Wes Skiles Peacock Springs in December: Weather, Frost Nights, Daylight and How It Compares

FLORIDA · DECEMBER · WES SKILES PEACOCK SPRINGS

Wes Skiles Peacock Springs in December means afternoons averaging 68.2°F and dawns averaging 44.4°F, a pairing that suits cave divers, trail walkers and anyone planning a Suwannee country weekend without the heat of summer. The state park carries the name of Wes Skiles, the north Florida cave diver and underwater filmmaker, and its spring pools and sinks sit in quiet woods off rural roads.

An average December also brings 6.2 nights at or below freezing, so a camping trip needs a warmer sleeping bag than the same plan a month earlier. Light runs short too, with sunset at 5:35 pm Eastern in mid-month, and a front can push the day toward one of its 4.6 wet days. Plan around those three and December rewards you with cool, clear diving and walking weather.

On this page

• Peacock Springs weather in December68.2°F highs, 44.4°F lows and 4.6 wet days
• How cold it gets at night6.2 frost nights and what to wear morning and afternoon
• Crowds, booking and lodging tax in DecemberWhat we could verify on prices and what we could not
• Things to do at the park in DecemberCave diving, Orange Grove Sink and the woodland trails
• A December day trip scheduleFrom the 7:19 am sunrise to the 5:35 pm sunset
• December vs November and JanuaryHighs of 74.4°F, 68.2°F and 65.9°F side by side
• Is December a good time to go?Yes for divers and hikers, less so for swimmers

The park sits in rural Suwannee County, and a car is the practical way in. Our getting-around guide covers rentals and tolls, and our Florida flights guide compares the airports you might fly into before the drive north.

Wes Skiles Peacock Springs weather in December: average highs, lows and rain days

Our figures are official 1991–2020 normals from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, read at station USW00012833 in Cross City. That is a real thermometer at a weather station, not a model grid cell. It does not stand at the spring, so read every figure here as the nearest official record to the park rather than a reading taken beside the water. December there averages a high of 68.2°F, a low of 44.4°F and 2.95 inches of precipitation.

Measurable rain, at least a tenth of an inch, falls on 4.6 days in an average December, roughly one day in seven. A soaking day of an inch or more averages 0.8 per month, so most Decembers see about one. In practice, a wet forecast usually means a front passing through, and the day after it tends to be the cold, clear one worth waiting for.

The average gap between afternoon high and dawn low is 23.8°F. Pack a fleece or insulated jacket for the morning, a light long-sleeve layer for midday, a warm hat for the car park at dawn, and dry clothes in a bag for after any time in the water. Campers should add a sleeping bag rated well below freezing.

On December 15 the park gets about 10 hours 16 minutes of daylight. The sun rises at 7:19 am Eastern and sets at 5:35 pm, so woodland trails under tree cover turn dim before 5 pm (est.). Build any afternoon dive or walk to finish well before sunset.

How warm is Wes Skiles Peacock Springs in December?

Afternoons average 68.2°F and dawns 44.4°F at the Cross City station. Those are monthly averages, so individual mornings dip well below the mean on the coldest days of a cold snap.

A typical December morning calls for a jacket, long trousers and closed shoes until the sun climbs. By early afternoon, with the air near its 68.2°F average, a long-sleeve shirt is often enough in the sun. Divers should plan their exposure protection for the water they will be in for an hour or more, then keep a warm coat for the surface interval.

The Cross City record counts 6.2 nights at or below 32°F in an average December, about one night in five. Frost on the windshield and a frozen water bottle in a tent are realistic on those nights, so bring a scraper and store drinking water inside the car or your sleeping bag.

How busy is Wes Skiles Peacock Springs in December? Crowds and prices

We found no occupancy series and no monthly room rates for the area around the park, so we crown no month cheap or expensive. What the calendar does show is the holiday period at the end of December, which our Florida trip cost guide flags as a statewide peak for travel.

We have no lead-time data for local lodging, so we give no number of weeks. For a trip that touches Christmas or New Year, book a room as soon as your dates are firm. For an early-December weekend, the same caution costs little, and our where-to-stay guide helps you choose a base.

We could not verify the tourist development tax rate for lodging in Suwannee County, so we give no percentage. Check the total, taxes included, on your booking confirmation before you pay.

With 6.2 freezing nights in an average December, a heated room or cabin is the one upgrade that changes the trip. Spending on warmth at night leaves you rested for an early start, and it matters more this month than a nicer view.

