Little Salt

Portions of the following information were taken from Florida Geological Survey Bulletin 66. 

Little Salt Spring is located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Weeki Wachee. From the intersection of US 19 with SR 50 and SR 550 in Weeki Wachee head west on SR 50/550 (Cortez Boulevard) approximately 3.4 miles (5.5 km) to the intersection with SR 595. Continue west (straight) 0.2 miles (0.3 km) west of the T-shaped intersection with SR 595. The spring is 200 ft (61 m) south (left side) of SR 50/550. 

Description – Hernando Salt Spring (Little Salt Spring), at the head of Salt Creek, has a circular spring pool with a diameter of 60 ft (18.2 m). The pool is 46.5 ft (14.2 m) deep. The spring emerges from a cavern in limestone. Exposed limestone in the spring has a soft, chalky texture. Most limestone and sand substrates are covered in thick iron-reducing bacterial mats and algae. Another smaller vent is located at the north end of the pool. The saline water is blue-greenish with slight murkiness. Several logs are submerged within the spring pool, and one of the logs has the remains of an old platform. The spring is tidally influenced, and the size of the boil in the center may fluctuate depending on tides. The spring run flows southwest for about 1 mile (1.6 km) into Mud River and averages approximately 30 ft (9.1 m) wide and 4 ft (1.2 m) deep. Land surrounding Hernando Salt Spring is low-lying, and the spring is situated within a subtropical hardwood and palm hammock. An underwater cave system occurs at Hernando Salt Spring. Depths within the cave system reach 170 ft (51.8 m) (Rosenau et al., 1977). 

Utilization – The spring is undeveloped and surrounded by privately owned lands.

 

Content: Cave Atlas