Rock Springs

Rock Springs

Rock Springs is part of the Orange County Park System and is located within Dr. Howard A. Kelly County Park, on the outskirts of Apopka, Florida. Groundwater here is discharged from an opening at the base of the 20 foot high limestone cliff that surrounds the spring run, rather than from a boil in a pool of water as most springs in this area do. A small vadose cave lies above the area where water emerges from the cave.

Water from Rock Springs eventually flows into the Wekiva River (a National Wild and Scenic River), and into the St. Johns River.

Rock Springs is a 2nd magnitude spring, discharging an average of 433 gallons per second, or 37.4 millions of gallons of water per day. Dissolved oxygen concentration in the water is exceptionally low (< 0.5 mg/L).

The limestone in the cave is jagged, sharp, and heavily fossilized.

While bacteria in this cave system are sparse, Rock Springs does harbor a suite of cave crustaceans, particularly the Florida Cave Isopod (Caecidotea hobbsi).