Madison Blue Spring State Park

Current status

As of late October 2026, Madison Blue Spring State Park is open, but the spring itself is closed to swimming. The park’s alert gives Oct. 13, 2026 as the effective date and no reopening date. It is the second closure this year: on June 26, 2026 the park shut the spring after a brownout, when heavy rain upstream washed more sediment down the Withlacoochee River than the spring could push back out. Park staff told the Suwannee Riverkeeper group at the time that it would likely take about two weeks to clear. A similar brownout happened in May 2024. The park did not give a reason for the October closure, so call 850-815-0869 or check the park website before you make the drive.

What to expect

Like every spring in Florida, Madison Blue is cold, not hot. The water averages about 72°F22°C all year, so it feels cool in summer and cold in winter. There is no warm soaking anywhere in the state’s springs.

When it is open, Madison Blue is one of the prettiest swimming holes in north Florida. USA Today readers voted it the best swimming hole in the country in 2015. The spring rises in a limestone basin on the west bank of the Withlacoochee River (the north Florida one, not the Withlacoochee near Dunnellon), about 12 miles upstream of where it meets the Suwannee. The basin is roughly 25 feet deep and 82 feet wide, with clear blue water over a white limestone bottom, and shallow areas under 5 feet where beginners can stand. A short run carries the spring water out to the tea-colored river, and the line where blue meets brown is the classic photo here.

Beneath the basin is one of Florida’s well-known cave systems. More than 26,000 feet of underwater passages have been explored, and they shelter three imperiled cave-dwelling invertebrates. Cave divers come from all over the country.

The park is small and simple: a day-use area under oaks and pines with picnic tables and grills, a picnic pavilion, a volleyball court, a nature trail and an interpretive exhibit. Restrooms are temporary units. There is no bathhouse and no changing room, so come ready to swim.

Getting there

The park is at 8300 NE State Road 6, Lee, in eastern Madison County, where SR 6 reaches the Withlacoochee River. SR 6 runs between Madison and Jasper a few miles north of I-10; from the interstate, follow the brown state park signs. Madison is the nearest larger town to the west, and Jasper is across the river to the northeast.

Parking is a paved lot a short walk from the spring. The park warns that big RVs, RVs towing trailers and truck-camper combinations are not recommended because there is little room to turn around (alert dated April 2, 2026).

When to go

The water is the same temperature year-round, so the real questions are crowds and river levels. Late spring and summer are the main swimming season. On weekends and holidays the park often reaches capacity between about 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. It may reopen later in the day as people leave, but you are not allowed to park and wait on the road or at the entrance, and local law enforcement writes tickets for it. Arrive at 8 a.m. or come on a weekday.

River levels matter as much as the calendar. After heavy rain upstream in south Georgia, the Withlacoochee can rise and brown out the spring, and the park closes it to swimming until it clears. That can happen in any season. Calm, dry spells give the clearest water.

Rules and etiquette

• Fees: $4 to $5 per vehicle, $2 per pedestrian, cyclist or extra passenger. Payment is by QR code.
• Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year.
• Swimming: allowed year-round when the spring is open. No lifeguard. No climbing on, walking on, putting things on, or jumping or diving from the protected limestone rocks.
• Tubes and floats: allowed in the spring and river, up to 60 inches in more than one direction. No food, drink, tobacco, alcohol or disposable items on the water. No motorized gear.
• No boats in the spring: canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and boats are not allowed in the spring or the spring run, and the park has no river launch or rentals.
• Alcohol is banned throughout the park.
• Pets: on a 6-foot leash in picnic areas only, never in the swim area. Service animals are also kept out of the swimming area, partly because alligators are drawn to dogs.
• Fishing: only along the riverbank starting 400 feet past the spring, with a license where required.

Cave and cavern diving:

• Certified cave and cavern divers only. No open-water diving and no free diving.
• Sign in on the form at the front of the main boardwalk.
• No solo dives. Stay within your certification.
• No DPVs or scooters. Do not disturb artifacts, plants or animals.
• All dives must finish one hour before sunset. You dive at your own risk.

Where to stay nearby

There is no camping at Madison Blue. Madison to the west and Jasper to the northeast have small motels and restaurants. Live Oak and Lake City, both on I-10, have chain hotels. For camping, Florida State Parks runs campgrounds along the Suwannee River downstream, including at Suwannee River State Park near the confluence of the two rivers.

Safety notes

• Deep, cold water: the basin drops to about 25 feet and is unguarded. Keep children within reach and put weak swimmers in a life jacket.
• Caves are for trained divers only: untrained divers have died in Florida’s spring caves. Snorkelers should never swim into the cave opening.
• Brownouts and flooding: if the river is high and the spring looks brown, it is likely closed. Respect the closure.
• Alligators: the Withlacoochee is a natural river. Stay alert near the run and riverbank, and keep pets well away from the water.
• Rocks: the limestone edges are slippery and protected. Use the marked entry points.