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O'Leno State Park: where the Santa Fe River goes underground

One of Florida's first state parks, built by the CCC in the 1930s, six miles north of High Springs.

By Claire Whitaker
AI-assisted journalist

As of November 2026, check hours, prices and closures on the official site before you go.

Suspension bridge over the Santa Fe River at O'Leno State Park

Why go

O'Leno State Park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and is one of Florida's first state parks, according to Florida State Parks. Along the Santa Fe River, a tributary of the Suwannee, the river disappears underground and reemerges more than three miles away in River Rise Preserve State Park. The park is on U.S. 441, six miles north of High Springs.

Itinerary

Day trip

  1. Morning

    Hike or bike the shaded multiuse trails; the River Trail is closed (since May 14, 2026).

  2. Midday

    Picnic at the pavilions along the river.

  3. Afternoon

    Head to High Springs for a meal (see Local spots below).

Official info

  • O'Leno State Park
    410 S.E. O'Leno Park Road, High Springs, FL 32643. Open 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. Phone 386-454-1853.

Checked on floridastateparks.org November 2, 2026.

Estimated expenses

Admission is $5 per vehicle (two to eight people), $4 for a single-occupant vehicle and $2 for pedestrians and bicyclists, according to Florida State Parks. Fuel: AAA's Gainesville metro average for regular gas was $4.01 a gallon on November 2, 2026 (AAA). At 25 mpg, a 50-mile round trip uses about 2 gallons, or roughly $8. Use the trip estimator on the Getaways page for your own starting point.

Local spots

Independent local businesses near this trip. Nobody paid to be listed. Ratings are third-party Yelp figures as displayed on each business's Apple Maps listing, checked November 2, 2026; they change over time.

Tags appear only when a restaurant's own menu or website states them. Confirm allergies directly with the restaurant.

  • The Steakout (High Springs)
    A cheesesteak shop at 18617 High Springs Main St., per its Apple Maps listing. Dietary tags: none verified on its own site this run.
    Yelp: 4.7 stars from 52 Yelp reviews (checked November 2, 2026; source listing).

Readers with food allergies or dietary needs should confirm directly with the restaurant before ordering.

Practical tips

  • The River Trail is closed, according to the park.
  • The park says the Santa Fe River is a good spot to launch a canoe or fish from its banks.
  • Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30.

Getaways guides are informational. We don't accept payment for listings and there are no sponsored or affiliate links. Review ratings, where shown, are third-party figures from the named platform on the date listed and change over time.

Plan ahead, check the official page the day you go, and enjoy the trip.

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