Rock Springs Run, Wekiwa Springs State Park
Orlando, Florida - mostly known for its plethora of amusement parks - has more to offer just beyond its boundaries. A short 35-minute drive northwest of O-Town will bring you to the pristine waters of Rock Springs Run. Located in Apopka, FL, King's Landing, aka "Nature's Theme Park", offers a number of ways to explore the #1 kayaking run in Central Florida!
Rock Springs Run is one of the three tributaries to the Wekiva River that flows through Wekiwa Springs State Park. King's Landing is a canoe, kayak & SUP rental company that also provides tours, shuttle runs and a campground for those looking to extend their visit.
Know before you go!! You MUST make an online reservation prior to your arrival. Open 7 days a week from 8am - 5pm, we highly recommend that you snag your reservation a couple weeks in advance to secure your ideal time slot as well as your floatation device of choice.
Two Adventures in One
Upon entry of Rock Springs Run at King's Landing, you can choose to take the right or left channel, each providing a different experience. Don't worry, you can easily do both with your allotted amount of time!
Eco River Adventure
We opted to take the left-side channel first. This channel provides 8.5 miles of Florida's untouched nature, with beautiful tree canopies, lush greenery and plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife! We saw different types of birds, several turtles and three alligators! That part was a little eery, not gonna lie...
Spot the alligator basking in the sun?
Emerald Cut Adventure
The more popular channel, Emerald's Cut, is where everyone flocks to for the crystal clear, turquoise water. While the water is all very clear, most of it is a brown, murky color. It is only towards the end of Emerald's Cut that you stumble upon the pristine water found in all of those Instagram pictures. The journey to the end of this channel takes a good hour or more, so don't give up! You paddle up stream, which makes for some major shoulder burn-out but trust me when I say, it's worth it!
Rowen's face of approval
If you have any plans of visiting central Florida, we highly recommend carving out the time to explore King's Landing on Rock Springs Run. It's the perfect family activity on a warm Florida afternoon, when you need a break from the amusement park crowds! You'll still run into plenty of people, but nothing like those lines for Avatar or Slinky Dog Dash.
Make your reservation today! It's never too early. I'll even include the link here:
We'd love to hear from anyone that takes us up on this recommended adventure! Let us know your thoughts, we'd love to chat! Shoot us an email at thebackpackingblotskes@gmail.com :)