Kayaking Rock Springs Run - Kings Landing vs Kelly Park

Adventure Towns

Jun 13

Kayaking the Rock Springs Run is one of the most incredible outdoor activities you can do in Florida.

Rock Springs Florida is an easy paddle along a crystal blue river surrounded by lush forest. It feels like you are in a fairy tale.

Rock Springs is located about 35 minutes NW of Orlando. The closest town is 7 miles away in Apoka, Florida.

Rock Springs Run is fed by underground rivers at 26,000 gallons per minute. The cold spring water flows northeast from Kelly Park creating the clearest river I have ever seen.

emerald cut florida — *The Emerald Cut, Rock Springs Florida*

The water temperature stays between 68-72 degrees year-round, making Rock Springs a popular destination during the hot Florida summers.

The shallow, sandy-bottom river invites you to take a refreshing swim. I particularly love swimming through the stretch named the Emerald Cut.

This article will give you an overview of the Rock Springs Run and help you decide if you should launch from Kelly Park or King’s Landing Florida. I will walk you through the pros and cons of each so you know what to expect when you arrive.

Rock Springs Run, Florida

When kayaking the Rock Springs Run, I recommend choosing from 2 route options:

Emerald Cut Out and Back:

While not officially part of the Rock Springs Run, the Emerald Cut is the most beautiful and popular stretch of river accessible from Rock Springs. You can easily paddle here from either King’s Landing or Kelly Park.

Full Rock Springs Run:

If you are an experienced paddler and want a longer adventure, the 8.5 mile Rock Springs Run is a great half-day paddle. King’s Landing provides a shuttle service for this option.

Rock Springs Run Overview

Paddling the Rock Springs Run can be fun for people of all ages and skill levels. You can choose anything from an easy float around Kelly Park near the headwaters to a 8.5 mile paddle down river with a shuttle back (the full Rock Springs Run).

While the entire stretch of Rock Springs is beautiful, the Emerald Cut section is the prize jewel. The Emerald Cut is about a mile downstream from Kelly Park or a mile upstream from Kings Landing, so it is easily accessible from either launch area.

The out and back to Emerald Cut is the most popular choice for paddlers.

This 2 mile option takes under 2 hours to complete, and you don’t need a shuttle to get back. Paddling upstream is not overly difficult because the water only flows at 2-3 mph.

Launch Locations:

Rock Springs has 2 options for put-in locations:

Camp Joy at Kelly Park (400 E Kelly Park Rd Apopka, FL 32712) is a state park near the mouth of Rock Springs. It offers great swimming holes and a dedicated place (Camp Joy) for you to launch your kayak / SUP / tube if you bring your own.
King’s Landing (5722 Baptist Camp Rd, Apopka, FL 32712) is a private launch just past the entrance to Kelly Park. You can rent kayaks and SUPs, and they even have a shuttle service for longer paddle days.

kelly park rock springs — *Rock Springs Run Florida*

- Important to Note -

Pets are not allowed anywhere in Rock Springs or at Kelly Park
The water flows at 2-3 mph
The water temperature is 68-72°F year round
Life vests are required on board when launching from King’s Landing and recommended from Kelly Park
Arrive early on hot days or during the weekend as both parks fill up early
Alligators can be present, but usually along the shoreline away from human traffic. Be especially aware during the high-activity months (May - July).

Rock Springs Run Map

Key points on the map:

Two boat launch points: Camp Joy at Kelly Park or Kings Landing
Emerald Cut is the most picturesque section of Rock Springs
Big Buck, Indian Mound, and Otter Camp offer primitive camping only accessible by boat
Kings Landing has a shuttle pickup at Wekiva Island for those doing entire Rock Springs Run

Kelly Park vs King's Landing

There are 4 main factors to consider when choosing between launching from Kelly Park or King’s Landing:

Launch Times - Kelly Park requires paddlers to launch before noon and return before 5:00 pm. If you won’t make it by noon, launch from King’s Landing. They allow you to launch up until 2:30 pm, but you have to make it back by 4:30 if you have rentals.
Rentals - Kelly Park does not offer rentals. If you don’t have your own floatable, launch from King’s Landing. They have kayaks, canoes, and SUPs available to rent.
Cost - King’s Landing is private property, and their fees are higher. Outside of the rental and shuttle fees, they charge $10 per person to launch compared to $3 or $5 per vehicle at Kelly Park.
Shuttle Option - If you want to paddle the full 8.5 miles and don’t have a 2nd car to self-shuttle, launch from King’s Landing and pay for their shuttle service. Kelly Park does not offer a shuttle service.

