Park #137 – Blue Springs State Park

I visited Blue Springs State Park in Orange City on Christmas Eve day. When I arrived early in the morning, there weren’t many people there at all and I had the boardwalk to myself!

It has been very warm and muggy so far this year, so most of the manatees that normally visit the spring to stay warm during the winter haven’t arrived yet. I did see a few manatee hanging out near where the spring run enters the St. John’s River.

I walked along the boardwalk all the way to the main spring. From here the view was obscured by oaks, and there weren’t any manatees either, so I walked all the way back to a dock that floats on the river. Usually swimmers would make this an impossible spot to paint, but lucky for me swimming is closed during the manatee season.

I chose to paint a palm tree as it leaned over the clear green waters of the spring run. When I first started to paint a young little blue heron was resting on an old metal piece near the shore. He flew away before I was done, but I added him in from memory!

As I painted I could hear splashes made by the fish. Some of the fish swam real close to my dock and I could see they were tarpon! I was surprised to see tarpon in the springs. They are a saltwater species, and the spring is clear fresh water! There are some salt springs a little ways upriver, so this is probably what helps them survive in the springs.

The park started to get crowded as I was finishing up the painting, so I packed my gear and headed home to celebrate a warm Christmas Eve!

For more information about this park, visit their website

Blue Springs Run – 8×10″ oil on linen panel

Park Entrance sign

Boardwalk through the forest

Big Red danger sign!

Spring view

Manatee Statue Mosaic

Canoes along the shore

Sign About Manatees

The main head spring

Historic Thursby House overlooking the St. Johns River and the old Steamboat landing

Porch overlooking the old river steamboat landing

Side view of the Thursby House. On a hill overlooking the river

Cormorants and Canoes on the St. Johns River

Manatee painting above cozy fireplace in gift shop

View through the palms

Nice cabins available

Tarpon in the spring run

Tilapia fish

Steps to the spring run

Manatees in the spring run

Palms along the river

Painting in progress