Madison Blue Springs
Hwy 6 at Madison County line, Madison, FL
INFO:
http://www.floridastateparks.org/madisonbluespring/
COST:
$5/car
INDOOR OR OUTDOOR POOL:
Outdoor
CHLORINE OR SALINE WATER:
natural spring and river
TEMPERATURE OF WATER:
ICE COLD. Okay, more like 73 degrees in the spring area and run, comfy-warm in the river
DEPTH OR DEPTH RANGE OF WATER:
VERY deep in spring area, up to 5’6″, maybe 6′ in river area
PARKING:
large gravel lot
MOBILITY ACCESS TO THE POOL AREA:
Distance between parking and pool? 1/8 mi (my best guess)
Are stairs required to get into the building? Yes
Are there ramps to get into the building? No
Distance between pool entrance, changing areas and pool? long climb from parking lot down to water, short walk from lot to changing room.
Are there stairs required to get from the changing area to the pool? Yes
ACCESSIBILITY OF POOL:
stairs/ladders/lift? stairs into spring area
other issues: the climb down to the spring and river are long and not wheelchair accessible.
ACCESSIBILITY OF POOL AREA:
seating nearby? yes
what type? There is some seating near the spring–basic wooden benches. Also, picnic tables near the parking area.
is seating fat-friendly? They’re fat friendly enough.
non-smoking? it’s outdoors. people tend to smoke near ashtrays, but not always.
CHANGING ROOM PRIVACY:
private changing areas? Yes
semi-private changing areas? Yes
one big group changing area? Not really
CHANGING ROOM FAT-FRIENDLINESS:
seating available? yes
what type of seating? bench in bathroom/changing room
is seating movable? no
seating width/depth/sturdiness? very sturdy. average-sized bench.
GENDER-NEUTRAL FRIENDLINESS:
gender-neutral changing areas? No
gender-neutral showers? all showers are outdoors
can M/F changing areas be avoided? yes
gender-neutral toilet available? not generally, but ask the lifeguard about their private bathroom.
SHOWERS:
type? outdoor showers w/no privacy
shower seats available? yes
TOILETS:
disabled stalls available? yes.
CLOTHING RULES:
swim caps needed? No
t-shirts allowed? Yes
AMENABILITY TO DIFFERENT STYLES OF SWIMMING:
recreational swimming? Yes
lap swimming? No
are weights available/allowed? Allowed
are noodles available/allowed? Allowed
are toys available/allowed? nothing is provided–bring your own toys/floaties!
LIFEGUARD ON DUTY?
No
RELATED AMENITIES?
SCUBA diving
CAN THIS POOL BE RENTED PRIVATELY?
No
WHO CREATED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THIS REVIEW?
Julie Rawls https://fatkiniriot.wordpress.com/
OTHER COMMENTS:
This is a natural spring flowing into the Withlacoochee River. Swim at your own risk. Water shoes are advisable due to sharp rocks and slimy stairs. A foam “noodle” is the best floatie device for this location, IMHO. Large inflatables are unwieldy in both the river and spring area. Since this is a spring flowing into a river, the cold/hot temperature change may be a bit much for people with sensitivities. This is not the best place for folks who require a wheelchair or have limited mobility.
