Santa Fe Canoe Outpost

No drama… what do you want to do. Here is your map. Here is where we will pick you up and when. Here is your canoe and have fun! Great first time experience for me and my son.

The Original and best outfitter on the Sante Fe! We have been going to these guys for 20 years and always have a good experience. They know the river, the surrounding area, and are always on time! Would highly recommend.

These guys really have a good set up. Plenty of kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards. The river is still wild Florida– very few houses and only one bridge— unlike many other outfitters along the Intracoastal. They welcome all ages and are genuinely glad to have you visit. And you can paddle quite a ways since they pick you up at the end— no need to turn around! Definitely recommend for all ages and skill levels. Remember the sunscreen before you start though!

Whether you just want to use their pickup service or whether you want to rent a canoe/​kayak and all of the gear, the Outpost crew take good care of you. Located near O’Leno and River Rise parks, this part of the river is mostly undeveloped and makes for a great place to see wild Florida. There are so many great springs along the river to explore.

This was our first adventure stop after driving down from Buffalo, NY. The outfitter was GREAT — really welcoming, funny, informative — with many maps of the Sante Fe River handy, even explaining Naked Ed as the nudist who has a hut along the river (which we did pass and venture into, but Ed wasn’t there!).
We had our own kayaks, so we just ended up paying for the drop off service, but I would have happily given these guys more money. They helped make our adventure that much more fun by giving plenty of awesome suggestions on where to go and how to plan our route.
If you’re considering kayaking along the Sante Fe — do it! Use this outpost /​outfitter and have a blast. The Sante Fe River is one of the only rivers that naturally disappears and reappears later on. It’s quite a feat to come to the «end of the river,» only to notice the force of the springs and water. Great paddle — lots of turtles and wild life along the way (usually you won’t see gators here, but sometimes you may).
Can’t wait to come back!

Great trip and friendly staff. They were super informative and as a last minute adventure, we enjoyed every second! We can’t wait to go back. We went the unconventional way and headed upstream. We saw plenty of turtles and birds and felt to in tune with nature. It was stunning and a great way to escape! The staff made sure to explain all options. We also used a Groupon so it was a great value too!

Let’s go kayaking… he said. It will be fun… he said. Til the gigantic snake fell from the tree into my kayak, and I screamed like the girl I am and tipped it over. Then the snake swam between my knees, and I almost went into heart failure. However, this is not the fault of the kayak rental guy who was very nice and very knowledgeable, and my friend did warn me that I should probable steer clear of the trees because there might be snakes. At the end of the 4 ½ trip, I had accidentally drifted too far, and in a push to turn the kayak around to get to the landing, I bumped some trees near the shore. That’s when Mr. black watersnake (who was really a bigg’un) decided he needed a ride back to the dock.
So my review is: kayaks: yes! This rental place: yes! Beautiful turtles, cranes, even hawks to be seen: all yes. Big black snakes the size of a kitchen sink pipe? NOOOOO… But I would still do the whole trip again if I had it do over. It was pretty cool.

Great adventure! My fiancée and I did this one weekend and had a great time. We saw probably a hundred turtles and at least 3 alligators. For the most part, we were the only ones around, but did see others here and there. We did the 7 mile trip from the Outpost to Rum Island. Definitely a worthwhile outing if you’re in the area.

Rented kayaks from this place to paddle down the Santa Fe with a friend– we did the route that passed Poe and Lily springs with a pickup at Rum Island. I’d never explored the coldwater springs of north Florida before, so this was a treat! We were outfitted with kayaks, oars, life jackets, and a map of the river. The man who helped us gave us a thorough explanation of what to look for as markers along the river for how to gauge our distance and how much time we would have to get from start to finish. We paid $ 30 each, and it was totally worth it. It was a gloomy day to start, but got brighter and warmer as we went… we were the only 2 people kayaking the river that day, and it was the coolest!
Just kayaking down the river itself was amazing… there were so many, many turtles all over the place sunning themselves on roots and rocks, and we saw some beautiful birds as well. The spanish moss hanging down from the trees was just like out of a movie, and the water was so still at some points it was like a glass reflection of all the beauty around us. At the time that we went, Poe was under reconstruction and looked a little like an abandoned wasteland. Lily was small and dark, and we met Ed the nude hermit, who was actually thankfully wearing jeans that day. We didn’t go swimming here either. Rum Island was nice– the springhead showed up bright blue and clear, and the water was fine.
I’d definitely recommend this outfitting company if you want to take a relaxing paddle down the Santa FE and don’t have your own gear.

