It’s been a while since I posted anything. I don’t know about you, but this pandemic has certainly taken the wind out of my sails. However, it was time to go exploring again for my birthday in December, and what better place to socially distance than on a kayak among beautiful scenery?
Winter is my favorite time to “do” the springs in central Florida. If you time it right and go early, you can see the steam coming off the 72-degree water on a cold morning which is simply magical. There are typically far fewer bugs in winter – always an important consideration for a mosquito magnet.
My husband wanted to see the monkeys. And we did! However, it took us two tries. So if you really really want to see monkeys, don’t give up and keep trying.
Silver Springs State Park
As soon as you enter the gates of Silver Springs State Park, you will catch a whiff of old Florida. At least I did. This historic park, first opened in the 1870s, is beautiful and definitely worth a visit or two. Whether you intend to kayak the river or simply walk the trails and boardwalks or take a tour on one of the magnificent old glass-bottom boats, there is something for everyone here. There are about 14 miles of multi-use trails around the park.
Spring Basin and Glass-Bottom Boat
Kayaking the River
Paddling downstream to Ray Wayside Park is a 5-mile long leisurely trip and absolutely beautiful. The crystal-clear blue waters and beautiful vegetation feel like another world, far from the hustle and bustle of modern-day Florida.
There is the option of kayaking the small Fort King Trail just off the main river and join the river again a little further downstream. If you plan in enough time, you will have ample opportunity to explore the little man-made trail and the river.
You can rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards at the park. If you want to bring your own, which is what we did, you can launch from the boat ramp for a small fee of around $4 per vessel (at the time of writing). Before the pandemic, the park had a shuttle service where you could let yourself drift to Ray Wayside Park and get transported back to Silver Springs Park. Unfortunately, the shuttles were not operating while we were visiting.
On our first kayak trip down the river, we were acutely aware of the fact that we would have to paddle back upstream against the flow again, come hell or high water. Hence we did not go all the way down to Ray Wayside and only paddled about halfway and then back upstream.
The river is absolutely beautiful, and it’s easy to lose all concept of time while you are floating. We saw plenty of wildlife such as gators, different wading birds, turtles, manatees, and various different fish. But no monkeys. My husband was disappointed as he had been talking about the monkeys all day.
Somehow, it just didn’t feel right to go back home without seeing the monkeys. So we decided to give it another try and paddle upstream from Ray Wayside Park the next day. It couldn’t be that hard, could it? Haha…
Kayaking Upstream Rewarded Us With Monkeys
For some, kayaking upstream isn’t a big deal. For others, who have limited upper body strength and are generally a bit of a wimp (me), it’s a bigger deal that must be accompanied by much huffing and puffing.
The flow of the river close to Silver Springs State Park didn’t seem too taxing, so how hard could it be to go upstream?
Going Downstream
I would not recommend the upstream paddle for total kayaking beginners or those who have limited strength. It was quite the slog since the current is pretty fast flowing in some paces. Then again, I did see plenty of sprightly seniors paddle upstream and wondered whether I was just a feeble wimp.
About one third upstream from the park, when my arms just about wanted to drop off, I suddenly heard a lot of noise and rustling in the undergrowth. It was quite disconcerting at first as the place is so silent and peaceful. Guess what? We had come across a sizeable monkey colony.
Grooming time for the youngsters
Ah, the excitement. My husband was over the moon, fascinated, and would not move for what seemed like hours to me, watching these little guys jumping from branch to branch. I must admit, they were fun to watch, especially the kids playing, grooming each other, and running around full of energy.
While people say that there is no guarantee you will see the monkeys, I feel that you have a better chance in the lower half of the river. We visited Silver Springs Park twice on separate occasions and did not see any monkeys in the upper third of the river or close to the actual park. I suggest paddling the whole river and paying close attention to any noises in the undergrowth. We could easily have paddled by without seeing them.
Why Are There Monkeys at Silver Springs in the First Place?
Good question. Hi(story) has it that a boat operator “Colonel Tooey” released just a handful of the rhesus macaques on the river in 1938. Since then, numbers have increased rapidly. Although nobody seems quite sure how many there are now, there could be 300-400 monkeys or more living in the area. Unfortunately, the monkeys are carriers of a potentially deadly herpes virus, and their numbers are somewhat out of control, so there have been talks of sterilizing or euthanizing them.
Don’t Get Too Close
A little word of warning. It may be very tempting to get as close to the monkeys as possible for photographs – don’t. There have been reports of people getting attacked. I also wouldn’t be rustling my chips bag or munching on something in full view of those little piercing eyes. We did not dare to open our cooler for water or a snack, feeling that they would pounce on us immediately. The monkeys are strong swimmers, so don’t think that they won’t be coming for you and your snacks even on the kayak.
Back at the Park
Kayaking Florida springs is always a great adventure, and paddling at Silver Springs is a delight, whether you see the monkeys or not. You will be rewarded with spectacular vegetation, turquoise blue waters, and plenty of wildlife sightings.
Location and Fees
Silver Springs State Park is located at 1425 N.E. 58th Ave. Ocala FL 34470. The park is open 365 days a year from 8 am, but it can be a good idea to check if there is a special event before traveling to the park. Admission, at the time of writing, is $8 per vehicle. The standard boat tours are around $10-11 per person.
If you do not like crowds, I suggest visiting on a weekday or getting there as soon as it opens. The park can get very busy on weekends.
Dumb question from an out-of-towner, but is it safe to kayak when alligators are so prevalent in Florida?
Hi Alexa,
Generally yes, as long as you make a wide berth and don’t actively seek them out. Like most wild animals, they usually go the other way. Problems arise at more popular locations where people feed them. In many years of paddling, I have never had a problem with gators.
Take care,
tamara