Devil’s Den
is another one of Northern Florida’s better-known gems. It’s a sinkhole-turned-natural-spring located about an hour from the famous Ginnie Springs and 30 minutes from Gainesville. The spring sits underground in a mushroom-shaped cave. The water is pretty chilly, a consistent 72 degrees year-round, so bring a rash guard (or liquid courage)!
The only way you’re allowed to enter the actual spring at Devil’s Den is if you’re snorkeling or scuba diving, so that means swimming and flotation devices aren’t allowed. You’re also not allowed to sit on the stairs or deck either, since both are classified as a fire escape. You have a 2 hour time limit in the springs, but it’s easy to get back into the spring multiple times in one day.
Welcoming, right?
Devil’s Den is open 7 days a week from 8AM to 6PM. To enter the spring, you have to fill out a bit of paperwork and put down a reservation for your group. It costs $15 per person to snorkel, and they have rental gear available for an additional $10. Scuba diving is more expensive, it’s $38 for admission, $40 for rentals, and $8 for air fills. They don’t offer Nitrox, and you must have your own dive buddy. You can even schedule a night dive! You can find more information on the Devil’s Den website.
Since the spring is a popular tourist spot, you should get there as early as possible to make your reservation. We were told it would be a 3 1/2 hour wait when checking in on a Saturday afternoon! Protip: if you check back with staff every ten or fifteen minutes, they’ll most likely let you go in ahead of your place in line. We were given a 1 1/2 hour wait at 8AM on Sunday, and were allowed to go in after waiting 15 minutes!
Another easy way around this issue is to camp at the campgrounds on-site. It’ll make it much easier to show up right at 8AM and put in your name on the waiting list. Of course, that’ll mean you won’t be swimming in the heat of day, so expect some chilly waters! It only costs $10/person/night to camp on the grounds, and it’s on a first-come-first-serve basis. You can use an RV spot for $24/night or rent a cabin for $100/night as well.
A drone shot of Devil’s Den and the surrounding area
According to the official website, Devil’s Den was, “Originally inside a dry cave has been home to many extinct animal fossils dating back to the Pleistocene Age, which are on display at The University of Florida’s Museum of Natural History.” It’s really an incredible experience floating in the cold water, staring at the sky through the circular hole in the cave ceiling.
Since you can’t sit on the stairs or the platform, it makes getting good photos a little difficult. I only brought down a GoPro, and it didn’t deal with the low light very well. Even with the photo-goof on my part, it’s easy to see why Devil’s Den is worth the trip!
Navigating a sketchy hole in the canopy above our campground
Our simple, but perfect, camping setup
Our home for the night
Michele marching down the entrance to Devil’s Den
The steep walk down to the main platform
The deck with light pouring in through the ceiling
If you listen closely, you can hear me shivering
Michele likes being shiny
Following the light
Hey there! I’m cold.
What do you think?
Between the ease of camping and beauty of the spring, I’d say it’s worth the trip to Williston. So, what do you say? Are you ready to Den with the Devil in the pale moonlight? Also, if you like my content, you should subscribe to my email list! You’ll get to see posts you’ve missed, get travel tips before anyone else, and even the occasional freebie!
