How many manatees are at Blue Spring State Park?

Counts vary by day and temperature. The single-day record is 932 manatees on January 21, 2024. Typical winter peaks run 400–700.

When is the best time to see manatees at Blue Spring?

Mid-November through March, on the coldest mornings. The colder the St. Johns River, the more manatees move into the 72°F spring run.

Can you swim at Blue Spring?

Yes, but only outside manatee season (typically mid-March to mid-November). During manatee season the water is closed to swimmers.

What is the Thursby House?

An 1872 pioneer homestead built by Louis Thursby on the site of an ancient Native American shell midden. It operated as a steamboat landing on the St. Johns River and is preserved as a park museum.

Where is Blue Spring State Park?

2100 W French Ave, Orange City, FL 32763 — about 6 miles south of downtown DeLand.

Is Blue Spring State Park free?

No — standard Florida state-park entry fee applies.

Manatees gathered in the 72-degree spring run at Blue Spring State Park near DeLand, Florida

Blue Spring State Park & Thursby House Walking Tour — Manatees, Springs & a House on a Shell Mound

Quick answer: Blue Spring State Park near Orange City, Florida is a winter refuge for manatees — park biologists counted a record 932 manatees in a single day in January 2024. The park also preserves the 1872 Thursby House, a pioneer homestead built atop a pre-Columbian shell midden.

Address: 2100 W French Ave, Orange City FL 32763
Spring-run walk: ~0.7 mi boardwalk (one-way)
Total with Thursby House: 1.5–2 mi round trip
Difficulty: Easy (boardwalk + paved)
Fee: State-park entry fee

Location

Address: 2100 W French Ave, Orange City, FL 32763
Hours: 8 a.m.–sundown daily
Get directions on Google Maps

Why Blue Spring matters

Blue Spring is a first-magnitude spring discharging an average of 165 million gallons of 72°F water per day into the St. Johns River [S59]. Since the park was established in 1972 to protect the manatee population, the over-wintering count has grown from fewer than 40 animals in the 1970s to a record 932 manatees in a single day on January 21, 2024 [S60].

Three facts worth citing

932 manatees.

Single-day record count, January 21, 2024 — the highest ever recorded at Blue Spring.

Source: Save the Manatee Club [S60].

Aerial view of Blue Spring boil and spring run flowing to the St. Johns River

72°F constant spring temperature.

The reason Blue Spring is a critical winter refuge. The first-magnitude spring discharges ~165 million gallons per day into the St. Johns River.

Source: Florida State Parks [S59].

1872 Thursby House.

Pioneer homestead built atop a pre-Columbian Native American shell midden — a visible reminder that every post-contact Florida homestead stood on older Indigenous ground.

Source: Blue Spring State Park [S61].

The Thursby House

Louis Thursby purchased the land in 1856 and built the two-story wood-frame house in 1872. The Thursby family ran a steamboat landing and citrus operation; Blue Spring was a regular stop on the St. Johns River steamboat route between Jacksonville and Sanford. The house sits on an ancient Native American shell mound — a visual reminder that every post-contact Florida homestead stood on older Indigenous ground [S61, S62].

The house is open for self-guided tours during park hours (check signage on-site).

Walking the spring run

From the main parking area, the paved boardwalk follows the spring run upstream past numbered stations where visitors can see manatees (in season), alligators, gar, and tilapia in the crystal-clear water. At the spring boil — where 72°F water emerges from the aquifer — swimming is permitted outside of manatee season (typically mid-March through mid-November).

Combine with Lake Beresford Park

The paved Spring-to-Spring Trail runs 3 miles from Blue Spring State Park north to Lake Beresford Park in DeLand. It's walkable, bikeable, and stroller-friendly [S48].

Lake Beresford Park walking tour

Manatee viewing etiquette

Do not enter the water when manatees are present.
Stay behind boardwalk railings; do not touch or feed manatees.
Check the park's daily manatee count at floridastateparks.org/BlueSpring before your visit [S59].

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Frequently asked questions

How many manatees are at Blue Spring State Park?: Counts vary by day and temperature. The single-day record is 932 manatees on January 21, 2024. Typical winter peaks run 400–700. [S60]
When is the best time to see manatees at Blue Spring?: Mid-November through March, on the coldest mornings. The colder the St. Johns River, the more manatees move into the 72°F spring run. [S59]
Can you swim at Blue Spring?: Yes, but only outside manatee season (typically mid-March to mid-November). During manatee season the water is closed to swimmers. [S59]
What is the Thursby House?: An 1872 pioneer homestead built by Louis Thursby on the site of an ancient Native American shell midden. It operated as a steamboat landing on the St. Johns River and is preserved as a park museum. [S61]
Where is Blue Spring State Park?: 2100 W French Ave, Orange City, FL 32763 — about 6 miles south of downtown DeLand.
Is Blue Spring State Park free?: No — standard Florida state-park entry fee applies. [S59]