Rock Springs Run

It is appropriate the first yak tale is from Wekiwa Springs State Park and Rock Springs Run. Friends and family know all about this paddle, but for those who have come across this blog for the first time, here's a description.

Wekiwa Springs State Park is 20 miles northwest of downtown Orlando, 30 from the theme parks. It's less than 15 miles from my home and is one of my favorite places to kayak.

The only drawback is the launch area is a long way from the parking area. A long drag/carry down a sand/dirt hill. Not bad on the way out, the hill seems like a mountain at the end of the day.

The launch area is just outside the Wekiwa Springs, which form the Wekiva River. Not a typo, the Springs and River have different spellings. I put in at 11:45 am, entering a small lake like area, which quickly narrows into a moderate flowing stream. Lots of folks in rental canoes and kayaks from the Park. After 20 minutes, I arrived at the confluence of Rock Springs Run and the Wekiva River. I paddled up the Run.

Rock Springs Run begins at Rock Springs, some 9 mile from the confluence. It is a hard paddle upstream- most folks go downstream only, launching from Kings Landing in Apopka, FL, and shuttling back. I'd rather spend more time on the water. A few people were on the lower section of the Run, but once I got a half hour into the trip, I had the Run to myself. And wildlife. Bass and pickerel. Turtles sunning and swimming in the clear water. Egrets, herons, hawks, ibis, limpkins, kingfishers, woodpeckers, songbirds, butterflies, and of course, alligators. I saw 6 during my 6 hours 45 minutes on the water. I did not see any mammals- No bears, deer or otters. I have seen all these on prior paddles. This is a beautiful wilderness, wildlife abounds.

My plan was to turn around at 3 pm. I extended that to 3:15, as I entered the most beautiful part of the Run, where glass like water flows from Rock Springs. Until recently, this area was impassable, unless you got out of your craft and pulled it across dozens of logs- I've done that, out of the yak, on the log, back in, paddle, log, out , portage, back in, paddle, log, out, back in, tip over- no fun. But now, thanks to hard work by the people from King's Landing, the Run is clear for an extended paddle. A month ago, I think I was almost to Kelly Park- which contains Rock Springs, before coming to an obstruction. Did not make it that far today, I knew I could not paddle much past 3:15 pm before turning around, if I wanted to get back to Wekiwa Springs before it closed at sunset.

Come about I did, and leisurely came downstream. With the current, I took 15 minute less then the upstream voyage, arriving back at Wekiwa Springs State Park at 6:30.

By the time I dragged the yak up the hill and secured it to the car, it was too late for a dip in the Spring. So no underwater pics on this first full post.