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Santa Fe Lake

Keystone Heights, Florida — Alachua County.

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5,188Surface acres
3Public access sites

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 113638769, 2 mapped parts).

Location & fast facts

Where Santa Fe Lake is in Florida

The red circle marks Santa Fe Lake.

Fast facts

About Santa Fe Lake

  • County: Alachua
  • Nearest city: Keystone Heights (about 1.6 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 16 mi from Gainesville and 39 mi from Ocala, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Florida: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Florida

Official FWC pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 3 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Camping. 4 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Eurasian watermilfoil, Whorled hydrilla and Common water-hyacinth recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Lake map

Santa Fe Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Camp Mckinney (Boat launch)1Little Santa Fe Lake (Boat launch)2Santa Fe Lake Park (Boat launch)31 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launch
  1. 1Camp Mckinney
    Boat launch · Keystone Heights
  2. 2Little Santa Fe Lake
    Boat launch · Keystone Heights
  3. 3Santa Fe Lake Park
    Boat launch · Keystone Heights

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 113638769, plus 1 more mapped parts), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: FWC Florida Boat Ramp Inventory. Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near Santa Fe Lake

We found 4 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Santa Fe Lake, 2 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

All campgrounds & RV parks in Florida

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (29.7485, -82.0785). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Santa Fe Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Santa Fe Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    3 public access sites listed, 3 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Camp MckinneyKeystone HeightsPrivate BusinessBoat Ramp Within Marina · Concrete ramp · dock—FeeBoating29.7412, -82.0551
    Little Santa Fe LakeKeystone HeightsBradford CountyStand Alone Ramp · Concrete ramp · dock8 trailerNo feeBoating
    Portable Toilet
    29.7733, -82.0779
    Santa Fe Lake ParkKeystone HeightsAlachua CountyStand Alone Ramp · Concrete ramp · dock14 trailerNo feeBoating
    Portable Toilet
    29.7136, -82.0633

    FWC Florida Boat Ramp Inventory

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Santa Fe Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Santa Fe Lake

    How big is Santa Fe Lake?

    Santa Fe Lake covers about 5,188 acres in Keystone Heights, Florida (Alachua County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Santa Fe Lake?

    Yes. 3 public trailer launches are listed: Santa Fe Lake Park, Little Santa Fe Lake and Camp Mckinney. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Santa Fe Lake?

    Yes. We list 4 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 2 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Santa Fe Lake?

    Santa Fe Lake touches Keystone Heights in Alachua County, Florida.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Santa Fe Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Florida lakes & ponds · All waters in Keystone Heights