Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today

Live score, water level, and weather.

See all 2 routes on Santa Fe River

Florida | North Central Florida / High Springs

Santa Fe RiverRum Island Park boat launch to Santa Fe River Park SR 47 boat ramp

Continue down the Santa Fe from Rum Island to the county landing at SR 47 on a separate five-mile day trip.

Access and safety sources last checked September 9, 2026.

Route location

Loading the route map.

Open access map

Plan this route

DistanceAbout 5 river miles
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAllow 2–4 hours
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Santa Fe River flows through Santa Fe River Park in Gilchrist County, Florida.
River contextSanta Fe River at Santa Fe River Park; same-river context, not an endpoint or current-conditions photograph river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Michael Rivera via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
View Primary Source
Embed this route

Route alerts

Email me when this route improves

We'll email you when this route climbs into Good or Strong. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

We only email on a new threshold crossing.

Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 5 river milesRum Island Park boat launch to Santa Fe River Park SR 47 boat ramp
DifficultymoderateRecreational moving water with shallow shoals and changing current; comfortable boat control is needed.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage at Santa Fe River Park on the south bank near SR 47, then drive to Rum Island.
PermitsCheck posted rulesRum Island lists $5 per vehicle. Check current Santa Fe Park entry fees; commercial access has separate county requirements.
CampingOptions nearbyUse a separately booked nearby O’Leno base camp. No overnight or sandbar camping is included in this day-trip itinerary.
SeasonJan-DecCheck river levels, flood notices, thunderstorms, daylight and park hours. Low water can make shoals impassable without walking.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Continue down the Santa Fe from Rum Island to the county landing at SR 47 on a separate five-mile day trip.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

Rum Island Park boat launch
Open mapDirections to put-in

Use the designated Rum Island river launch and marked parking.

Finish

Take-out

Santa Fe River Park SR 47 boat ramp
Open mapDirections to take-out

Respect admission requirements for privately managed springs along the river.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Use the designated Rum Island river launch and marked parking.
  • Respect admission requirements for privately managed springs along the river.

Watch for

  • Motorboats and other paddlers near access areas
  • Changing shoals and obstructions

Plan this paddle

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.

Browser plans

Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.

Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.

Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

------------

Weather

Hourly forecast

Checking weather.

Loading today's forecast.

Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

Checking the best short-route window.
----Loading--

Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

The Santa Fe River flows through Santa Fe River Park in Gilchrist County, Florida.
Santa Fe River at Santa Fe River Park; same-river context, not an endpoint or current-conditions photograph river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Michael Rivera via Wikimedia Commons
CC BY-SA 4.0

Sources

Data and sources

Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.

NotesWhat to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Route and distance5 miles

    Distance between the named access points in the linked manager guide.

    Source

  • Launch coordinate provenanceMapped launch and landing

    DEP guide maps identify canoe/kayak launches with printed decimal-degree waypoints; values are map precision, not surveyed ramp edges.

    Source

  • Conditions posturePlanning only

    The upstream US 441 station is context only; spring inflows change downstream conditions. DEP guidance uses an SRWMD stage reference; its datum has not been reconciled with this USGS series. No numeric paddling range is transferred.

    Source

  • Access and safety review2026-09-09

    Guide and current manager pages checked. Verify notices again before travel; a past review is not a statement of current paddling suitability.

  • Campingnearby_basecamp

    Use a separately booked nearby O’Leno base camp. No overnight or sandbar camping is included in this day-trip itinerary.

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

See recent photos and notes from people on the route.

Share your trip

Help build the route page

Add photos or send a quick condition report.

Photos

Upload route photos

Add access, hazard, or on-water photos.

No files selected yet.

Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in Florida

All 36 routes
Florida route guideBrowse every tracked Florida route.North Central Florida / High SpringsJump to routes in this region.

More on Santa Fe River

All 2
US 27 public boat ramp to Rum Island Park boat launchNorth Central Florida / High SpringsModerate · About 4 river miles

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Ichetucknee RiverIchetucknee Springs State Park Dampier's Landing to south take-out · about 10 straight-line mi awayEasy · About 1 river mileIchetucknee RiverIchetucknee Springs State Park North canoe launch to south take-out · about 11 straight-line mi awayEasy · About 3 river milesIchetucknee RiverIchetucknee Springs State Park North canoe launch to Dampier's Landing · about 11 straight-line mi awayEasy · About 2.25 river milesSuwannee RiverPeacock Slough River Camp to Adams Tract River Camp · about 33 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 9.7 river miles

Quick answers

Santa Fe River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Rum Island Park boat launch to Santa Fe River Park SR 47 boat ramp route on the Santa Fe River?

This planning route has no live Paddle Today score. Review the linked water-level sources, current access notices and route-specific hazards before travel.

Where does the Rum Island Park boat launch to Santa Fe River Park SR 47 boat ramp route on the Santa Fe River start and end?

This route starts at Rum Island Park boat launch and ends at Santa Fe River Park SR 47 boat ramp, about 5 river miles on the water.

Is the Rum Island Park boat launch to Santa Fe River Park SR 47 boat ramp route on the Santa Fe River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Review the difficulty notes, hazards and current access conditions against your group's skills. No live score assesses this trip.

Flag a change

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.

Report a changeEmail update