You'd think that Florida just has some oceans, but there are hot springs everywhere," Jodi says. Jodi is the camp host at Juniper Springs Recreation Area in the Ocala National Forest, Florida. Originally from California and Missouri, she lives and works at Juniper Springs. According to the Forest Service website, "The setting is unlike any other found in the United States, with hundreds of tiny bubbling springs and massive springs gushing out of crevices in the earth beneath a dense canopy of palms and oaks, an oasis within the heart of the desert-like Big Scrub." It basically has a feel of a paradise - lush and jungle-like with crystal clear water that is available for swimming and kayaking. The camping is primitive, with no hookups, but they are RV friendly and have dump stations. Two of the sites are about 45 feet, while the rest are around 30. As a general rule, you're able to stay up to 14 days per month. Avoid washing any dishes, laundry or fish in the bathrooms or faucets. If you choose to cut down wood for a fire, you may only use dead trees. You must keep your pet leashed at all times and obviously clean up after him or her. Ocala National Forest camping is allowed only in designated campsites during general gun season. Click here for season dates by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.
The area was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, a group put together to jumpstart the economy out of the Great Depression, as well as beautify and make accessible USA parks and forests. Beyond the natural beauty, the Millhouse, backdropped on a gorgeous spring, is the distinguishing feature. It was built by the CCC and showcases the ingenuity, pride, and hard work done by that group of people.
The springs were always a great place for a recreation area, originally being used by hunters in the area. The problem was that there was no electricity present. Therefore, the CCC made a millhouse to produce hydroelectric power for the recreation area. The wheel, which still turns today after some recent updates, is an undershot waterwheel, where the water runs under instead of over the wheel. The wheel powered a generator in the millhouse which produced all the electricity the campground and recreation area needed. Basically, a "green building" in the 1930s that not only produced electricity without pollution, but looks extraordinarily photogenic next to the springs.
Another world class draw to the area is Juniper Run. Juniper Run is a 7 mile intermediate canoe and kayak run that showcases the old-growth forests and crystal clear waters of the Ocala National Forest. The Recreation Area rents canoes and kayaks and picks people up from the end of the run. A user, ARodriguezP, on Tripadvisor notes, "In a state with so many springs, rivers and lakes the options for canoeing are many but for a short half day of canoeing in the most beautiful natural surroundings of a spring-fed waterway, the Juniper Run can't be beat! You'll pass by old cypress trees and turtles sunning themselves along the shoreline; there are some mini rapids at some point but generally just a rapid current to help paddlers along..." Jodi says that, "It isn't really for beginners, as there are a lot of little twists and turns, but it isn't really that difficult either."
Of note, both on the hiking trails and the canoe run, is some of the fauna. The Coontie fern can be found in the area and it is one of the most primitive seed-bearing plants on earth. It is low-growing and is poisonous if eaten raw, but Seminole Indians used to grind it into an edible powder. The other is the needle palm. The needle palm is native to the area, but due to its ability to handle cold weather, it has been planted in places as far north as New York. There are also many birds to be seen in any season at the Recreation Area.
Of course, one has to be mindful of bears and alligators in the forest. "Fern Hammock Springs is about a mile hike from Juniper Springs," Jodi says, "There is no swimming in the spring and you'll know why when you get there - we have an alligator that lives back there." The springs are very beautiful, and many guests get to take pictures and see the alligator hanging out in the water. For a native of California and Missouri, Jodi gets along fine with the alligators at this point. "When I first came here they really freaked me out, but the more you kayak by them and you see them regularly, you know they usually just leave you alone," she says, "Though, I still wouldn't want to be too close to them!"
Ocala National Forest has the highest concentration of black bears anywhere in the USA. The campground is setup to be bear proof, though sometimes people leave things out and it causes a bit of an issue with the bears. “During Thanksgiving we had to trap a bear because people were not using their bear boxes and the black bears were just walking right up to the table,” Jodi says. They mostly leave the campers alone, though, and sometimes a visitor can get a great picture of them while canoeing.
Two of the hiking trails of note in the area are the Yearling Trail and the Florida Trail. The Florida Trail is a trail that runs 1,400 miles through Florida. “We get hikers that are doing the Florida Trail come by, ret in the water, and stay the night and stock up on goods because we have a camp store,” Jodi says. The Yearling Trail is named after the Pulitzer Prize winning book “The Yearling” by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Rawlings visited Pat’s Island, where the trail loops through, and a story from the homesteaders that lived there, the Longs, inspired the book. On the trail, there are many points of interest like a large sinkhole, an old cemetery, and evidence of homesteaders from the late 19th century.
Juniper Springs Recreation Area, said to be one of the most popular spots on the east coast, has something for everyone. Check it out!