Rum Island is a park maintained by Columbia County. It offers access to the Santa Fe River for launching boats(canoes and kayaks are especially popular) and access to a small spring for swimming. This spring is right on the river and will«brown-out»(become overflowed by dark river water and made less-appealing for swimming) when the river rises or when the natural flow of the spring decreases. Much of the time it is clear though and because the admission to Rum Island is free, it’s a popular spot in the summer. I’ve free-dived the spring and it’s often a bit dark but you sometimes can see a lot of fish. Though the county has provided a walkway and boardwalks leading into the spring, they only furnish Port-a-Potties for restrooms and there is nowhere(aside from your car) to change clothes and no showers. That said, let’s be grateful to Columbia County for providing it at all. The name comes from the fact that the actual island which is in the river(and can be reached via canoe or swimming) was used apparently during Prohibition as a bootlegger’s hideaway. Because it’s now a county park, you cannot drink rum or any liquor here now, alas. Several families living on the long, twisting, road to the park have dogs and cats that may be in the road, so please go slow and be careful so you don’t hit someone’s pet.
