Hart Springs is Gilchrist's Suwannee side door

Hart Springs helps explain Gilchrist County without making you start at a courthouse.

Gilchrist County runs Hart Springs Park and Campground. The spring run meets the Suwannee River. Around it, the park offers swimming, a boardwalk, camping, trails, and cave diving for people who meet the dive rules. The swimming area is one of the largest fed by a Florida spring.

Hart Springs has two roles. It is a place to spend the day, but it is also a good first look at the county. Springs, river, woods, and rural roads meet here. The mailing address says Bell, yet the town does not run the park.

Use the park pages for current hours, fees, crowd limits, camping, and dive rules. Check the river and weather too. There is no lifeguard on duty, so each swimmer must treat the clear water with care.