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Silver Springs State Park

Leashed dogs are welcome on the hiking trails and in the picnic areas at Silver Springs State Park in Silver Springs, FL. There are a number of pet-friendly trails, including the Sandhill Trail, a 1.7 mile loop trail; the Sinkhole Trail, traversing up through the uplands; and the Swamp Trail, a boardwalk trail that will keep your feet dry while you explore. Please note that, unfortunately, dogs are not permitted near the springs or on any form of water transportation at the park. Visit Website

Or call (352) 261-5840 or email info@silversprings.com for more information.

Reviews

BringFido Guest Rating
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Silver Springs State Park has received a rating of 4.9 out of 5 bones by 7 canine critics on BringFido and 4.0 out of 5 by 2,060 guests on TripAdvisor.


Visitors overwhelmingly praise Silver Springs State Park as a pet-friendly destination with stunning natural scenery, abundant shade, and welcoming staff. They note the park's low entry fees, presence of wild monkeys, and the need to keep dogs leashed and off boats.

AI-generated from the text of reviews

  • Holly
    Aug 24, 2023
    A++++ State Park that welcomes dogs

    My husband and I brought our Dogo Argentino, Zeus, with us to enjoy the shaded walkways of Silver Springs State Park, while vacationing in Ocala. Although it was a hot, sunny August day, we found plenty of shade for our dog to enjoy his walk without getting too hot. Every single park employee greeted and engaged with us, and made sure we knew where to find the Dog Refreshment station !!! We love exploring natural areas and traveling with our dog, and this was a place was exceptionally welcoming and beautiful. Thank you Silver Springs !!!

  • B
    Nov 12, 2022
    Hoped for more but still great!

    Entry is $2/person on the park side with a team to the education center / campground side which would be an additional $8 to park over there. Leashed dogs welcome on land. No dogs on boat tours or in water (no swimming/wading). Not as many water views as I hoped, but the views were stunning. Some shade. Water fountain or food truck. Ross Allen boardwalk has approximately two water views. Walk near or on Garden trail has water views and a scenic spot where a movie was filmed. On the other side of the park there is one water view from the swap trail where we saw the wild monkeys (oh my!) and one water view from the river trail. There's also been reports of alligators and the occasional manatee. Did not get to the sinkhole or wilderness trails. A local told us to check for tics and we did have some! Terrific spot although it's best seen from the boat / kayak tours which, as mentioned, were not dog friendly and no water access for swimming/wading. Plenty of dogs there though. Lots of history and education here.

  • Susa
    Sep 7, 2022
    Amazing park

    Dog friendly. Dogs could go anywhere except on boats and canoes. Cheep entry fee, 2$ per adult. Two types of wild monkeys since there used to be a zoo here. Restaurant currently under reconstruction so just a feed truck with simpler fare Sep 2022

  • Melissa
    Apr 8, 2022
    Gorgeous trails

    A beautiful little park to walk around. tons of shade so the boardwalks didn’t get too hot.

  • Adalee
    Oct 28, 2020
    Beautiful

    Our puppy loved this park and we did too! The entire park is dog friendly but they can’t go on the boats or kayaks.

  • April
    Jan 6, 2020
    Beautiful Water

    Our dogs loved the walk along the river and on the island boardwalk. People were welcoming and friendly. We saw manatees and a ton of birds. Great pet friendly picnic area with shade right on the spring. Just be careful as we saw a big gator right near the path in the grass. Keep the babies leashed for safety!! Restaurant, ice cream, restrooms, boat rides!

  • Nicholas
    Apr 7, 2019
    Pet Friendly

    Staff gives treats to puppies. Plenty of shaded areas and places to sit.

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We dug up 2 pictures of dogs at Silver Springs State Park.

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Area Info

Silver Springs State Park