Tubing at Kelly Park (Rock Springs)
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Kelly Park is an Orange County park in Apopka built around Rock Springs, a free-flowing spring that stays at 68 to 72 degrees year round. You float down the run on a tube for about 25 minutes, climb out and walk about 10 minutes back to do it again. Entry costs $5 per vehicle, a flat rate that took effect on August 11, 2026.
The problem is getting in. The county admits 280 vehicles each morning and hands out 50 more passes for 1 p.m. entry, about 1,350 people a day in total. On a typical summer day, the county says the park fills within an hour of its 8 a.m. opening, and people report lining up from 4:30 a.m.
At a glance
- Admission
- $5 per vehicle, $10 per bus (effective August 11, 2026); cash or Visa, Mastercard, Discover with photo ID
- Hours
- 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from March to early November; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in winter. Swim area closes an hour earlier
- Capacity
- 280 vehicles each morning, plus 50 afternoon passes for 1 p.m. entry
- The float
- About 25 minutes in 68 to 72 degree water, then a 10-minute walk back
- Tubes
- Not rented in the park; rent outside or bring floats under five feet
- Rules
- No alcohol, no pets, no water wings; lifeguards not on duty year round
In this guide
How the capacity system works
Once the first 280 cars are in, the gate closes. The county then gives vouchers to the first 50 cars still in line. Those cars can enter at 1 p.m. One pass per car, first come, first served.
Arrive as a group in one car. The county does not let late arrivals join family members already inside once the park is full. When capacity is reached, it updates its web page and the Kelly Park information line at 407-254-1906. Call before you drive.
If you need to leave for tubes, food or medical reasons, get a re-entry stamp at the gatehouse with your receipt first. You can come back in with the same number of people who left.
Tubes, floats and what to bring
The park does not rent tubes and has no air pump. Local businesses outside the park rent them, and you can bring your own tube, pool noodles or floats, as long as nothing is more than five feet long or wide. Bring a small pump.
Life jackets and puddle jumpers are allowed. Water wings are not, because they are not Coast Guard approved. Lifeguards are on stand along the run in peak season, not all year, so watch your children.
A small number of lockers are available first come, first served; locks are rented from the concession. The concession stand opens daily from spring break to early October, selling hot dogs, burgers, snow cones and funnel cakes. Grills are allowed at picnic areas, never near the water.
Rules that get people turned away
- No alcohol anywhere in the park. The county treats it as grounds for removal.
- No pets, except ADA service animals.
- No entry to the cave at the head of the spring.
- Lightning closes the water. A lightning-prediction system shuts the swim area, and lifeguards also close it if they lose sight of the bottom.
The swim area and trails close one hour before the park does: at 7 p.m. in summer hours and 5 p.m. in winter hours. Rock Springs Run State Reserve next door is a separate state facility, and its admission does not get you into Kelly Park.
When to go, and what to do if it is full
Go on a weekday, and go outside the summer school holidays. The water stays at the same temperature year round, so a warm spring or autumn day works as well as July, with a far better chance of getting in. Kelly Park is about 20 miles from downtown Orlando, roughly 35 minutes, and about 55 minutes from the Disney area.
If it is full, Wekiwa Springs State Park is nearby in Apopka for swimming; check its status before you drive. In winter, Blue Spring State Park is the place for manatees. For a full day away from the parks, see Orlando without theme parks.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to go to Kelly Park?
$5 per vehicle and $10 per bus, effective August 11, 2026. Pay in cash or by Visa, Mastercard or Discover with a photo ID.
What time should I get to Kelly Park?
On summer days, before the 8 a.m. opening. The county says the park usually fills within an hour, and people have been in line as early as 4:30 a.m.
Does Kelly Park rent tubes?
No. Rent tubes from businesses outside the park or bring your own. Floats must be under five feet long or wide, and there is no air pump.
How long is the tubing run at Kelly Park?
About a 25-minute float, followed by roughly a 10-minute walk on a paved path back to the main area.
Can you drink alcohol at Kelly Park?
No. Orange County ordinances ban alcohol on park property, and breaking the rule can get you removed.
How cold is the water?
68 to 72 degrees year round.
Further reading
Official sources
- Orange County Parks - Kelly Park/Rock Springs (official) – $5 per vehicle from August 11, 2026; hours; 280 + 50 vehicle capacity; 25-minute float; tube rules; alcohol and pet ban; lightning closures; concession season; checked September 22, 2026
- Orange County Parks - Kelly Park FAQ on the same page (official) – Fills within an hour on summer days; lines from 4:30 a.m.; re-entry stamps; lockers; information line 407-254-1906; checked September 22, 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (router.project-osrm.org) – Downtown Orlando to Kelly Park about 20.5 miles / 35 minutes; Disney area about 42 miles / 55 minutes; computed September 22, 2026
