Dunnellon Airport – Marion County's Crystal River Corridor Aviation
Dunnellon Airport serves the Rainbow Springs and Crystal River corridor of western Marion County, where the Rainbow River — one of Florida's clearest and most biologically diverse first-magnitude springs — draws divers, kayakers, and nature tourists year-round. Dunnellon's community character as a small, rural town with deep Florida Cracker heritage makes its airport more ranch-and-farm-utility than commercial, hosting the agricultural pilots, personal aircraft owners, and recreational flyers who form the backbone of rural Florida's aviation community. The airport provides a regional access point distinct from the larger Ocala International Airport to the east.
Marion County's general aviation ecosystem includes multiple private strips and public-use airports spread across a landscape of horse farms, cattle ranches, and the rolling hills of the Florida Highlands. Dunnellon Airport sits in the western portion of this landscape, closer to Citrus County's nature coast than to Ocala's horse farm country but sharing the same appreciation for practical, unpretentious flying. The surrounding area's springs ecosystem makes bird and wildlife activity on approach worth monitoring.
What is Dunnellon Airport's primary purpose in Marion County?
Dunnellon Airport serves as a general aviation facility for the western Marion County area, providing access for private pilots, agricultural operators, and recreational flyers who live or work near Rainbow Springs and the Withlacoochee River corridor.
How far is Dunnellon Airport from Rainbow Springs State Park?
Rainbow Springs State Park, home to one of Florida's clearest first-magnitude springs, is approximately 3–5 miles from Dunnellon Airport along State Road 41.
Is Dunnellon Airport a public-use airport?
Dunnellon Airport's use classification should be verified with FDOT's Marion County aviation records or the FAA Airport Master Record, as use status for smaller community airports can change over time.
Dunnellon Airport Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Dunnellon, Florida.
| Name | Dunnellon Airport |
| Address | 15070 Southwest 111th Street, Dunnellon FL 34432 Map |
| Phone | (352) 489-0244 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Dunnellon Airport
Western Marion County Aviation and the Rainbow Springs Region
The Dunnellon area's recent growth — driven partly by retirees drawn to the outdoor recreation of Rainbow Springs and the Withlacoochee River — has increased the demand for general aviation services in the western Marion County corridor. Dunnellon Airport provides a local option for the growing population of retirees and snowbirds who own light aircraft and appreciate having a nearby strip for maintenance runs, cross-country trips, and the simple pleasure of flight over one of Florida's most scenic river landscapes.
FDOT's aviation planning for Marion County treats Dunnellon Airport as a complementary facility to Ocala International Airport, serving the western county's needs while Ocala handles the larger aircraft and instrument operations from the county seat. The two airports together serve a county whose horse farm industry, retirement community growth, and agricultural character create diverse but consistent general aviation demand. Dunnellon's proximity to the Withlacoochee State Forest provides spectacular low-altitude VFR scenery for recreational pilots.