Overall, Kelly Park and King’s Landing are both great options to launch your kayak into Rock Springs. Each offers pros and cons that can be deal breakers depending on your situation.

Both launch locations are about 1 mile from the Emerald Cut section, which you won’t want to miss.

Kelly Park Info

Hours:

Kelly Park is open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm in the summer and from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm in the winter. Paddlers must launch by noon and must return by 5:00 pm.

Parking:

Parking at Kelly Park is limited to 280 cars. While the parking lot opens at 8:00 am, plan on getting there before 7:00 if you want in. The line starts forming by 5:00 am on summer weekends and holidays.

If you just want to launch your boat and not use the day use area, you can come in after the main parking lot is full. Tell the ranger you want to launch from Camp Joy. They will let you in and direct you to a separate parking lot for paddlers.

You will have to walk 100-200 yards from your car to the launch area at Camp Joy.

Fees:

Kelly Park charges a fee when upon arrival. These fees cover day use and launching your own floatable (no rentals available). The fee is the same whether you are using the day use area or launching from Camp Joy.

$3 per vehicle for 1-2 people
$5 per vehicle for 3-8 people
$1 per person for walk-ins or bike-ins

King's Landing Info

Kings Landing Rock Springs Florida — *Kings Landing Entry Point*

Hours:

King’s Landing is open from 8:00am to 5:00pm year-round. Paddlers must launch by 2:30pm. If you arrive after 4:30pm, you will be charged a $50 late fee for each vessel.

Parking:

King’s Landing offers free parking along the road approaching the park entrance. You may drive to the launch area to drop off your gear before finding a parking spot outside the gate. Parking is more limited here since there is only street parking.

Fees:

Fees vary depending on if you plan to only paddle the entire Rock Springs Run and need a shuttle back or if you plan to only see the Emerald Cut and plan to put in and take out at Kings Landing.

Emerald Cut (put in and take out at Kings Landing):

Bring your own vessel - Adult $10 / Child $5
Single kayak - $49
Double kayak - $69
Canoe - $59
SUP - $69

Rock Spring Run (entire 8.5 mile float)

All rentals include the shuttle from Wekiva Island back to King’s Landing.

Single kayak - $59
Double kayak - $79
Shuttle only - Adult $30 / Child $25

Shuttle Info:

If you want to paddle the full 8.5 mile Rock Springs Run and you don’t have 2 cars to self-shuttle, buy a shuttle pass from King’s Landing ($30 BYO vessel or free with rental).

The full run takes 4-5 hours, and you must arrive at Wekiva Island by 3:30 pm. If you are adding Emerald Cut (10.5 miles total), plan to leave by 8:30 am.

The full Rock Springs Run is for experienced paddlers only.

Camping

Why settle for 1 day when you can stretch the fun out into a multi-day river trip? There are a few camping options in the Rock Springs area.

Camping in Kelly Park:

Kelly Park has 26 campsites which are reservable online for $23 a night. All sites have water and electric hookups, and the park has a shared dump station. Senior ($17.25) and Orange County Residents ($18) pay discounted rates. Pets and alcohol are prohibited from the park, including the campground.

Camping Along the River:

There are 3 primitive campgrounds that you can only access via the river. They are all located around the halfway point of the 8.5 mile Rock Springs Run. You have to reserve your spot in advance by calling Wekiwa Springs State Park at 407-553-4383. The state park charges $5 per night per person.

What to Bring to the Springs

Floating Tube: this tube is very durable and affordable, highly recommend grabbing a paddle that separates in half so you can easily navigate on the river
Dry Bag: this is a small, waterproof bag that you can put your keys and cell phone in and attach to your tube
Water shoes: we always swim in our Chaco sandals or these water shoes.
Sun hat: this straw hat is the perfect beach day hat
Towels: we love our quick-drying Nomadix towels; they’re super absorbent, beach-size, but lightweight and pack down very small
Sunscreen: Bare Republic is our go-to mineral sunscreen; it’s incredibly lightweight and isn’t harsh on marine life like normal sunscreen
Inflatable SUP: we love having our own inflatable SUP and it’s easy to carry.
Goggles and Snorkel: this adult and kids snorkel combo worked perfect for us