Rainbow River, Florida: A Visitor's Guide
A 5.7-mile spring-fed river in Dunnellon, from Rainbow Springs to the Withlacoochee River: where to get on, what it costs, and the rules on the water.
By Only In Ocala · Facts checked against Florida State Parks, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Marion County and the City of Dunnellon on October 21, 2026
What and where is the Rainbow River?
The Rainbow River is a 5.7-mile spring-fed river in Dunnellon, Marion County, Florida, southwest of Ocala. It rises at Rainbow Springs, the headspring inside Rainbow Springs State Park, and flows into the Withlacoochee River at Dunnellon. The water at the headsprings averages 72 degrees year-round, and the whole river is a state aquatic preserve where people tube, kayak, canoe, paddleboard, swim, snorkel, dive and boat at idle speed.
- -Where: Dunnellon, Marion County, southwest of Ocala. The river runs 5.7 miles from Rainbow Springs to the Withlacoochee River.
- -Getting on: Rainbow Springs State Park (headsprings and a seasonal tubing entrance), Marion County's KP Hole Park, and the City of Dunnellon's Blue Run of Dunnellon Park.
- -Tubing season: April to September at both KP Hole and the state park. Paddling and swimming are possible all year.
- -Rules: no disposable food or drink containers ($50 fine), no alcohol on the river per Marion County, and idle speed only for boats on the whole river.
Rainbow River Facts
| Length | 5.7 miles, from the headsprings to the Withlacoochee River (Florida DEP) |
|---|---|
| Source | Rainbow Springs, a first-magnitude spring group. The headwaters are a 250-foot-wide, semicircular spring pool with four main boils, plus smaller springs and sand boils along the river (SWFWMD) |
| Flow | An average of 493 million gallons a day into the Withlacoochee River; the Rainbow Springs group is the fourth largest in Florida by discharge (SWFWMD) |
| Water temperature | Averages 72 degrees year-round at the headsprings (Florida State Parks) |
| Clarity | Visibility near the headsprings can exceed 250 feet (SWFWMD) |
| Where the water comes from | A springshed of about 735 square miles across Alachua, Levy and Marion counties (SWFWMD); Florida State Parks puts the recharge area at 770 square miles |
| Where it ends | The Withlacoochee River at Dunnellon, which flows on to the Gulf at Withlacoochee Bay near Yankeetown (Florida DEP) |
Where to Get On the Rainbow River
The river has no fee of its own, but every public way onto it is through a park, and each one charges and runs differently. The Florida DEP lists Rainbow Springs State Park, KP Hole Park and Blue Run of Dunnellon Park as the paddle-craft launches, and KP Hole and Blue Run as the public boat ramps. Use the street address of the entrance you need: they are miles apart.
Rainbow Springs State Park, headsprings entrance
Run by Florida State Parks · 19158 SW 81st Place Road, Dunnellon, FL 34432 · 352-465-8555
- What you can do
- Swimming and snorkeling in the buoyed headspring area; canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals; launch your own canoe or kayak after a 1,800-foot carry. No tubes.
- Cost
- $5 per vehicle (2 to 8 people), $4 single occupant, $2 pedestrian or bike. Day-use reservation program.
Rainbow Springs State Park, tubing entrance
Run by Guest Services Inc. for Florida State Parks · 10830 SW 180th Ave. Road, Dunnellon, FL 34432 · 833-945-2925
- What you can do
- Seasonal tubing (April to September). A shuttle takes tubers 2 miles upstream and they float back in about two hours. Tubers must be at least 5.
- Cost
- Park entry fee, plus tube rental and shuttle (call Guest Services for prices).
KP Hole Park
Run by Marion County Parks & Recreation · 9435 SW 190th Ave. Road, Dunnellon, FL 34432 · 352-489-3055
- What you can do
- Swimming, seasonal tubing (April to September, park tubes only), canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals all year, a hand launch and a boat ramp. The tubing package includes a return shuttle from Blue Run of Dunnellon Park; the average float is about 4 hours.
- Cost
- $7 plus tax per person entry; $10 plus tax per person paddle-craft launch; $20 plus tax per motorized vessel; $30 plus tax per person tubing package.
