Camping Adventures: Ginnie Springs Campground

This private campground is the place to go for cave diving, 72 degree crystal clear springs, and river tubing. Boasting six gorgeous springs that feed into the Santa Fe River, whether you are looking for relief from the summer heat and sun or the relatively warm waters in the cool of winter, this location fits the bill.

In the warmth of summer, this is one campground I am willing to forego electricity, since even in the July heat a quick dip in a lighted spring before bed can cool you down enough to find sleep comfortable. Many is the night the teens have abandoned the fire with their snorkel gear for a 30 minute swim before heading to bed.

Swimming in springs surrounded by the lush greenery of trees and brush is a treat for this seashore family any time of day, and we take full advantage of this amenity. There is nothing quite like reaching the water after a short hike up the tubing trail and stepping into the cold water. Once your foot is immersed and your brain registers that you plan to submerge your entire body into this cool water, you will rethink just how hot you are and have an urge to continue enduring the heat. Fight it! Take the plunge, or scoot your fanny onto the tube as quickly as possible. Not being an entirely sadistic family, we opt to place little ones squarely on the lap of a tube rider to start. You can choose to paddle or snorkel the spring or opt to depart as quickly as your hands can paddle into the relatively warmer water of the Santa Fe.

The best part of tubing here is the option of starting and ending at many points in the river. Tube rides can be anywhere from over an hour to a short jump from spring to spring. On a recent trip we entered the river from the boat launch and rode it down to a spring for short jaunts before meals.

The park itself is quite wooded and shaded, though there isn't a lot of ground cover to screen between sites, especially near and on the river. There are sites that offer more privacy further from the river and these have the benefit of being a bit roomier than the typical river site. Fear not, you will not have to choose sight unseen if you are opting for a nonelectric site since there are no reservations taken. You will have the freedom to drive through the park as many times as your family wants until you find the perfect spot. We like to leave teenagers at potential sites as we continue looking to be sure we don't miss something better. What? We all contribute in our way.

Boasting clean and up to date facilities, potable water access throughout the park, free air stations to fill your own tubes and concessions that offer everything from a hot breakfast to paddle board and tube rentals plus a PADI dive center, your needs are covered. There are over 100 electric and water sites for which a reservation is recommended and wilderness sites scattered among 200 acres.

Be warned, though this park claims to be family friendly, they have practices that directly counter this goal. They do not limit the number of campers at a site and do not require site registration, nor do they limit the number of day visitors on any given day. With all of these policies in practice, this park often plays host to an unruly, loud, and overbearing crowd on the weekends. And I do not mean people hooting and hollering at their sites at 10pm. No, I am talking about waking up as a presumably intoxicated fellow makes his way up the road whooping and yelling for everyone to come out and party at 3 in the morning, waking up to the supposedly contraband fireworks at 4am, or a late night visit from a couple of girls who just want to watch the laser pointers your kids are playing with in the smoke - prompting the teens to discuss whether they were drunk, high or both not the behavior a parent really wants to march in front of teens. Of course, while the majority of the visitors do not fit this type, there are enough of this personality present to cause me to swear-off visiting here on a warm weather weekend ever again. This is truly a shame as I love this place, even at the rate of $21/adult (14 and up) per night and a distance of over 3 hours from home. But when your 21 year-old says she won't go with her college friends on the weekends because it's insane ("A sh** show" she called it) - you know there's an issue.

There is a silver lining. As raucous as the weekends can be, by noon on Sunday many of the sites are empty. The weekdays host a much more serene experience. Transformed to weekday camping it becomes the type of place where you really feel the peace and playfulness of the river whether you are watching a river otter play in its flow from your tent or floating downstream yourself.

The Camping Breakdown:
Price:    adults: 21.35 per night       kids (7-14) 6.00 per night      under 7 - free

Amenities:    Sites offer water (may be shared with nearby site) picnic tables, and grills. Updated facilities are scattered throughout park. A deli and store with equipment rental, electric sites, a basic playground, beach volleyball courts, and pavilions are all available.

Campground:   Gorgeous clear-water springs that feed into the Santa Fe River. Well treed with many shaded sites, river site, and more secluded sites available for the choosing upon arrival. Some trails are in the "outback" area that are pleasant to stroll.

Family Rating:  7 out of 10
This is a great park that will keep you and the kids entertained if you love water, but the price for families (especially with teenagers) and the chaos of weekends exposing kids to a frat house environment make it impossible to give it a higher rating.

Further Information:  http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com/

note: I received no benefits or money from Ginnie Springs for this evaluation. The ideas expressed here are solely mine based upon my experiences and observations.