Green Springs Park

Description

Green Springs Park is public park in Enterprise, Florida featuring a green-hued sulfur spring. The spring was once part of a 19th-century health resort and the surrounding area is a notable archeological site. After more than 20 years of effort to acquire and develop the site, the park finally opened in September 2008.DescriptionGreen Springs Park is located near the north shore of Lake Monroe, approximately 2.5miles east of Interstate 4 in Enterprise, Florida. The spring supplies fresh water to Lake Monroe from the Florida aquifer. The spring basin is about 70ft wide by about 76ft deep. The water varies in color depending on the time of year, changing from green in the spring to more of a turquoise color in summer, back to green in the fall and finally to jade in the winter.The park's ecosystem is primarily a hardwood hammock, host to several rare species of plant life, including Epidendrum magnoliae, or Green-fly orchid. A 12ft paved path and numerous primitive paths cross and loop though the park, under cover of Live oak, Magnolia, Cedar and Pine. The park is also a trail head for two bicycle routes: the East Central Regional Rail trail and the Spring-to-Spring trail.Green Springs Park is a significant archaeological and historical site. A huge shell midden existed near the spring run before being depleted for road building and fertilizer prior to 1885. The few remaining deposits contain primitive tools, pottery sherds, as well as remains of humans and animals.