Things to do in Wes Skiles Peacock Springs in December

December’s cool air makes long days of diving and walking comfortable, with afternoons averaging 68.2°F and no summer humidity to fight while you haul gear. Cave divers get woods that feel calm between dives, and hikers get trails where a light jacket covers the whole walk.

The park is known for its underwater cave system, entered through spring pools and sinks such as Orange Grove Sink and the Peacock spring pools, plus short nature trails through the surrounding woods. Check the Florida State Parks listing for current admission fee, opening hours, parking capacity, and water temperature before you drive. Divers should confirm certification requirements with the park directly.

A spring’s water barely changes through the year, while the air above it falls to a 44.4°F average at dawn this month. That shift means the air, more than the water, decides your comfort in December, especially when you climb out wet into a morning that has barely warmed.

We could not confirm any free-entry day for the park in December, so budget for the standard entry fee. For more ideas across the state, our Florida things-to-do guide lists other springs and parks.

Wes Skiles Peacock Springs day trip in December

The sun rises at 7:19 am, and dawn averages 44.4°F, so there is little gain in arriving at first light. Aim to reach the park around 9 am (est.), once the air has started to warm and after you have checked opening time and parking on the park’s listing. Walk a trail first while the morning is crisp, then start any dive by late morning when the car park is warmer for gearing up.

Plan the afternoon to wrap up by about 4:30 pm (est.), giving an hour before the 5:35 pm sunset to change into dry, warm clothes and pack up. If a front brings one of December’s 4.6 wet days, shorten the trail time and keep the dive only if visibility and the park allow it. On a hard freeze, push the whole schedule an hour later.

Wes Skiles Peacock Springs in December vs November and January

From November to December, the average high drops 6.2°F, the low drops 4.8°F, precipitation rises by 0.85 inch and wet days rise by 1.2. January continues the slide: highs 2.3°F cooler than December, lows 2.6°F cooler, 0.43 inch more precipitation and 1.1 more wet days. All three columns come from the same NOAA station and the same 1991–2020 period.

Moving four weeks earlier into November gains you 74.4°F afternoons and 1.2 fewer wet days, at the cost of an earlier-season trip. Moving four weeks later into January keeps the cool diving air but adds 5.7 wet days and dawns averaging 41.8°F.

Is December a good time to visit Wes Skiles Peacock Springs?

Yes for cave divers, hikers and road-trippers who like a jacket in the morning and comfortable afternoons near 68.2°F. It suits them less if the plan is tent camping without cold-weather gear or a swim day that depends on warm sun to dry off, since freezing nights average 6.2 a month.

If December does not fit, choose November. Its afternoons average 74.4°F, its dawns 49.2°F, and it records 3.4 wet days against December’s 4.6, so the outdoor day is warmer and a little drier.

December sits between November’s 74.4°F afternoons and January’s 5.7 wet days, cooler than autumn and drier than midwinter on the Cross City record.

The last word

Pack for a 44.4°F dawn, book a warm bed for the nights that freeze, and plan to be out of the water with an hour of light left before the 5:35 pm sunset. The Cross City thermometer behind our normals also serves Troy Spring on the same reach of the Suwannee, so one packing list covers both if you add a second spring to the weekend.

Sources & data for Peacock Springs in December

• December, November and January air normals, precipitation, wet days and freezing nights · NOAA NCEI monthly normals 1991–2020, station USW00012833 (Cross City) · checked Sep 24, 2026
• Station scope: the Cross City station also serves Troy Spring on the same reach of the Suwannee, and it does not sit at the park · NOAA NCEI · checked Sep 24, 2026
• Daylight, sunrise and sunset on December 15 (converted from UTC to Eastern Standard Time) · sunrise-sunset.org · checked Sep 24, 2026
• We could not verify the park’s admission fee, hours, parking capacity, spring water temperature, any free-entry day or the county lodging tax rate. Check Florida State Parks and your booking before you go.
• Times marked (est.) and packing advice are editorial suggestions.

To plan your stay

• Best Time to Visit Wes Skiles Peacock Springs: Weather, Rain and the Quiet Months
• Wes Skiles Peacock Springs in January: Weather, Rain Days, Frost Nights and Daylight
• Wes Skiles Peacock Springs in November: Weather, Rain Days, Frost Nights and Daylight
• Wes Skiles Peacock Springs in February: Highs of 69.6°F, 4.8 Wet Days and Four Freezing Nights

Nearby places

• Ichetucknee Springs: Tubing, Swimming Areas and 909 Parking Spaces
• Troy Spring: 71°F Water, the Madison Wreck and 25 Parking Spaces
• Gilchrist Blue Springs: Swimming, Parking Spaces and How Cold the Water Is