Sanlando Springs | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 28°41′01″N81°22′54″W / 28.68361°N 81.38167°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Florida |
County | Seminole |
Elevation | 56 ft (17 m) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Area code(s) | 407, 689 & 321 |
GNIS feature ID | 290643 [1] |
Sanlando Springs is a second magnitude freshwater spring [2] and an unincorporated community in Seminole County, Florida, United States, [1] just west of Longwood, Florida. Originally named Hoosier Springs by early settler Ingram Fletcher, the springs were later renamed for its location between the cities of Sanford and Orlando. From the 1930s through 1970, it was a privately owned and operated recreation area and park that was open to the general public for an entrance fee. [3]
In 1970, the property was sold for conversion into a private residential development to be known as The Springs. [4]
The spring itself is located behind the clubhouse of The Springs, a gated community. Although managed by the St. Johns River Water Management District, it is a private recreation and swimming area for residents of the community and respective guests and is no longer open to the general public.[ citation needed ]
The main swimming area formerly boasted a diving platform over the spring, approximately 6 ft (1.8 m) above the waters' surface until removed by the community board. There is also a floating man-made dock, approximately 40 ft (12.2 m) from the shoreline, to which guests may swim. The waters of the main spring eventually empty into the Wekiva River and from there into the St. Johns River. Sanlando Springs, along with nearby Rock Springs, Wekiwa Springs and Palm Springs, form the headwaters of the Wekiva River.[ citation needed ]
During times of heavy rain, such as the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season, the springs have been known to flood dramatically and certain areas of the spring during these times may be hazardous.
Near the main spring are several sulfur springs, which are generally unfit for swimming due to foul odor and possible presence of potentially dangerous wildlife, such as alligators.
Seminole County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 470,856, making it the 13th-most populated county in Florida. Its county seat and largest city is Sanford. Seminole County is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Interstate 4 (I-4) is an Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Florida, maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Spanning 132.30 miles (212.92 km) along a generally southwest–northeast axis, I-4 is entirely concurrent with State Road 400 (SR 400). In the west, I-4 begins at an interchange with I-275 in Tampa. I-4 intersects with several major expressways as it traverses Central Florida, including US Highway 41 (US 41) in Tampa; US 301 near Riverview; I-75 near Brandon; US 98 in Lakeland; US 27 in unincorporated Davenport; US 192 in Celebration; Florida's Turnpike in Orlando; and US 17 and US 92 in multiple junctions. In the east, I-4 ends at an interchange with I-95 in Daytona Beach, while SR 400 continues for roughly another four miles (6.4 km) and ends at an intersection with US 1 on the city line of Daytona Beach and South Daytona.
Orlando is a city in, and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. Part of Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831 in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It is the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States and the third-largest metropolitan area in Florida behind Miami and Tampa Bay. Orlando had a city population of 307,573 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Miami, and Tampa. It is the state's largest inland city.
Apopka is a city in Orange County, Florida. The city's population was 55,000 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area. Apopka comes from Seminole word Ahapopka for "Potato eating place".
Longwood is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 15,087 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Wekiwa Springs is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 23,169 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and it is the most significant one for commercial and recreational use. At 310 miles (500 km) long, it flows north and winds through or borders twelve counties. The drop in elevation from headwaters to mouth is less than 30 feet (9 m); like most Florida waterways, the St. Johns has a very slow flow speed of 0.3 mph (0.13 m/s), and is often described as "lazy".
The Hillsborough River is a river located in the state of Florida in the United States. It arises in the Green Swamp near the juncture of Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties, and flows 60 miles (97 km) through Pasco and Hillsborough Counties to an outlet in the city of Tampa on Hillsborough Bay. It includes 4 nature trails extending for over 7 miles (11 km), making it popular among hikers. The name Hillsborough River first appeared on a British map in 1769. At the time, the Earl of Hillsborough was the British Secretary of State for the Colonies, and thus controlled the pensions of the surveyors working in the American colonies, which included East Florida.
