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Hart Springs
 4240 SW 86th Avenue, Bell, FL 32619
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Max Depth: 81-90ft/25-27m
Average Viz: 41-50ft/12-15m
Entry Type: Shore
Bottom Composition: Clay/Muck
Aquatic Life: Might See Something
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Spring: 71-75°F/22-24°C
Summer: 71-75°F/22-24°C
Fall: 71-75°F/22-24°C
Winter: 71-75°F/22-24°C
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Portions of the following information were taken from Florida Geological Survey Bulletin 66.
To dive Hart Springs you must have a guide. Click here for information on contacting guides for this site. In addition, the guides are all volunteers, guides are not allowed to charge for services and don’t expect anyone to tip them. However, I wouldn’t feel bad at least making sure they had a good meal or deco beverage after the dive.
Hart Springs is located within a county recreation area 6.5 miles northwest of Fanning Springs. After crossing over the Suwannee River on US 98/27A heading east, turn north (left) on SR 26 and drive approximately 1.4 miles to the town of Wilcox. In Wilcox, SR 26 makes a 90 degree bend to the east (right). At this bend continue north (straight) onto CR 232. Drive 4.1 miles and turn west (left) on CR 344. Travel 1.6 miles, then turn north (right) into the recreation area.
Description – The head of Hart Springs Run has three merging spring runs. In April 2002, the only significantly flowing spring in this system was at the head of the middle channel and was the one sampled for water quality. The middle spring pool measures 51 ft north to south and 45 ft east to west. The depth of the pool measured over the vent was 19.9 ft. The water was clear and greenish. In the center of the spring pool, a prominent boil is produced on the surface by spring discharge. The vent is a vertical limestone fissure with 15 ft high walls. The spring pool has a nearly rectangular shape and is enclosed by a 4 ft high metal retaining wall. The metal wall extends several hundred feet southward and forms the perimeter of the entire southernmost spring and its run. The bottom is sand in the swimming area where the three spring channels merge. The northern run was not flowing, but the southernmost spring had slight flow with no boil on its surface. Exotic aquatic vegetation is abundant in the spring pool. Algae are abundant in the pool and the run. Other aquatic plants occur on the edges of the pool. From the swimming area at the confluence of the spring runs, Hart Springs Run flows northwest approximately 850 ft into the Suwannee River from the east. The springs are situated within the forested river floodplain. A 0.3 mile long wooden boardwalk follows along the north side of the spring run and the east side of the river, and footbridges cross over both the northernmost and main spring runs. An underwater cave system occurs at Hart Springs.
Utilization - The spring is within a county recreation area that provides full facilities.