Florida springs road trip: 5 stops, a dozen springs

• Like a good reporter, I started taking notes, and last month, my boyfriend and I embarked on a weeklong trek through the Panhandle and Big Bend to see them ourselves.

Gather 'round, because I'm ready to share the details.

The big picture: Florida is home to more than 1,000 freshwater springs. They're one of our greatest, most beautiful natural resources.

• Many are also in trouble, polluted by farm fertilizers and septic tanks, stressed by withdrawals for drinking water, and depleted from irresponsible boaters and swimmers.

Why it matters: "I really strongly believe in the importance of people being able to see these places and recreate in these places," Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute associate director Haley Moody told me.

• "That's what encourages their love and their desire to protect them."

🚨 Before you go: Bookmark our guide on how to be a responsible springs lover.

Stop 1: Merritt's Mill Pond, Marianna

We explored this spring-fed pond about an hour east of Tallahassee via a guided tour by Get Up and Go Kayaking ($67/person).

• It was tough to see through the clear-bottom boats in the morning light, but having an expert show us around the huge pond made the trip worthwhile.
• We saw two springs: Twin Caves and Hole in the Wall. A third, Shangri-La, was closed.

Feeding into the same pond is the first-magnitude Jackson Blue Springs, which you can drive up to ($4 per person) if you'd rather not paddle.

Stop 2: Wacissa River, Wacissa

We paddled about a mile downriver from the headsprings, past a bunch of alligators and pristine flora and fauna, to a popular swimming hole called Big Blue Spring.

• The visibility wasn't great the day we went, but we got the gist: big, blue, etc. The jumping platform and rope swing were nice touches.
• We stopped at a smaller spring on our way back, on the same side of the river as Big Blue, but I'm not sure what it's called.
• Jesse would probably know, though. He's the guy we rented our kayaks from ($29/single kayak — a steal!), and he knew the river well. Find his info here.

Stop 3: Cypress Springs, Vernon

Have you ever swam in a vortex? That's what Cypress felt like. The current was like a not-so-lazy river.

• This one also had a platform and rope swing. Maybe don't climb the tree any higher, unless you want to become this guy.
• The land around the spring is privately owned, so you have to paddle about a half-mile down Holmes Creek to get to it. We rented from the family-owned Cypress Springs Adventures ($50/single kayak).

Pro tip for all the springs: Book ahead. Even on a Tuesday, this outfitter was maxed out. We had a reservation and still had to wait about an hour to get on the water.

• Be patient. Be kind. It's worth it.

Stop 4: Econfina Creek

My favorite day. Our paddling route took us by seven springs: Williford, Pitt, Sylvan, Gainer (which we missed, somehow), Emerald, McCormick and Jim's Hole.

• These are some of the most pristine in Florida, and it showed. We spent so long admiring their beauty, we almost missed the deadline to return our boats.

Be smart: Our outfitter, Econfina Creek Canoe Rentals ($50/single kayak), had a map on the wall. Take a picture of it.

• The springs are in the first mile and a half of the paddle, then it's another 5.5 miles to the shuttle stop back to your car. It took us, with breaks for swimming and photos, about seven hours.
• Williford, Pitt and Sylvan are also accessible by land.

Stop 5: Fanning and Manatee springs, Big Bend area

Stop what you're doing and book a cabin at Fanning Springs State Park.

• It's $100 a night, air-conditioned and puts you a 5-minute walk from Fanning. Manatee is about a 20-minute drive or few-hour paddle down the Suwannee River.
• While these are some of the more algae-ridden springs, thanks to runoff from surrounding farms, they were still crystal clear and refreshing.

No paddling this time. We spent our last few days swimming and floating and reveling in these natural wonders.