The Rainbow River is one of the better-known rivers in Florida. Popular for tubing, it is also a great place to snorkel, dive, kayak, and swim.
While there are many places to stay near the Rainbow River, we spent three nights camping at Rainbow River State Park.
In this article, I summarize our experience in this campground, the best and worst sites, what to bring, and things to do!
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10 things to know about camping at Rainbow Springs State Park
If you just want to have a quick idea of what to expect, in this section I summarize the 10 most important points to keep in mind for your next camping visit.
- Make sure you set your directions to the campground! Call the office about 30-minutes before you arrive to get the entrance code. You may lose cell signal by the time you are at the gate!
- All RV campsites have full hookups, which is not common in Florida State Parks. Most of the North loop RV campsites are open, with no shade and little privacy.
- Cell signal is spotty, and for the most part, not good enough for remote work. Plan accordingly if you need to work while you are at the campground.
- The designated swimming area within the campground is relatively large, shallow, and kid-friendly. It can get crowded and a bit mucky when a lot of people are present.
- You can launch tubes from the campground and get off at the tubing point. A shuttle can bring you back for $20 per person. You can rent tubes from the check-in office.
- The headspring is not directly accessible from the campground. Be ready to drive another 10-15 minutes or paddle upstream for about 1 mile. Accessing Rainbow Springs State Park headspring area usually costs $2/person, but if you are camping, you should be able to access it at no additional cost.
- Being able to paddle upstream is a great way to experience the Rainbow River and to access the headsprings, so make sure to bring kayak or paddleboards. If you cannot bring your own, you can rent them at the office. Prices start at $16 per hour, and go up depending on the size of the vessel and the amount of time.
- You can swim in the Rainbow River, but you do so at your own risk. It is always safe to assume that there are alligators in any body of fresh water in Florida, and that includes the Rainbow River. You should always be on the lookout, which is not difficult to do in these crystal-clear waters. That being said, alligators generally avoid people and would prefer not hanging around cold spring water.
- There are hidden shallow areas along the Rainbow River, between the headspring and the campground, that are not as crowded and are perfect for a dip and snorkel! Make sure you have a dive flag to alert boaters of your presence.
- Bikes are helpful to go to the campground swimming area, but you can also walk to it. Certainly, bring your kids bikes or scooters so that they can go on rides around the campground road.
If you want more details about the campground and activities, continue reading below!
Camping at Rainbow Springs State Park
Located in Marion County, near the town of Dunnellon, this park is about 1 hour and 40 minutes from either Tampa or Orlando.
The proximity to such large and popular cities makes Rainbow Springs a destination of choice for people looking to cool off in fresh, spring water.
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<p><strong>Please include attribution to https://apragmaticlens.com/ with this graphic.</strong><br /><br /><a href='https://apragmaticlens.com/rainbow-springs-state-park/'><img src='https://ml0cur3zhy5j.i.optimole.com/w:auto/h:auto/q:mauto/ig:avif/f:best/https://apragmaticlens.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Rainbow-River-State-Park-Snapshot-2.jpg' alt='Snapshot of Camping Information at Rainbow Springs State Park' width='800px' border='0' /></a>Directions
There are multiple entrances to the park…three, to be exact.
As you are driving north on SW 180th Ave Rd, the first entrance you will encounter is the tube rental and launch area.
The next entrance is the campground, so make sure you set your directions to the campground! Here is the campground address:
18185 SW 94th St. Dunnellon, FL 34432
The last entrance is for the actual swimming hole and visitor center, which is easily about a 10 minute drive from the campground.
Campground Arrival and Check-In
Here is something to know when you are coming in for the first time:
There is a gate, and you will need a code to go through. To get the code, you will need to call the number posted at the entrance.
But here’s the problem: you may not have a cell phone signal…
It is not a good system, because the gate is right by the road and traffic can back up as each camper tries to call the office to get the code.
So, here is my first BIG tip: I HIGHLY recommend that when you know you are about 30 minutes away and while you still have signal, call the office and get your entrance code.
Here is the campground phone number: (352) 465-8550
They will ask you for your site number, so have that information handy.
Once you pass the gate you will go for another 0.5 mile until you reach the office building.
There is a large parking lot in front, so you can easily park your rig while you go into the office to check in.
