THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Paddle five miles down the crystal-fed Ocklawaha River through Silver Springs State Park, where clear water, manatees and historic springs meet easy self-guided kayaking. Includes gear, map and a free shuttle back to your car.
Paddle five miles down the crystal-fed Ocklawaha River through Silver Springs State Park, where clear water, manatees and historic springs meet easy self-guided kayaking. Includes gear, map and a free shuttle back to your car.
Book with Discovery Kayak Tours
Book directly with Discovery Kayak Tours for the best rates and real-time scheduling.
Reserve NowVerified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Discovery Kayak Tours · Ocala, Florida
You push off into water the color of glass and feel the river decide the morning’s tempo. Cypress knees reach like old hands at the channel edge, and the current — patient but insistent — guides you downstream past sunlit springs and shadowed mangles. Manatees surface like slow islands; anking black vultures wheel overhead; the river breathes and nudges you forward.
moderate.
3 hours.
Moderate fitness — you should be comfortable paddling continuously for several hours and exiting/entering a kayak from a shore.
The route is about five miles downstream to Ray Wayside Park and typically takes around three hours depending on current, wind and stops.
Yes—you commonly see turtles, wading birds and often manatees in cooler months; alligators are present but usually along banks and not aggressive when left undisturbed.
No—basic instruction and a map are provided; paddlers should have moderate fitness and be comfortable with basic strokes and self-rescue from shallow water.
The rental includes kayak, paddle, life jacket, safety whistle and map; a free shuttle returns you to your vehicle at Ray Wayside Park.
Silver Springs has been a tourist destination since the 1800s and sits where artesian springs force groundwater through Eocene limestone, forming one of the South’s clearest spring systems.
The river and springs are sensitive to nutrient runoff and boat wake; use reef-safe sunscreen, avoid littering, and stay within marked channels to protect submerged vegetation.
Discovery Kayak Tours operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
Book with Discovery Kayak Tours
Book directly with Discovery Kayak Tours for the best rates and real-time scheduling.
Reserve Now