Rainbow Springs State Park

The modern era has seen the land shaped by both enterprising developers and the loving hands of local volunteers, and the draw of the beautifully serene park endures. When swimmers take their first dip in the sapphire-blue waters of Rainbow Springs, they become characters in a story that stretches back over 10,000 years, when humans first visited this place.

Ornamental gardens, constructed waterfalls and sloping hills are visible reminders of the springs’ more recent past, when the land was home to a mining operation and a privately owned tourist attraction.

Take a walk through lush, mossy hammocks and then cool off in the springs — it’s a time-honored tradition.