The Roads
The roads within the loops are one-way, and for the most part, I did not see low hanging tree branches that would be dangerous for large RVs. There is ample room for maneuvering and parking your RV, which is always a nice thing to see.
Related Read: Camping at Disney’s Fort Wilderness – The Ultimate Guide
The Campground Loops
There are three loops. One is just north of the office, the other two are connected to each other and just south of the office.
The loop just north of the office is more open, with less shade, and less privacy. In this loop is where you will also find seven dedicated tent sites and eight tent/RV sites.
The south loops have 39 tent/RV sites. There is more vegetation between the sites, and the amount of shade varies from site to site.
The RV Campsites: Best and Worst
All RV sites have water, electric, and sewer. The water provided has decent pressure. It is a single, so bring a splitter if you want to have water outside.
There is also a dump station that is probably not used much because all sites have their own connections.
Most sites are quite spacious, clearly made to accommodate large rigs. The sites, consisting of packed dirt or gravel, give the impression of being level, but they are not perfect. Definitely expect to do some work here to level your camper.
A few select handicap-accessible sites have a paved pad. I am assuming those will be much easier to level.
In the North loop there is not a whole lot of vegetation between the sites, which means privacy is not great. Some sites will have more privacy than others. Still, because sites are spacious, you still will not feel like you are on top of each other!
The same goes for shade. There is a mix of sites with no shade, and sites with almost full shade. In the summer, it is always a good idea to avoid open sites.
Related: Everything you Need to Know About Florida State Park Cabins
Best Sites
- The best RV sites in the north loop that have a good combination of privacy and shade are 50 and 51.
- The best dedicated tent site is 60. It is in the corner and much more private than the other tent sites.
- In the South loop, the best RV sites are in the corner between 10-14. They have a great amount of privacy and shade.
Worst Sites
Most other RV sites in the North loop, except for 50 and 51, are not great. They are open with neither privacy nor shade.
The South loop has a combination of decent sites and bad sites. If shade is a priority, then avoid sites. The first sites you encounter as you enter the loop have the least amount of privacy and shade. These sites are 43, 2, and 4.
The Bathhouses
There is a bathhouse in each loop, as well as behind the check-in building. The bathhouse in the north loop is right next to the tent sites, and it only has one toilet and shower. It is better to use the bigger bathrooms behind the building, although that one is a bit farther away.
Laundry/Sink
This park has the largest laundry room I have seen in a state Park yet. It is inside a room behind the concessionaire building, and during office hours it is air-conditioned…It almost makes you look forward to doing laundry! There are 4 washers and four driers, each load costing $1.25 at the time of writing.
In addition, the bathhouses in the south loops also have a washer and dryer. Dishwashing sinks are provided just outside all bathhouses.
Cell Phone Reception and Connectivity
I had 1-2 bars with AT&T. Verizon had 1 bar, and Sprint would come and go. There is WiFi at the office, but it is password protected.
While the signal was enough to stay communicated to a certain degree, it was not enough for me to work. If you need to work remotely while visiting this park, keep that in mind.
Pets
As with any Florida State Park, you are allowed to have leashed dogs on your campsite. Dogs are not allowed anywhere, including the swimming area.
Things To Do at Rainbow Springs State Park
Swimming
Swimming is certainly the mail reason most people camp here. Do keep in mind, however, that you will not have direct access to the main head spring directly from the campground.
What you do have is a section of the Rainbow River that it designated to be used only by campers. It is a fairly large area and with wide entry steps. Because the water in this swimming area is about 1-mile downstream from the main headspring, it did not feel as cold to us.
This swimming area is convenient, but it is not particularly pretty, and on busy days it can get rather mucky.
If you want to swim at the head springs, you will need to either drive to the main park area. The drive is rather long because the roads have to go around the park and around other areas. The alternative is to paddle upstream for roughly 1 mile.
Do we aware that once you make it to the headspring, though, you will not find a place to “dock”. There are no shallow areas. The headspring is actually deep, with no space for standing. For that reason, we were unable to get off our kayaks and swim here. If you are on a paddle board, it may be easier to get off for a quick swim and get back on.
Related: Best Florida Springs with Camping
Kayaking/Canoeing/Paddle Boarding
Being able to move around in the water will allow you to explore other portions of the Rainbow River, and also allow you to paddle up to the main swimming area.
