Dunnellon is a small Florida Town on the Rainbow and Withlacoochee Rivers.

It is a fisherman’s paradise and has been dubbed the “Bass Capitol” of Florida. You can also enjoy kayaking, canoeing, and scuba diving on the pristine Rainbow River where the water is crystal clear and 72 degrees, fed by boiling springs and aquifer vents. Take a tube ride down the river and enjoy the incredible  natural beauty of botanical wonders and incredible fish and wildlife.

Dunnellon is a scant few miles from the Gulf Of Mexico and only 25 miles from the Ocala and the Crystal River attractions. There are many beautiful golf courses, walking trails, shopping and restaurants. Dunnellon is the best of both country and small city living.

Our Featured property is located on the Withlacoochee River with over 100 feet of riverfront and some breathtaking views. The property includes a covered boat house and dock and a beautifully landscaped lot. The house is a two story home of 3,370 feet of living area with an over sized garage. There is an incredible back porch that faces the river on two sides. Additional features are:

• Master suite and bath with adjacent bonus room that can be used as a hobby/sewing area.
• Laundry room with washer dryer hookups.
• Guest suite which is also a “safe room” with private entrance from courtyard.
• Gourmet kitchen that features hickory cabinets with a “Boos Block” and wet bar.
• Great room features Savannah brick wood burning fireplace with built in bookshelves and volume ceilings.
• Custom build oak stairway leads to the loft area that could be used as office or recreation area.
• The home has surround sound throughout and custom lighting.
• Custom baseboards and crown moldings.
• Cultured marble window sills.
• And many more unique features too numerous to name.

This property is within walking distance of the Dunnellon Historical district and the many local antique and specialty shops in downtown Dunnellon. The home has many unique features and lots of possibilities. Amenities include 4 spacious bedrooms, 3 baths, a wood burning fireplace and a layout that is conducive to a mother-daughter or mother-in-law apartment.  The home was recently reduced in price and will not last long at $429,000.

Come visit Beautiful Down Town Dunnellon and make an appointment to see this incredible property.

Call Thomas J. Lennon and Associates at: 727-580-4055

The river has a year-round temperature of 72 degrees and it is summer host to kayaking, canoeing or tubing along with the gentle flow of this pristine river system. Because the headwaters of the river, located in Rainbow Springs State Park, are protected, tubers must put in south of the park entrance, at KP Hole Park in Dunnellon.

On a typical summer weekend, there are as many as 1,000 swimmers, snorkelers and tubers on the river. So the best time to visit is early in the morning or on a weekday. The parks have limited parking and when the parking lot is full the park is closed to additional visitors. The 3 1/2-mile river experience can take from four to five hours to complete.

Marion County’s KP Hole Park offers a sandy beach, a protected swimming hole and picnic benches, but the biggest draw is the tubing. Though simple inner tubes are available for rent, many veterans of the river prefer to bring their own. You will sometimes see multicolored blowup bubbles that more closely resemble Barcaloungers and a number of colorful pool floats in addition to the classic black tube. Families often tie their floats together, creating floating islands complete with cup holders and coolers filled with food and drink in the required non-disposable containers.

One of the best ways to enjoy this slow-moving river is in a the standard round black tube, arms and legs draped across either side, toes dipped in the refreshingly cool spring-fed river. The Rainbow River is so clear you can see its bottom with waves of grass swaying below and, in some spots, craggy rock formations filled with silvery bursts of tiny fish in others.

Snorkelers sometimes catch a glimpse of fossils or stone tools left by the area’s first inhabitants. These relics are protected by law and must be left alone but some of the best sights are above the surface. There are many creatures that make their homes on the river. Families of turtles can be seen sunning themselves on fallen cypress stumps, lined up in neat rows, largest to smallest. Red-tailed hawks and the occasional bald eagle soar overhead. Great blue herons and snowy egrets tiptoe along the shore, scanning for lunch.

Anhingas, the so-called snake birds, skim along just below the surface, propelled by rudder-like tails, rising only to guzzle their prey whole. And the stunning view of the sleek black cormorant, wings spread wide, drying itself in the sun is unforgettable.

One of the biggest treats for the watchful tube rider is the playful romp of an otter family, leaping in and out of the water, their sleek bodies forming half-circles above the surface as they dive down, seemingly for the sheer joy of it. Poking tiny heads above the surface, they chatter with one another, barely noticing the delighted humans floating past, waterproof cameras are definitely a plus.

Alligator sightings are rare in the Rainbow River, unlike the nearby Withlacoochee. The biggest danger is the Florida sun. It is most intense between noon and 2 p.m. and the park opens at 8 a.m., so early mornings and afternoons are the best choice. Cypress trees offer limited shade closer to shore, and some stretches of the river are shielded from direct sunlight.

