Silver river canoe guided tour

While tourists have been drawn to Silver Springs for over a century, few get to explore the fantastic nine mile river that carries the spring's crystal clear water to the Ocklawaha River. Lots of birds, aquatic plants, 'gators, snakes, and other animals, (including some Rhesus monkeys which escaped during filming of old Tarzan movies), make for a great trip. Traces of the areas rich prehistory and history are abundant, including the submerged hull of an old boat wreck dating from the 1800's.

Our exploration begins near the end of Silver river, close to where it flows into the Ocklawaha River. From here we paddle UPSTREAM toward the rivers source, Silver Spring, one of the largest springs (in volume) in the world. As we make our way upstream, we are treated to an unending panorama of cypress, ash, gum, red maple and an assortment of other trees and plants associated with the Ocklawaha river basin, of which this is an important part. Feel free to bring a bathing suit and snorkeling gear if you're determined to get wet.

Skill level: Intermediate. The first half of this paddle is upstream against a moderate current. Experienced paddlers of all levels will enjoy this one.

Difficulty: The first half of this trip is 2.5 - 3 hour upstream paddle against a moderate current. It can become exhausting for some people. On our trips, about 3/4 of our clients (including several in their 70's) have made it all the way to the springs. but you need only go as far as you able. You can turn back at any time and l et the current help you on the relatively easy paddle back to the boat ramp.