Paddling upstream to the main headspring is not for the faint of heart, though. I mean, you are going against the current of a first magnitude spring!
For us it felt difficult since we had inflatable kayaks that, while convenient for transportation and storage, are not exactly built for speed. Furthermore, we had the kids in each of our kayaks adding more weight…and whining.
For all of these reasons, I would highly recommend bringing your own kayaks or paddleboards. If you cannot bring your kayak, then rent one at the office. Here is more information on that.
Related: Silver Springs State Park: A Unique Experience
Alternative Swimming Areas
If you paddle about 500 feet upstream from the campground, you will find Juniper Run Creek on the east side of the river. It is a shallow area to swim and a “creek trail” that you can walk. Tie your kayaks outside and go for a refreshing “walk” on the creek.
Do know that mosquitos are pretty bad in this creek, so make sure you are re-applying bug spray before you head in! That being said, it is totally worth it!
The only disadvantage in this area is that it is also quite popular. If you get here in the late morning or early afternoon, you will see lots of people on boats and tour groups coming in.
To avoid the crowds, either visit the creek in the early morning hours or late afternoon. The advantage of being a camper is that you can access the river at times that day users can’t!
Another lovely shallow swimming spot is about 600 feet upstream from Juniper Run Creek, on the east side of the river. There is no creek here, but it is shallow enough that my 3-year-old was able to stand and swim around. This spot is not as popular, so you will have better luck having a portion of the Rainbow River all to yourself!
Related: 5 Reasons to Visit Anastasia State Park
Snorkeling and Diving
A popular activity is to snorkel or dive from the headsprings and simply let the current take you around the Rainbow River. This is great for families with older kids, or people that will be going without kids.
If you have little kids, what you can do is paddle about 1100 feet upstream from the campground swimming area. There is a shallow spot on the east side of the river that is not only great for swimming, but also for snorkeling!
You can snorkel along the river bank close to that area, or cross the river to the west side of the river. If you do cross the river, be careful with boat traffic. Make sure you have a dive flag to let boaters know of your presence. Also, do know that the current is quite strong in the middle of the river! I highly recommend having fins, and hold on to your kids tightly if you are bringing them along.
After your cross, you will see a duck house stand. Go up to the duck house stand, and then swim another 30 feet upstream. Here, you will find a rocky spring that is fantastic for snorkeling and diving! It seems a lot of people did not know about this area because we did not see anyone else exploring it.
So it is now our little secret…you’re welcome!
Related: Hart Springs Park Campground Review
Hiking
There are no hiking paths within the campground area. If you want to hike, you will need to go to the main park area.
The main park, being a bit more developed, has a few walking paths some of which are paved and a bit landscaped.
They even have waterfalls…but they are man-made. It is still a bit different than typical florida walking trails, and worth exploring if you visit during the cooler months of the year.
We did not visit this area of the park during this trip, but we have visited before, back when we did not have kids. The photos below are from that time.
Biking
You will not find designated biking trails within the campground area. However, having bikes is handy for multiple reasons:
- The swimming area is a bit of a walk from the campground. It is doable, but it is much faster and convenient to simply bike over.
- If you decide to tube down and want to avoid paying for the shuttle, then it will be a good idea to have your bike. More on tubing later.
- If you want to explore the main park, there are areas there that you can probably bike around.
Kids Activities
There is a playground behind the main building, as well as large grassy areas near the playground that kids can use to play. Also, the paved roads were great for kids to bike and scooter around.
Our site being a pull-through and at the end of the loop, was great for the kids to bike around in circles.
There is no pool or other kid-specific activities, but the swimming area is shallow. Our kids had a great time playing right at the entrance of the water.
Related: Best Florida Springs for Families
What to Bring
In addition to standard camping gear, I suggest you bring the following:
- Extra shade/canopy for the more open sites
- Outdoor fan for the summer
- Bikes for adults and kids to go to springs
- Kayak/paddle boards (unless you plan to rent). We love our inflatable kayaks!
- Snorkel gear. I use this set, and our little kids use this set.
- Dive flag if you are planning to snorkel or dive.
- Flotation device, unless you don’t mind the rental tubes.
Additional Resources and Links
Make a reservation through Reserve America
Rainbow Spring State Park entrance, tubing, and kayak rental fees
