Accessible State Parks in Central Florida

By Kellilynn Hann

Imagine more than 30 artesian springs, spouting 500 million gallons of water per day. The water is crystal-clear, and you can see straight to the bottom. Bits of limestone and shell swirl and sparkle as the water churns. Bright green eel grass sways in dappled sunlight as fish and turtles glide through the gorgeous underwater landscape.

This magical place isn’t a dream, it’s Silver Springs State Park near Ocala, Florida.

Considered Florida’s first tourist attraction, the park offers visitors the chance to see the springs in all their glory via a glass-bottom boat. The first one was built in the 1870s, when two men replaced a bottom section their rowboat with glass and offered rides. The tours were wildly popular, and over the decades boat designs were improved. However, one thing remained constant; they were not accessible to visitors in wheelchairs.

Paula Russo, Director of Services for the Florida State Parks Foundation, recounted the moment she realized a wheelchair-accessible boat had to be added to the fleet.

She was running a booth at disability recreation event and a woman in a wheelchair approached. “She’d taken her grandchildren to Silver Springs to ride on the boat, but she couldn’t get on with her wheelchair, she had to wait for them at the dock,” Russo said. “I use a mobility scooter myself-- I have first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to be left behind.”

She knew something had to be done.

“Once the idea was sparked, I had no idea how to continue,” she recalls. “The original legacy boats were built before accessibility standards were put into place. We tried making one of the existing boats wheelchair accessible, but everything we considered was either too complicated or dangerous.”

Eventually, it became clear that building a new boat was the only option. “It was a long process trying to pull the funds together,” Russo said. “There were a number of grantors involved and lots of analysis. We finally hired a naval architect and had it built in a boat yard in Palatka, Florida. It was a very interesting project, and very gratifying.”

The new boat was christened Chief Potackee Betty Mae Tiger Jumper in honor of the first female chief of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Designed for both manual wheelchairs and mobility scooters, the boat is boarded via a metal ramp; at no time will guests be over open water. The doorway is 48 inches wide. Inside, the Chief Potackee has seats for companions which fold up to leave a 35-inch-wide aisle. Visitors can sit parallel to the viewing well and easily see down to the glass bottom.

“One of the things people commented on was that [they] came to Silver Springs as a child and would love to go out on the boat tour one more time,” said Russo. “There are a lot of people out there who need this kind of service, and it should be available to them. Provided not out of an act of charity or pity, but because they’re citizens of the United States and deserve the privilege of being able to access the environment around them, especially in state parks.”

Courtney Nomina, Director of Communications of the Florida State Parks Foundation, reports that since its maiden launch in August of 2021, the Chief Potackee has given 1,698 visitors using mobility assistive devices the opportunity to take the tour that others have enjoyed for decades.

“At the foundation, one of the big pieces of our mission is creating accessible experiences at our state parks and enhancing those accessible features,” Nomina said. “A [wheelchair] accessible glass-bottom boat was a great project, and one we were excited to be a part of.”

The Chief Potackee has an added bonus— an inverted loop system. It operates at the same frequency as hearing aids, so guests with hearing impairments can get the captain’s narration directly through their hearing device.

Tours on the Chief Potackee run Thursday through Monday, weather permitting, and must be reserved in advance. Service animals are welcome.

In addition to the boat tour, visitors can spend a peaceful day exploring paved paths through the landscaped grounds and themed gardens. There’s also a pretty view of Mammoth Springs from above, and a boardwalk path through the cypress swamp. The park also boasts the Silver River Museum & Environmental Education Center, which showcases the natural history of the area.

For camping, there are two wheelchair-accessible campsites with access to restrooms and a bathhouse, plus one wheelchair-accessible cabin.

When You Go…
SilverSprings.com
Silver Springs State Park
5656 E Silver Springs Blvd, Silver Springs, FL 34488
352-261-5840

More Accessible State Parks in Central Florida...

Alafia River State Park, Lithia

Alafia River State Park is home to over 6,000 acres of hardwood forests, pine flatlands, and lakes. People with adaptive bikes can experience part of the park thanks to the Florida Conservation Corps and Project TREC (Trail Restoration and Enhancement Corps), who fitted the beginner-level bike trails with longer boards to accommodate adaptive bikes.
The park, which is 45 minutes east of Tampa, also has wheelchair-accessible campsites, a picnic pavilion, and bathhouse.

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, Okeechobee

As the largest remaining dry prairie in Florida and part of the headwaters of the Everglades, this state park is of critical importance to many rare and endangered plants and animals. Both the equestrian campground and regular campground have a wheelchair-accessible restroom and bathhouse; the regular campground also has wheelchair-accessible sites with tables and ground grills.

Lake Griffin State Park, Fruitland Park

Located just an hour north of Orlando, Lake Griffin State Park has a lot of wheelchair-accessible activities for guests to enjoy. October through April, visitors can take a guided tour of the marshes of Dead River and learn about the plants and wildlife. Guests board the boat via a ramp and can transfer to a seat or remain seated in their wheelchair. This park also has wheelchair-accessible fishing spots, campsites, a pavilion, and fire rings.

Lake Louisa State Park, Clermont

Lake Louisa State Park is a haven for plants, animals, and people who love nature. The park has two ADA-compliant cabins with easy access to shower and appliances. There are also three wheelchair-accessible campsites with paved sidewalks to the bathhouse, a picnic pavilion, and two fishing piers. Added bonus: it’s only 30 minutes from Orlando.

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, Micanopy

Paynes Prairie is the state’s first preserve, protected since 1971. Designated a Natural National Landmark, the preserve is home to hundreds of species of plants and animals, including wild horses and bison.

Visitors can spot wildlife from the 16-mile Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail— a flat, paved trail that runs from Gainesville through the preserve. The paved road to the visitor’s center is also a good trail for wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and adaptive bikes. La Chua Trail has a boardwalk path through the swamp. The campground has wheelchair-accessible restrooms.

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Spring Hill

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park has been a popular Florida attraction since 1946, thanks to its clear turquoise waters and famous Mermaid Show. “We do everything we can to help our guests enjoy the park,” said park Manager Analyst, Robyn Anderson.

The Mermaid Show has ushers to assist with wheelchair seating and those who need help managing steps. Sign language interpreters can be requested for all shows. Visitors can access the springs via a ramp to the water, and there’s a floating wheelchair that's free to use; just ask a lifeguard. Boat tours and kayaks are accessible with lift assist transfer. At the water park, guests with physical or developmental challenges can be assisted by lifeguards. Call ahead to request services.

Wekiwa Springs State Park, Apopka

Wekiwa Springs, an emerald-green natural spring that is always cool and clear, is just 15 miles from downtown Orlando. Visitors with mobility challenges can access the water via a ramp or use the hydraulic swim lift chair. If you need the lift, alert staff when you enter the park and they’ll send someone to turn it on. Wheelchair-accessible amenities include four campsites with restrooms and showers, a nature center, picnic pavilion, and boardwalk trail through the river hammock.

Wekiwa Springs State Park is in the process of developing a Serenity Garden, a garden designed to expand equitable access to nature for all. According to Don Philpott of the Wekiv a Wilderness Trust, “The Serenity Garden will be the only one of its kind anywhere in the United States-- a park within a park for people of all abilities.” You can learn more here.

Ybor City Museum State Park, Tampa

A historic Tampa neighborhood founded in the 1880s by cigar companies, Ybor City was home to thousands of Cuban immigrants. Ybor City Museum State Park lets you explore the history of this vibrant community, including being able to tour restored cigar worker’s houses. These houses, the courtyard, museum, and gift shop are all wheelchair-accessible.