Blue Run of Dunnellon Park
Run by City of Dunnellon · 19680 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Dunnellon, FL 34432
- What you can do
- River access for kayaks, a public boat ramp, walking and birding trails, a 3-acre pond, and the Withlacoochee-Dunnellon Trail connector. A popular exit point for tubers.
- Cost
- No fee listed on the city's parks page; most city parks are open sunrise to sunset.
Chaplin A. Dinkins III Memorial Park (City Beach)
Run by City of Dunnellon · 12099 Palmetto Court, Dunnellon, FL 34432
- What you can do
- Swimming, picnics and fishing where the Rainbow and Withlacoochee rivers meet. No paddle-craft access.
- Cost
- $2 per person per day; children under 6 free.
Campers: the Rainbow Springs State Park campground at 18185 SW 94th St. sits on the river and is open to registered campers only. Campers can swim, fish and paddle from it, and only registered campers may tube from the campground with their own tubes. Details are in our Rainbow Springs campground guide.
Below the river: the Centennial Park and City of Dunnellon Boat Ramp Facility, at 12196 S. Williams St. behind City Hall, launches into the Withlacoochee River just around the bend from the Rainbow. The city runs a paid launch and parking program there and at the Datesman Park overflow lot.
State park reservations and parking: the park manager has introduced a reservation program for day-use visitors at the headsprings, booked online through Florida State Parks reservations, and the headsprings parking lot is being renovated from Sept. 9, 2026, to Feb. 4, 2027, with limited parking. See our Rainbow Springs tickets and fees guide.
Things to Do on the Rainbow River
The Florida DEP lists boating, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, canoeing, snorkeling, scuba diving, tubing and wildlife viewing as the river's activities. Here is how each one works in practice.
Tubing
Two operators, two floats. The state park's tubing entrance shuttles you 2 miles upstream for a float of about two hours; you can bring your own tube and the shuttle costs the same. KP Hole rents its own tubes only (no personal tubes) in a $30-plus-tax package with entry and a return shuttle from Blue Run, and the average float is about 4 hours. Renters at KP Hole must be 18, and children must be at least 3 to tube. See our Rainbow River tubing guide.
Kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding
KP Hole rents single kayaks for $10 an hour, double kayaks and paddleboards for $12 and canoes for $10 (plus tax) all year, and sells downriver packages with a return shuttle. The state park rents canoes, kayaks and paddleboards at the headsprings. Paddlers share a narrow, shallow river with tubers and boats, so the DEP asks everyone to watch their surroundings. See Rainbow River kayaking.
Swimming
The headspring swimming area at the state park averages 10 to 18 feet deep with no lifeguard, and inflatables are not allowed. KP Hole Park has a swimming area, and Dunnellon's City Beach sits where the Rainbow meets the Withlacoochee. See our Rainbow Springs swimming guide.
Snorkeling and scuba diving
At the headsprings, snorkeling is allowed only inside the buoyed swimming area; outside it, you can snorkel from a boat or the campground. The DEP requires a diver-down flag when diving or swimming in the river, and KP Hole charges divers $30 plus tax.
Boating
Motorboats can use the public ramps at KP Hole and Blue Run of Dunnellon Park. The whole river is idle speed, no wake, all year, and boating is prohibited at the main headsprings. Raise your motor over seagrass: damaging it in an aquatic preserve can bring a fine of up to $1,000. Shuttles are also covered in our Rainbow River water taxi guide.
Fishing and wildlife
Anglers follow FWC fishing regulations. Fishing is not allowed at the headsprings day-use area; registered campers can fish from the campground. SWFWMD counts more than 20 fish species, plus river otters, wood ducks, turtles, snakes and alligators. In April 2026 the aquatic preserve reported that Eckerd College's herpetology club, in its 26th year of turtle research on the river, caught 103 turtles in two hours.
Rainbow River Rules
These come from Marion County's code of ordinances (as posted on the KP Hole Park page), the Florida DEP and Florida State Parks.
- No disposable containers. Marion County Sec. 5-52 makes it unlawful to have food or drinks in disposable containers on the Rainbow River, and bans paper sacks, boxes, breakable plastic utensils, paper napkins and towels. The fine is $50.
- No alcohol. Marion County says alcohol is not permitted at KP Hole or on the Rainbow River.
