also not a dive site. The depths don’t warrant it, and there are no cave systems open to recreational divers here. If you came to Florida to dive a spring system, look at Devil’s Den or Ichetucknee.
And it is not reliably quiet. The park’s proximity to the Orlando metro means that on any warm-weather weekend, expect company.
If you go
Nearest town: Apopka, FL — about 4 miles south. Gas, groceries, ice. Orlando is 30 miles southeast.
What to bring: Cash for tubes, water shoes (the spring vent area has algae-slick limestone), reef-safe sunscreen, a dry bag for your phone. A mesh bag to corral the tube while you swim.
Pair it with: Wekiwa Springs State Park is 12 miles south and offers paddling on the Wekiva River with manatee sightings in winter — a solid two-spring day.
Best timing: Weekday mornings in October or November. The water is the same 68°F it always is. The park is quiet. The cypress is starting to turn. It is as good as this gets.
Kelly Park / Rock Springs 7500 Kelly Park Rd, Apopka, FL 32712 Hours: 7 AM – 7 PM daily (seasonal variation) Orange County Parks: (407) 254-1902
faq:
- question: “Do I need to reserve a spot at Rock Springs / Kelly Park in advance?” answer: “Day-use visits are first come, first served — no reservations. The lot fills fast on summer weekends, often by 9 AM. Campsite reservations are available through Orange County Parks and book out weeks ahead in summer.”
- question: “Can you bring your own tube to Kelly Park?” answer: “Yes. Personal tubes are allowed. They must be able to fit through a 24-inch diameter ring, which park staff check at the entrance. If your tube doesn’t pass, you buy or rent one at the concession.”
- question: “Are there manatees at Rock Springs?” answer: “Yes, seasonally. Manatees use the warm spring water as a refuge from November through March. When they’re present, staff may close parts of the run. You can often see them from the bank or while floating — don’t touch or chase them.”