State Road 429 (SR 429), also known as the Daniel Webster Western Beltway or Western Expressway south of US 441, and the Wekiva Parkway north of US 441, is a controlled-access toll road built and maintained by the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX), the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Its mainline currently extends 51.77 miles (83.32 km) from I-4 (SR 400) in Four Corners north to I-4 in Sanford. Control cities are Apopka and Tampa although the control cities for traffic at the entrances at US 441 and north are Orlando, Tampa, and Daytona Beach. SR 429 was originally planned as a western half of SR 417.
Ponce de Leon Springs State Recreation Area is a Florida State Park in Holmes County, Florida, USA. It is located in the town of Ponce de Leon. The park, which was created to provide public outdoor recreation and other park-related uses, was initially acquired on September 4, 1970, using funds from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund. Its self-proclaimed purpose is to develop, operate and maintain the property for outdoor recreation, park, historic, and related purposes, offering abundant opportunity for nature appreciation and wildlife viewing. Its primary recreational activities include swimming in the spring and hiking along the park's nature trails.
The Orlando metropolitan area, commonly referred to as Greater Orlando, Metro Orlando, Central Florida as well as for U.S. Census purposes as the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, is a metropolitan area in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. Its principal cities are Orlando, Kissimmee and Sanford. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines it as consisting of the counties of Lake, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole.
Rock Springs Run State Reserve is a 14,000-acre (5,700 ha) State Park in the U.S. state of Florida. The main entrance is located about 30 miles (48 km) north of Orlando in Sorrento, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the Wekiva River bridge on State Road 46 and extends into Orange and Seminole Counties to the south. The park contains a number of Indian mounds, pine flatwoods, swamps and artesian springs, and a number of creeks and rivers. Among them are Seminole Creek, Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and the Wekiva River.
Wekiwa Springs State Park is a 7,000-acre (28 km2) Florida State Park in Apopka, Florida. It is located 20 minutes north of Orlando, off Interstate 4 at exit 94, near Altamonte Springs and Longwood. The park also contains the head water of the Wekiva River. It also serves as the headquarters of one of the state's five AmeriCorps Florida State Parks chapters.
The Florida Trail is one of eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States. It currently runs 1,500 miles (2,400 km), from Big Cypress National Preserve to Fort Pickens at Gulf Islands National Seashore, Pensacola Beach. Also known as the Florida National Scenic Trail, the Florida Trail provides permanent non-motorized recreation opportunity for hiking and other compatible activities and is within an hour of most Floridians. The Florida National Scenic Trail is designated as a National Scenic Trail by the National Trails System Act of 1968.
The Wekiva River is a 16.0-mile-long (25.7 km) river in Central Florida, north of Orlando in the United States. It originates in Apopka and joins the St. Johns River, the longest river in the state, in DeBary. The Wekiva River system includes the main stem joined by three main tributaries - Rock Springs Run, Blackwater Creek, and the Little Wekiva River - and about 30 contributing groundwater springs. It is designated as a Florida State Canoe Trail, an Outstanding Florida Water, and an Aquatic Preserve by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The Wekiva River system is also one of the two rivers in Florida federally designated as a National Wild and Scenic River for its scenery, recreation, geology, and diverse habitats.
Lake Jesup is the largest lake in Seminole County, Florida, United States and is one of many that make up the St. Johns River. Located along the middle basin of the St. Johns, the lake encompasses an area of approximately 16,000 acres (65 km2), including open water and floodplain. It is named in honor of Brigadier General Thomas Jesup, an American military officer who served in the Second Seminole War. The lake is bisected by one of the state's longest free-standing bridges, part of the Seminole County Expressway.
Indian Mound Village is an unincorporated community in Seminole County, Florida, United States, located on the St. Johns River.
Gemini Springs Park is a 210-acre (85 ha) public nature park in DeBary, Florida, United States featuring two springs. The park, completed in 1996, is situated on bayou northwest of Lake Monroe.