- Idle speed only. Marion County Sec. 5-54 sets a no-wake, idle-speed zone on the whole river, including KP Hole, seven days a week, all year.
- Fly a dive flag. The DEP requires a diver-down flag when diving or swimming in the river, and Florida State Parks notes that state law requires dive flags for snorkelers.
- Stay out of the headsprings by boat. Boating and fishing are prohibited at the main headsprings, and tubes and other inflatables are not allowed at the state park's headsprings.
- Protect the seagrass. Avoid shallow water and raise your motor over grass beds; damage can bring a fine of up to $1,000.
- Respect private land. The river runs past private homes, and the DEP asks visitors to be mindful of homeowners and their property.
- Keep dogs out of the water at the state park. Florida State Parks allows leashed dogs but not in the headsprings, swim areas, river or ponds.
How the Rainbow River Is Protected
The full 5.7 miles of the river, 164 acres of water, make up the Rainbow Springs Aquatic Preserve, which the state established in 1986. The river was named a Registered Natural Landmark in 1972 and an Outstanding Florida Water in 1987, and in 1989 the Southwest Florida Water Management District made it a Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) priority water body. The district also lists it as an Outstanding Florida Spring. The preserve's stated purpose is to keep the springs and river in an essentially natural state.
The district names nitrate enrichment, possible declines from historical flows, and invasive aquatic plants as the main threats. Native underwater plants are healthy in the upper river, while invasive plants and algae are more common in the lower river. Preserve staff and partners monitor water quality monthly, map the underwater vegetation and remove invasive species. Rainbow River Conservation, Inc., a nonprofit, sponsors an annual river cleanup each spring.
People have visited the springs for about 10,000 years. The discovery of hard-rock phosphate in 1890 triggered a mining boom, and the river and its surroundings were mined into the early 20th century. From the 1930s to the 1970s the land around the headsprings was a private tourist attraction. The State of Florida took over the property in 1990 and created Rainbow Springs State Park. The attraction's three human-made waterfalls and gardens still stand; read more in our Rainbow Springs State Park guide.
Best Time to Visit the Rainbow River
| Season | Tubing | Paddling and swimming |
|---|---|---|
| April to Memorial Day | KP Hole daily; state park weekends only | Open; KP Hole summer hours 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April 1 |
| Memorial Day to Labor Day | Both daily | Busiest stretch; the headsprings often reaches capacity on hot weekends and holidays |
| Labor Day to Sept. 30 | KP Hole daily; state park weekends only | Open |
| October to March | Closed at both | Open; KP Hole winter hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the water stays about 72 degrees |
The aquatic preserve suggests weekdays or the months outside summer for a quieter trip. In early spring, the azaleas around the state park's headsprings bloom pink, purple and white. Tubing hours can change with the weather, so call Guest Services at 833-945-2925 before a state park float.
Rainbow River FAQ
Where is the Rainbow River in Florida?
The Rainbow River is in Dunnellon, in Marion County, southwest of Ocala. It begins at Rainbow Springs inside Rainbow Springs State Park (headsprings entrance at 19158 SW 81st Place Road, Dunnellon, FL 34432) and flows into the Withlacoochee River at Dunnellon. The Withlacoochee then empties into the Gulf at Withlacoochee Bay near Yankeetown.
How long is the Rainbow River?
The Rainbow River is 5.7 miles long, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which manages the full length as the Rainbow Springs Aquatic Preserve. The Southwest Florida Water Management District describes it as flowing nearly 6 miles from the headsprings to the Withlacoochee River.
How cold and how clear is the Rainbow River?
Florida State Parks says the water at the Rainbow Springs headsprings averages 72 degrees year-round. The Southwest Florida Water Management District says visibility near the headsprings can exceed 250 feet. The spring group discharges an average of 493 million gallons of water a day, the district reports.
Where can you get on the Rainbow River?
The main public access points are Rainbow Springs State Park (headsprings entrance for swimming and paddling, and a separate seasonal tubing entrance at 10830 SW 180th Ave. Road), Marion County's KP Hole Park at 9435 SW 190th Ave. Road, and the City of Dunnellon's Blue Run of Dunnellon Park at 19680 E. Pennsylvania Ave. All are in Dunnellon. Registered campers can also reach the river from the state park campground.
