Last updated on December 21st, 2020.
Buford Springs is one of the best springs in Florida. It’s an incredible SCUBA diving and freediving site; many divers rank it as one of the most beautiful SCUBA sites in Florida.
It’s located in Hernando County, inside the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area.
Because it’s so beautiful, Buford has been a popular cave diving site for many years, along with nearby Eagle’s Nest Sink Hole, and a few other nearby dive sites.
This video gives a nice overview of the spring.
Difficult to Access
Until recently, the Buford Spring dive site was very difficult to access.
Visitors battled waist-deep swamp mud, mosquitoes, snakes and alligators. Before 2019 there was no established trail; only informal trail markings. Some groups got lost in the woods and gave up before reaching the spring.
The lack of developed infrastructure was both a blessing and a curse for Buford Spring.
On one hand, the difficult conditions helped limit the number of visitors. Those who did visit were mostly hard-core cave divers. Divers are generally good, conscientious folks who care about protecting nature.
Sadly, the difficult access couldn’t fully protect the spring from human destruction. Even the relatively small number of visitors damaged the natural environment. The lack of developed infrastructure created its own problems.
Steven Brinkley is the Manager of the Chassahowitzka WMA, and a biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. In an interview with the Hernando Sun, he explained how people have damaged Buford Spring’s natural environment.
Over time, people dumped pallets, gravel, trash and debris into the swamp. They were trying to build up the trail to avoid the deep swamp mud. Some cut trees and tried to forge new trails, in search of an easier path. Boots, feet and fins trampled and damaged the fragile natural shoreline of the spring. Footsteps killed root structures and caused erosion.
This was all an unwelcome addition to the natural environment. None of it aligned with the “Leave No Trace” philosophy.
Boardwalk: The Future of the Spring
To save the spring and prevent further environmental damage, a boardwalk was built. This makes access easier, and has reduced damage to the environment.
The site now feels very similar to the boardwalk heading to Blue Hole Spring inside Ichetucknee Springs State Park.
More Visitors
For better or worse, the boardwalk will surely bring higher numbers of visitors.
Will this be good or bad for the spring in the long-term? Only time will tell. Maybe visitors will take care of the spring, and treat it as the sacred, magical place it is.
Might it actually be good for Buford, Eagle’s Nest, and Florida’s other endangered springs, in the long-run?
If more people love Buford Spring, maybe they’ll use their voice and vote to help protect Florida’s vulnerable waterways and aquifer. We all know that people only protect what they love. Maybe if access is easier, and more people witness the stunning beauty, they’ll appreciate and protect our environmental treasures.
Luckily Buford Spring has a few things going for it, which I hope might help keep the spring pristine, and protect it from ruin.
Buford Springs shouldn’t be overly appealing to the masses.
Really, I think it would take a certain type of demographic to appreciate the site; nature lovers, divers, freedivers and photographers.
Even with the boardwalk, access is not easy. The site is still located in a swamp. Alligators, snakes and mosquitoes are almost guaranteed. Maybe that’ll serve as an effective deterrent.
Buford Spring doesn’t have many of the popular features which have ruined other springs. There’s no opportunity to float or tube down the river, like at Ichetucknee Springs or Ginnie Springs. Besides taking a few photos, there isn’t really much to do above the water.
The spring itself is stunningly beautiful. It’s lovely to swim in for a few minutes. But, it would be boring to anybody who can’t dive, or explore the expansive underwater features. A short swim wouldn’t be worth long travel, the inconvenience, or the effort required.
Hopefully this will prevent the madness which has engulfed and ruined other pristine springs.
Location
Buford Spring is located inside the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area. It’s approximately 6 miles north of the famous Eagles Nest Sink dive site.
There are several entrances to the Chassahowitzka WMA.
Google Maps navigation might take you to a northern gate entrance, which is labeled the “Hernando Sportsmans Club”. It may not be open, depending on the time and season.
If the northern gate is closed you can try to enter via the main entrance a few miles further south.
GPS Coordinates for the Buford Spring trailhead and parking area: 28°37’59.3″N, 82°35’03.6″W
Google Map Link to the Buford Springs Trailhead and Parking Area
Access
To access the spring you must enter through the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area entrance and pay the daily use fees. The fee is $3 per person, or $6 per vehicle. You can also buy a yearly pass for $26.50.
Daily Use Information
Annual Pass Information
Spring Description
Buford Spring is located inside a swamp. The swamp and ground conditions vary depending on rainfall. The ground will be less saturated during dry periods, and wetter during periods of heavy rain.
