Wekiwa Springs State Park is a 7,000-acre preserve in Apopka whose 72-degree spring forms the headwaters of the Wekiva River and has long drawn swimmers, paddlers, and nature watchers. The property reflects central Florida’s shift from agriculture to tourism, later passing from a turpentine camp to recreational ownership by the Apopka Sportsmen’s Club in 1941. After years of advocacy by Apopka mayor John H. Land, the state moved to acquire it in 1969, and it opened for park visitors in 1970. Along with camping, trails, and paddling, the park protects important habitat, including rare snails found only at Wekiwa Springs.