When can you tube the Rainbow River?
Tubing is seasonal. KP Hole Park rents tubes daily from April 1 to September 30, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or until the park reaches capacity. The Rainbow Springs State Park tubing entrance opens weekends from the first Saturday in April to Memorial Day, daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and weekends from Labor Day to the end of September. Both are closed for tubing October through March.
Can you bring drinks or alcohol on the Rainbow River?
Not in disposable containers, and Marion County says alcohol is not permitted at KP Hole or on the Rainbow River. County ordinance Sec. 5-52 makes it unlawful to have food or drinks in disposable containers on the river, and also bans paper sacks, boxes, breakable plastic utensils, paper napkins and towels. The fine is $50. Bring reusable containers.
Can you take a motorboat on the Rainbow River?
Yes, at idle speed only. Marion County ordinance Sec. 5-54 makes the entire Rainbow River, including KP Hole, a no-wake, idle-speed zone every day of the year. Public boat ramps are at KP Hole Park and Blue Run of Dunnellon Park. Boating and fishing are prohibited at the main headsprings.
Does it cost money to go on the Rainbow River?
The aquatic preserve itself charges no fee, but the parks that give access do. Rainbow Springs State Park charges $5 per vehicle of 2 to 8 people, $4 for a single-occupant vehicle and $2 per pedestrian or cyclist. KP Hole Park charges $7 plus tax per person to enter, $10 plus tax per person to launch a paddle craft, $20 plus tax per motorized vessel and $30 plus tax per diver.
When is the best time to visit the Rainbow River?
The river is busiest in summer. The aquatic preserve recommends weekdays or the non-summer months for a quieter trip, and Florida State Parks says the headsprings often reaches capacity on hot summer weekends and holidays. Paddling works all year because the spring water stays about 72 degrees, while tubing runs only from April through September.
Plan Your Rainbow River Trip
Tubing the Rainbow River
State park versus KP Hole, prices and season.
Rainbow River Kayaking
Launches, routes and rentals.
Rainbow Springs State Park
The headsprings, gardens and entrances.
KP Hole Park
Marion County's river park.
Rainbow Springs Swimming
The headspring swim area and its rules.
Things to Do in Dunnellon
The river town at the end of the Rainbow.
More springs: springs near Ocala and Silver Springs State Park.
Sources and how this page was made
Florida DEP: Rainbow Springs Aquatic Preserve. Southwest Florida Water Management District: Rainbow Springs, Marion County and Rainbow River SWIM. Florida State Parks: Rainbow Springs State Park, Hours & Fees, Entrances, Experiences & Amenities, Springs of Rainbow Springs and the Manager's Message. Marion County Parks & Recreation: Visit KP Hole Park (fees, hours, rules and county ordinances). City of Dunnellon: Parks / Recreation. The KP Hole phone number is from the park's Google Maps listing. All checked October 21, 2026; fees and hours change, so confirm with the operator before you go.
AI tools helped gather the sources and draft this page; each fact was checked against those sources before publishing. Questions or corrections? Contact our team or read our editorial guidelines.
Rainbow River, Florida (Dunnellon)
El Rainbow River es un río de manantial de 5.7 millas en Dunnellon, Condado de Marion, que nace en Rainbow Springs, dentro de Rainbow Springs State Park, y desemboca en el río Withlacoochee. El agua en el manantial principal se mantiene en unos 72 grados todo el año. Se puede entrar al río por Rainbow Springs State Park (19158 SW 81st Place Road; $5 por vehículo de 2 a 8 personas), por la entrada de tubing del parque estatal (10830 SW 180th Ave. Road), por KP Hole Park del Condado de Marion (9435 SW 190th Ave. Road; $7 más impuestos por persona) y por Blue Run of Dunnellon Park (19680 E. Pennsylvania Ave.). La temporada de tubing es de abril a septiembre. En el río están prohibidos los envases desechables (multa de $50) y el alcohol, y los botes deben ir a velocidad mínima, sin estela.
Explore More Ocala Springs
Marion County is the spring capital of Florida — keep planning with these guides to first-magnitude springs, river adventures, and waterfront experiences nearby.