Kayaking the Rainbow River

There are rivers and then there are beautiful rivers. The Rainbow River in Dunnellon, Florida would be categorized as the latter. The crystal clear water, mild current and snorkeling opportunities make this kayak destination one of my favorite in Florida. The hour drive from our house is always worth it.

The Rainbow river is not the most secluded place in Florida to paddle, as there are houses along the river, pontoon boats here and there, and lots of other paddlers. However the sheer beauty of the waters and surrounding foliage make up for the lack of solitude. One thing that makes this river unique is the varying depths of the water that range from a couple of feet to over 25 feet deep. This makes it a popular location for scuba diving, where divers will start near the head spring and drift with the current. It’s also great for snorkeling, which we typically do whenever we paddle during the warmer months.

The photos in blog are from a trip we did in March of 2023. For those who aren’t familiar with weather patterns in Florida, springtime can be absolutely glorious in Florida, as it was on this day. It was my daughter’s birthday weekend, so she drove up from college with a friend of hers to celebrate, which included a family kayak. We made the trip to the river on a Sunday afternoon and launched from KP Hole Park. As with any moving river, there is the option of doing a shuttle or going at it fully self-supported, which is what we did. Although it does require paddling against the current at times, it just keeps things simple (not to mention less expensive!).

Wildlife is abundant on most Florida rivers. Our wildlife sighting this day started in the parking lot in the human form with two guys almost getting into a fist fight. Someone with a boat trailer got into an argument with another individual who had pulled up in his car to pick up his kayak. Boat trailer guy thought kayak guy had cut his way in line (I didn’t really see who got there first). After letting him know this with some shouting, he proceed to back his trailer down the boat ramp and rammed the kayak. Not cool. This prompted language more suitable for a 2 a.m. bar scuffle than family paddlers on a Sunday afternoon. The scene eventually calmed down and we headed out for our paddle.

Because there were five of us and our kayak trailer holds four kayaks, we also brought an inflatable paddle board. Kayaks are generally faster than paddle boards, but the pace and mood for this outing was very chilled. Besides, we brought our family dog (a cute little Shorkie named Georgia), so a paddle board was actually necessary to transport our little friend on the water, as doing so in sea kayaks is difficult. We only paddled about 20 minutes before we found a great place to snorkel. We found a shaded spot to park our fleet and enjoyed the clear 72 degree water.

After snorkeling we headed up to the head spring, which is only about three miles from our launch point at KP Hole Park. The last half mile or so before before the head spring is my favorite. It’s within the boundaries of Rainbow Springs State Park, so there are no houses on this section. This is where the river originates, with the water flowing out of the ground. It’s a geological wonder, and it’s stunning. The boys had been paddling at a faster pace, while my wife and daughter were taking their time to chat. As we waited, it was nice to relax in the sun, float and take in the scenery. After we regrouped we had a very relaxed paddle with the current back to park. I always prefer to head upstream first. It’s akin to riding up a mountain on a bike and enjoying the downhill back to the parking lot. Paddling with the current allows for the option to float or paddle. We arrived back to the parking lot around 6pm and the crowds had dissipated. No angry boaters to be found. All in all, it was a great day on the Rainbow River. Enjoy the photos!

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