Regardless of when you go, there will probably be endless swarms of biting insects, especially mosquitoes and deer flies. Alligators, snakes, spiders, wild boar and other natural swamp wildlife are almost guaranteed.
Water Conditions
The water visibility in Buford Spring varies depending on local rain conditions. During periods of heavy rain, tannic water will decrease the water visibility, sometimes to zero.
Viz can be almost unlimited during dry periods, when tannic water is not a factor. The water can also take on a hazy green tint at times, which limits visibility. Divers and swimmers should be careful not to disturb silt, mud or other debris which will decrease visibility.
For the best water conditions, most experienced divers suggest only going during or after dry periods, when there has not been heavy rainfall. Heavy rains decrease visibility greatly.
Depth
At its deepest, Buford Springs is more than 150 feet deep (46 meters).
Safety
Any visit to Buford Springs involves danger. The Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area is a wild, undeveloped area with numerous hazards. Help and medical care may be distant or unreachable in an emergency. Cell phone reception may be limited.
SCUBA, freediving and cave diving are dangerous activites. Visitors should take care to keep themselves safe, avoid dangerous activities and ensure they do not exceed their own training or limitations. Do not dive, or attempt to dive, unless you have all proper cave diving training, equipment, knowledge and certification.
Many people have died in the nearby Eagle’s Nest Sink Hole dive site. It is recognized as one of the most dangerous dive sites in the world.
- Alligators, snakes, spiders, hogs and other swamplife are almost guaranteed to be present. Be careful.
- The Chassahowitzka WMA is a very active hunting spot. Plan and act accordingly!
- This is a very remote location. Help is a long way away.
- The water level is dangerously shallow in front of the dock.
- When I last visited there were climbing rungs on some trees. They didn’t look sturdy to me, I would not climb them.
Threats to Spring
Humans are the greatest threat to Buford Spring, like all natural springs in Florida.
Threats come from many directions:
- Trampling of plants and soil erosion
- Gasoline and oil leaks from cars
- Wildfires caused by hot cars and people
- Excessive groundwater usage and pumping depletes the Florida Aquifer
- Fertilizer and nitrogen pollution
- Invasive species
- Litter, trash and debris
- And more
Spring Run
There is a small, shallow spring run which flows to the nearby Little Gator Siphon.
Scuba Diving
To scuba dive at Buford Spring you must register with the FWC. Registration is free and must be completed for each dive and diver.
When to Go
The best time of the day to visit is on a clear, cloudless day when the sun is high overhead. Even modest cloudcover blocks the direct sunlight, which has a dramatic effect on the cavern lighting.
The sun’s position varies based on the season. Generally for the best lighting, folks recommend trying to be in the water between approx. 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The overhead sunlight shines down into the sink and illuminates the site nicely. On a day with good visibility the sun’s rays shine into a beautiful, shimmering spotlight effect.
Most folks recommend against visiting in the summer, due to several factors:
- Increased rainfall reduces visibility
- Swamp water levels are likely to be higher due to summer rain
- Extremely hot temperatures
- Increased mosquito and insect activity
- Alligator activity and mating behavior
Like almost all of Florida’s springs, the water temperature in Buford Spring remains a pretty constant temperature, around 72-75 degrees. It varies depending on recent rainfall amounts.
After heavy rains the water’s visibility may be greatly reduced. For the best visibility, try to go during dry periods and when there has not been recent rainfall.
Phogorapher’s Tips:
- Consider using a polarized lens to reduce glare and reflection on the water surface. It will reduce the amount of light which hits the lens, so be sure to compensate accordingly.
- During cold weather, water vapor rises off of the water. Captured in the right moment, it gives a beautiful, eerie effect; especially when combined with the dramatic swamp backdrop. It’s less dramatic, but similar to the famous Devil’s Den Spring.
Alligator mating season
The alligator mating season has several stages.
Courtship begins around early April, and mating follows around May and June.
To prepare their nesting sites, female alligators gather soil, plant debris and other materials. Females lay eggs in late June to early July. The eggs hatch in late summer, around the middle of August to early September.
Always know and use appropriate alligator safety precautions. For more information visit the Florida FWC.
Hunting season
Besidese SCUBA diving, hunting is the primary activity in the Chassahowitzka WMA.
Be sure to check the hunting dates and all related information. If you have any questions, be sure to contact the Florida FWC and before going. If you visit during any hunting activity, be sure to know and follow appropriate hunting safety precautions.
Things to Bring
- Map
- Good, effective bug and mosquito protection
- Hat, sun protection
- Polarized sunglasses
- Trashbag to pick up litter
- Wetsuit
- Mask
- Fins
- Polarized camera lens
- Underwater Camera
- A cart to haul gear