My opinions are mixed. On one hand, the employees were efficient and friendly. On the other, they weren’t completely forthcoming. Just make certain the river is passable before you go or you may be in for more of an adventure than you expect.
I registered for the 7-​mile trip, from the U.S. 441 bridge to Rum Island, a few days in advance and received a confirmation email. When I arrived, I was told the stretch of river I had chosen was impassable in three spots and required portages. They seemed surprised that no one told me this in the email confirmation. I was conveniently offered the option to pay $ 10 extra and bypass the portage areas for a ride to the U.S. 27 bridge. In other words, pay $ 10 more for half the trip for which I had paid. I reluctantly agreed not knowing if the portage would be across dry ground or deep muck.
I received a rundown of the route and a map, and we quickly were on our way in a rickety van that probably last passed emissions in the 1980s. Our boat was carried to the water for us, and we were on our way.
Shortly into our trip, we found ourselves stuck on a shoal an inch or two deep. This happened three more times, but they didn’t mention any of them in the orientation. We made it through with a struggle, but I thought this was what I was avoiding by paying the $ 10 extra.
The river itself was fine. Lots of trees and junky camps that are about to fall into the river. The water is mostly dark and a few feet deep, though it’s a bit clearer at some of the springs. I only saw a ton of turtles, waterbirds, and a few average-​sized fish.
We reached Rum Island a few minutes before our scheduled rendezvous with the van, and he was on time to pick us up. Not a terrible experience, just one I wish I had been fully informed beforehand.

We’ve kayaked with these guys 3 – 4 times and the service has always been outstanding. They have kayaks and canoes. You get a map to decide where you want them to pick you up and when.
We typically kayak 7 miles from their shop to Rum Island.
Yesterdays trip was the first time my 9 & 11 year olds kayaked in their own boat. They had smaller ones for them. We also were provided with some rope in case someone got tired and needed a tow. They never did!
Beautiful river. Make sure to stop by Lily springs and meet «Naked» Ed Watts!

I’ve paddled the Santa Fe river more than a few times and have always enjoyed it. There are many springs along the way as well as trees to climb and ropes to swing from. Take the whole day and take your time to explore. Pack a lunch and pull over along the picturesque shore for a picnic. If it gets too hot jump in the cool water.
The outpost supplies everything you need to get going, boats/​vests/​paddles etc. They know the river well and will help you plan your trip and pick you up when you are done to shuttle you back to your car. It is a great experience of «real» Florida.
BTW… the nudist’s name is «Ed». He lives in a little hut near Lilly spring (I think) and although he encourages nudity he is decent enough to wear a little loin cloth. He isn’t shy to let you know you can skinny dip in his spring if you want to! He is a friendly guy and seems pretty harmless. Defiantly part of the experience!

Rented kayaks from here with my bf and a friend on our summer vacation. I grew up in North Central Florida but had never really explored the Santa Fe River, so I was happy to get a chance. The guys at the outpost will outfit you with boats, life jackets, and paddles, then drop you off at one of several different spots on the river. We decided on a four mile paddle past Poe Springs and Lilly Springs to Rum Island — very scenic and peaceful, with stops to swim in the chilly spring water and commune with local nudist hermits (not making that up). At the end of the trip they pick you up and bring you back to your car at the outpost.
I think the day rental for three kayaks, pick-​up and drop-​off service came to just over $ 100 for the three of us – not bad at all. I’m definitely interested in some of their overnight trip options, too.