Manatee season at Blue Spring: what to expect this winter
From mid-November through March, hundreds of West Indian manatees crowd into Blue Spring to escape the cold. The spring stays 72°F all year, and manatees can't tolerate water colder than about 68°F for long. When the St. Johns River cools down, Blue Spring becomes their winter shelter.
How many manatees?
When research began in the 1970s, about 36 manatees used the spring. On January 21, 2024, during a cold snap, park staff counted a record 932 manatees. Last season, Save the Manatee Club's highest morning roll call was 834 manatees on February 2, 2026.
How to see them
- Walk the boardwalk. It runs about a third of a mile from the St. Johns River to the spring head, with views straight down into the clear water. Cold mornings after a front are usually the best.
- Watch the webcams. Save the Manatee Club streams above-water and underwater cameras from Blue Spring during the season.
- Give them space. Swimming, snorkeling and diving in the spring are closed during manatee season, and manatees are protected by state and federal law. It is illegal to approach, pursue, or touch manatees.
What we're doing this winter
While Blue Spring belongs to the manatees, it's a great time to plan ahead. See what's coming up on our Dive Club & Trips calendar, or explore the Central Florida dive sites guide, or get your scuba certification lined up so you are ready when the spring reopens.
Blue Spring is scheduled to reopen for swimming on April 1, 2027. We'll post the confirmed date here as soon as the park announces it. Want to be in the water on opening weekend? See our Blue Spring snorkel and scuba tours.
Sources: Florida State Parks; Save the Manatee Club.