Juniper Springs Recreation Area is one of the oldest and best-known recreation areas on the East Coast. It is an oasis in the middle of the Ocala National Forest. Located between Ocala and Ormond Beach along SR 40, Juniper Springs is one of the oldest and most charming recreation areas. It will make you feel like you stepped into a fairy tale with its Old Mill House and Fern Hammock Springs bridge. Juniper Springs is truly a magical place.

Main Springhead

The main springhead is perfect for swimming. The emerald waters are ideal for snorkeling, floating, and wildlife watching. Pack a picnic or grill a burger and dine surrounded by a lush canopy of oaks and palms. Seven million gallons of water emerge from Juniper Springs daily. The water temperature of the spring is a constant 72 degrees making it a delightful place to swim year-round.

The swimming area is around 8-10 feet deep in most areas. You won’t be able to stand on the bottom anywhere. There is a concrete ledge around the whole spring where you can stand about knee-deep, similar to a swimming pool.

The Old Mill House

The Juniper Springs pool is the site of an old mill that still has a working water wheel. The cute little millhouse and watermill, built in the 1930s, once supplied the campground’s electricity.

Nature Trail

The Juniper Springs Nature Trail boardwalk winds around the Juniper Springs run and to Fern Hammock Springs. The trail takes you over a bridge where you can get a glimpse of bubbling Fern Hammock Springs.

Canoe or Kayak

The two spring runs join to form a 10-mile long run that flows through Juniper Prairie Wilderness on its way to Lake George, an astonishingly pleasurable trip by kayak or canoe. Wildlife is abundant along the entire run. Paddling Juniper Run means squeezing through a narrow, winding crystal clear shallow waterway set under a dense canopy of old-growth forest. Be ready to duck under low-hanging trees. It is one of the prettiest and most challenging runs in Florida.

Fern Hammock Springs

A wooden footbridge spans the spring pool near its center. There are over 25 sand boils scattered on the bottom of the spring pool, with the largest one situated under the footbridge. An average of 8 million gallons per day flows from Fern Hammock Springs.

Camping

A campground is within walking distance from the springs. There are 79 well-shaded sites, all primitive without water or electricity. Each campsite also includes a bear safety locker for your bare necessities. Wait a minute! BEARS? That is right. Juniper Springs is located on State Road 40, part of the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway.

Juniper Springs Recreation Area was a nice place to visit. The tranquil cool water temps of 72 degrees can be very refreshing. Hiking the trails was achievable. The park was clean, lots of picnic areas too! There are some areas that were under maintenance. It appears that this has been in progress for a while.

Another spring that is close by and worth a visit is Blue Springs in Orange City. They have a short tube run here that would be welcome in the hot summer months.

Have you ever been to Juniper Springs? What’s your favorite freshwater spring in Florida?