National_Geographic_Traveller_UK_June_2017

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
Florida
A RIVER RUNS
THROUGH IT
Get to know Florida’s
watery heart on and in
the rivers of Columbia,
Levy and Gilchrist
Counties, where active
pursuits will put you in
touch with your wild side
Gilchrist County
Paddle the 55-mile Blueway Trail, a series of 50 crystal-clear
freshwater springs teeming with wildlife. Canoe or kayak
through wetland and over the blackwater Suwannee River.
Ginnie Springs, on the Santa Fe River, meanwhile, is one of
the clearest freshwater springs in the world. Conservationist
Jacques-Yves Cousteau summed them up in two words:
‘visibility forever’. You can cave dive or swim in the water,
which changes from a mesmerising turquoise to a deep blue.
Columbia County
In O’Leno State Park, ease into a drowsy vibe by hopping
in a canoe and slipping down the scenic Santa Fe
River. There are hammocks to laze in and pavilions for
picnicking in, but if you prefer to speed things up, trails
can be explored on foot or by bike. Thrill-seekers should
head to Ichetucknee Springs State Park to tube down the
river, which flows past shady wetlands. But don’t towel
off — you can snorkel or scuba dive in the otherworldly
Blue Hole Spring, reached via a wooded nature trail.
Levy County
Cedar Key’s sleepy houses are
perched on stilts above the Gulf
of Mexico, which harbours the
island’s claim to fame: shellfish.
Learn about aquaculture with
fishing communities before eating
the freshest clams, shrimps or blue
crabs for dinner, surrounded by
beaches, green islands and wildlife.
Other aquatic escapades include
scuba diving in the prehistoric
Devil’s Den Resort & Springs, found
within a dry cave featuring ancient
rock formations. The warm cavern
pool sinks to 60ft below ground
and steams on cold mornings.
GILCHRIST COUNTY visitgilchristcounty.com T: 00 1 352 463 3198
COLUMBIA COUNTY springsrus.com T: 00 1 386 758 1312
LEVY COUNTY visitlevy.com T: 00 1 352 486 3396