Summary of Features
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Directions
From Highway 90 in Marianna, go north on State Road 71. A Wal-Mart is on
the corner. (Note that the southern part of 71 that leads to I-10 is down
the road to the west.) After about a mile, right past the green John Deere
sign, Blue Spring Road forks off to the right. Go about 3 miles and you will
see the sign to Blue Spring County Park. There is a put-in spot at Blue Springs
to go downriver to Shangri-La. The spring may also be reached by paddling
approximately 2 miles upstream from the public boat ramp at Hunter Fish Camp
Road. (From U.S. 90 in Marianna, turn north on 71 at the Wal-Mart and go
to
Blue Springs Road. Turn right at the big John Deer sign onto Blue Springs
Rd. and go 1.6 miles to Hunter Fish Camp Road. Turn right and go 2/3 mile
down this house-lined road to the boat ramp on the left, downhill from the
road.)
To reach Shangri-La Spring from Blue, canoe downstream from the put-in at Blue Spring and stay on the right about 200 yards and you will see a lone cypress near the right shore. Look right for a lot of metal posts sticking out of the water, the remains of a dock. A fern-covered rock, about the size of a car, sits ten feet offshore. A smaller boulder is just downstream. Onshore is a limestone bluff with a small overhang near the shore. The little overhang, about two feet high, is used for camping and can be messy. To the right of the overhang, in the water and under the bluff, is the main spring. If you approach the main spring from the right side of the large boulder, you should pass over the second spring, which is in the pond about 45 feet from the limestone bluff and the main spring.
For maps, latitude/longitude data, driving directions, satellite imagery, and topographic representations as well as weather conditions at this spring, go to Greg Johnson's informative "Florida Springs Database" web site at the following address: http://www.ThisWaytothe.Net/springs/floridasprings.htm#Florida
Spring Description
The main spring is a beautiful little cave—only five feet deep—at the base
of the limestone bluff, and just large enough to squeeze into. The water
is exceptionally clear and there is a steady and gentle flow from the vent.
Due to its shallowness, the water is paler blue than at Blue Spring upriver.
DeLoach reports the small opening widens to a cavern of 15x20 feet with depths
of 25 feet to a silty bottom (1997, p. 128). Another diver told JF that the
cave extends about 200 feet but is quite narrow. Metal poles—the remnants
of an old dock—lead from the land to the large boulder in the water and over
near the main spring at the base of the bluff. There are also pieces
of concrete block in the water.
The second spring nearby is a 35-foot long fissure that emanates water from about 20 down. During times of heavy hydrilla and algae infestation, the second spring is very silty and can be hard to spot. Fish linger at the bottom of both springs. When clear, the fissure is easy to spot and points toward the boulder next to the main Shangri-La Spring. The bottom near the bluff is littered with large rocks and old building materials to stand on.
Use/Access
Personal Impressions
Shangri-La is the prettiest little spring you will ever see, and its water
is perfectly clear. Just looking at it produces a calming
effect on the observer.
Nearby Springs