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

Fanning Springs is located in Fanning Springs State Park in the town of Fanning Springs. The park entrance is located on the east side of the Suwannee River on US 19/27/98. It is approximately 0.2 miles east of the bridge over the Suwannee River. Follow access road to parking lot. The spring vent is southwest of parking area.

Description - At Fanning Springs, Big Fanning is in a conical depression with steep sand and limestone banks. The spring pool measures 207 ft north to south and 144 ft east to west. The depth of the spring pool measured over the vent is 18 ft. The vent area is nearly funnel shaped, with a sand and limestone bottom and limestone sides, and it issues from the southeast side of the depression. The main vent issues horizontally from a small orifice in the limestone; however, multiple small boils in the sand bottom were present when the spring was visited. Also, there are numerous tiny spring seeps flowing into the spring pool from the limestone banks. The water is bluish and clear. There is native aquatic grass in much of the shallow spring pool. Some patches of algae are present in the spring pool. There are cypress and gum trees along both sides of the spring run. Floating walkways and ropes delineating a swimming area exist in the spring pool. The spring run flows north briefly before turning westward and flowing approximately 450 ft to the tannic Suwannee River. Boat traffic from the river is not allowed past a floating wooden walkway across spring run. There is sandy high ground on the south and east sides adjacent to the spring. Elevations rise steeply to approximately 20 ft above water level. The slopes are lush with ferns and mosses. On the high ground, there are pines and hardwoods scattered about.

Utilization - Fanning Springs is a state park with facilities developed for recreation.