First settled in 1835, White Springs offers southern hospitality amid its shady streets and Victorian charm.
A true gateway to outdoor recreation, it was the first town to be designated a Florida Trail Gateway Community and hosted the first Florida Hiking Festival in 2008. The Florida Trail and Suwannee River Wilderness Trail pass right through town, with access to dozens of other hiking and biking opportunities nearby.
White Springs is 3 miles east of Interstate 75 off the first exit north of Interstate 10. The Florida Trail runs right through town, entering and exiting through Suwannee Valley Campground and Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park.
Centered around the historic White Sulphur Springs, the town of White Springs was first settled in 1835, when Bryant and Elizabeth Sheffield purchased the land around the spring and built a log hotel. By the 1880s, there were 14 hotels in town catering to tourists who came by steamboat and railroad to “take the waters.”
As the riverboat era faded, the town froze in time. Many White Springs homes and businesses date back to the 1880s boom and remain landmarks today, showcasing architecture typical of turn-of-the-century Florida.
The Florida Trail leads you right past the State of Florida’s Nature and Heritage Tourism Center, a great stop for information on outdoor recreation opportunities and the home base of the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, of which the Florida Trail is a part.
In the late 1960s, volunteers from the Florida Trail Association began to scout segments of trail along the Suwannee River and worked with White Springs landowners to make the trail a reality. The Florida Trail continues to be a public-private partnership through this region, running for nearly 75 miles along the Suwannee River from Big Shoals west to Mill Creek in Twin Rivers State Forest.
Scenic views abound, starting with the beauty of Big Shoals, Florida’s only Class III whitewater, and Little Shoals, a favorite for passing kayakers with its Class II whitewater fun. But what makes the Suwannee so special for hikers is the rugged terrain. Hundreds of small streams and springs feed the river’s 229-mile course, and the trail drops down into and climbs back out of steep rocky ravines cut by these tributaries. One of the highest points on the Florida Trail is Devil’s Mountain, rising 130 feet above the river, with a commanding view in the wintertime of the surrounding lowlands. Backpackers enjoy this section not just for the challenge but for the camping. When the river is low, beautiful white sand beaches provide places to pitch a tent. Or take in the landscape from the top of the bluffs.
Camp Branch Conservation Area. Look for the small sign on the left headed east along CR 25 after you pass under I-75. Follow the access road back to this trailhead for the mountain bike system. Follow the blue-blazed trail downhill for half a mile to the orange-blazed Florida Trail. A connected blue-blazed loop is the scenic and rugged half-mile Disappearing Creek Trail.
CR 25. The Florida Trail touches CR 25 briefly near Sal Marie Branch.
White Springs. Park at the Nature & Tourism Heritage Center (day use only) or at Stephen Foster State Park (near the gazebo). Please inform rangers if you plan to leave your car overnight.
Little Shoals Trailhead. A well-maintained dirt and gravel access road leads east off US 41 just north of the agricultural inspection station to this trailhead parking area.
Ivy Ridge Studios. Follow Morrell Drive (off Lassie Black Drive) to the end; watch for the studio entrance on the left. Park next to the studios. Access is for visitors to the studios.
See White Springs and learn about our statewide program in this video produced during the celebration that kicked off the Florida Trail Gateway Community Program.
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First settled in 1835, White Springs offers southern hospitality amid its shady streets and Victorian charm. 
White Springs - Grab & Go
White Springs - Map 
Centered around the historic White Sulphur Springs, the town of White Springs was first settled in 1835, when Bryant and Elizabeth Sheffield purchased the land around the spring and built a log hotel. By the 1880s, there were 14 hotels in town catering to tourists who came by steamboat and railroad to “take the waters.”
In the late 1960s, volunteers from the Florida Trail Association began to scout segments of trail along the Suwannee River and worked with White Springs landowners to make the trail a reality. The Florida Trail continues to be a public-private partnership through this region, running for nearly 75 miles along the Suwannee River from Big Shoals west to Mill Creek in Twin Rivers State Forest. 
Florida Trail Map Brochure