Ocala National Forest

Ocala National Forest is the southernmost national forest in the United States. This unique scrub pine ecosystem is famous for its abundant natural springs, hiking trails and more than 600 lakes and small ponds. The articles below offer a guide to some of the best places to visit.

Ocala National Forest Campgrounds and Cabins

The Ocala National Forest offers a wealth of natural getaways, from more than 2 dozen primitive campsites to complete resort facilities. Here are a few favorite campgrounds and cabin rental opportunities: Ocala National Forest Camping: JUNIPER SPRINGS RECREATION AREA. A perennial favorite, Juniper Springs recreation area offers camping in semi-tropical scenery along the scenic Juniper [...]

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Kayak the Ocklawaha River for a Scenic Glimpse of Old Florida

SILVER SPRINGS, FL — Deep under the shade of cypress, swamp maple and sable palms, central Florida’s Ocklawaha River runs clear and cool, even now in the stifling heat of summer. Out here on a weekday afternoon, far removed from the sound of civilization, you can kayak through a forest so thick you’ll wonder if [...]

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Alexander Springs – Ocala’s Pre-Historic Swimming Hole

You won’t be the first to discover the delightful swimming hole at Alexander Springs. People have been enjoying this idyllic and refreshing spring form at least 10,000 years. Its ancient residents, the Timucuan Indians, enjoyed the springs for the same reason people go today: “It was a place where they would go swimming and recreate,” [...]

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Silver Glen Springs: A Scenic Jewel of Ocala National Forest

If you can manage to get the place to yourself — and it is possible, but not on busy weekends or holidays — there are few better places to enjoy the unspoiled beauty of Ocala National Forest than Silver Glen Springs. From the comfortable lawn surrounding the spring, under a gentle shade of Spanish moss, [...]

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Juniper Springs Wilderness Experience

As the sun rises over the tall grass and scrub pines of Juniper Prairie Wilderness, lighting up the mist on Hidden Pond, the only sound is the gentle breeze in the trees and the occasional call of scrub jays or the echo of woodpeckers. Here in the nation’s southernmost wilderness, six miles by trail from [...]

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Ocala National Forest