There’s a shuttle service to take you back to your car at the end of the float, so no worries about paddling back.

The most difficult part of a tubing experience on the Rainbow River is sitting your butt down into an inner tube in 72-degree water. It takes some getting use to but after a few minutes on the river you forget about the cold water and become lost in the pristine beauty of the river and the incredible wildlife.

If you go

The Rainbow River is just north of Dunnellon, off U.S. 41. From Tampa, take Interstate 75 north to Exit 341 (County Road 484). Head west until you get to the town of Dunnellon (you’ll cross the river just before the town limits). Go north on U.S. 41 for 3 miles. After the Winn-Dixie shopping center on the right, turn right and travel for 2 miles until you reach the railroad tracks. Immediately past the tracks take a left onto the frontage road and travel half a mile to KP Hole County Park.

KP Hole has restrooms, a snack bar, swimming beach and boat ramp. Alcoholic beverages and disposable items are not allowed on the river. Snacks and drinks must be in non-disposable containers.

The park entrance fee is $5 per person. Canoes are $8 an hour. Tubes are $10 for the day. For more information, call (352) 489-3055.

Rainbow Springs State Park is just north of KP Hole and includes the headwaters of the Rainbow River. The circular springhead, hundreds of yards wide with an underwater visibility of 150 feet, offers an unforgettable swimming or snorkeling experience. Tubing is not allowed within the park but canoe and kayak rentals are available. The 1,000-acre park also offers swimming, camping, numerous trails, three artificial waterfalls and 11 gardens. Facilities include a visitor’s center, gift shop, restrooms, pavilions and snack bar.

For park information, call (352) 465-8555. For camping information, call (352) 465-8550. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset and admission is $2.00.

Lake Rousseau was formed in the 1920′s by the construction of a dam on the Withlacoochee River near Inglis. Later, it was selected to be a significant part of the ill-fated Cross-Florida Barge Canal. The lake is a small body of water with many boating restrictions due to cypress knee and timber-laden bottom structure.

Lake Rousseau consists of two sections. The broad portion beginning at the Inglis Dam and extending some five miles eastward to the Pig Pen area is actually what is termed locally as ‘Lake Rousseau.’ The remaining section, running about seven miles to Dunnellon, is called ‘the Backwater’ by the local folks.

The large amount of timber residue presents extreme boating hazards and there are few locations in the lake where it is safe to run above an idle speed. The deeper Withlacoochee River channel is poorly marked but generally clear of standing timber, however it may contain free-floating drift items that can be very large and just below the surface. In some areas the channel markers have drifted or otherwise been dislodged and can no longer be trusted to identify the channel.

The boat-runs found in certain areas off the main river channel can be more dangerous than the main channel. The markers float and have drifted out of position in many cases. These dangerous boating conditions are difficult to deal with at times these under water structures provide habitat for fish and wildlife making the lake worth navigating for the avid fisherman.

The ‘Backwater’ section is very congested with vegetation and the open water becomes limited. The main Withlacoochee River channel twists and winds, often turning back upon itself. In general, the main channel has a depth of about 14-17 feet from this point to Dunnellon, with some deeper holes on the outside of sharp bends.

Lake Rousseau and the area between the lake and Dunnellon called “the backwater” are home to bass, pickerel, chappie and bluegills.

The Rainbow River located in the city of Dunnellon, is spring fed by artesian activity that delivers more than 600 million gallons of crystal clear water that issues each day from several vents, falls and grottos in the headwaters of the river. The river supports a large variety of fish, plants and wildlife.

The Rainbow River is designated as a Registered Natural Landmark and an Aquatic Preserve. The state purchased the original area that was the Rainbow Springs attraction in 1990. Volunteers cleared the overgrown park and opened the park on weekends to the public. The Florida Park Service officially opened Rainbow Springs State Park on a full-time basis on March 9, 1995.

The Rainbow River is known for it’s pristine beauty. You are not allowed to bring disposable items to the river so that the river can be maintained in as near natural a state as possible. While diving is not allowed at the Rivers head spring there are numerous caverns, grottos and springs along the river where there is more than 25 foot depth with 100 feet of visibility and lots of fish and wild life to explore.

The water temperature is a constant 72 degrees making it the ideal place for a refreshing summer swim. The river also supports other recreational activities like canoeing, kayaking and tubing down the slow moving river. There are several places on the river for equipment rental and a return transport that brings tubing enthusiasts back upstream to the rental locations.

The Rainbow River offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the crystal clear water of the Florida aquifer, sit in a bubbling grotto, swim or scuba in the cool clean water, kayak or canoe and just enjoy all that Florida has to offer.

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Fishing the Withlacoochee in Dunnellon Florida