ocala national forest

This place was so good we can hardly wait to go back. Six different hikes and six varieties of terrain. Kayaking is great here especially on the Oklawaha river. There is so much to do outdoors here it is wonderful and lots of fun. Every trail was well marked with blazes - especially the Florida National Scenic trail. Ocala, Silver Springs, and the local towns were great to shop in. Definitely shop in the Winn Dixie. This place is great for families, couples or individuals. Florida at its best and most beautiful.

We camped for two nights at ALEXANDER SPRINGS AREA,which is beautiful: even if we did not see any bear, kids enjoyed walking in the forest and looking for footprints and signs of the black bears ( we did see many different birds instead).People at the campsite were very nice and helpful, canoes are for renting and it's really worth. The shop was opened on demand in December and had limited merchandize but I think it was the low season. Overall great experience

I enjoy three nights hammock camping with members of the Palmetto State Hangers at the 5th Annual Florida Hang this past week. I am here Thursday, January 15 and check out Sunday January 18, 2015 before noon. The event is held this year at Doe Lake Group Campsite in Ocala National Forest. This is an excellent venue for this event. The Florida Hang group and others attending from out of state are generous, friendly, wonderful people. The site provides a large dining hall with a full kitchen, a bathhouse with hot showers and toilets, and ample trees for the hammock hanging right next to the lake. Here is a large fire circle close to the dining facility, and indoors there is a brick fireplace. Doe Lake proves to be the “cat’s meow” setting for the two hundred plus campers that attend. I understand that renting the facility which includes camping costs $150 per day. It is a well-manicured park. Doe Lake Group Campsite is located between Moss Bluff and Umatilla, Florida about a half hour drive east of Ocala, Florida off of County Road 314-A on the western side of Ocala National Forest.

What a beautiful place and such a great experience for a family. We took off down one of the dirt roads with low expectations of seeing more than beautiful scenery.... boy were we surprised to see 2 black bears roaming around in their natural habitat!!! This place is huge and so pretty!

I went to Clearwater Lake Recreation Center in Ocala National Forest. The customer service was exceptional! Just know that some of the camping sites are very close together, so if you like to sleep early, take some earphones. Not much to do, but it was worth the exit out of the noise from the city.

The forest spans so many different scenic trails and there are hard roads into in from Hwy 19 north and SR 40. This is not a flip flop and shorts journey at all. I chose a spring visit to talk about because the animal activity is high, no hunters, better temperatures and new foliage and flowers.I grew up within 10 miles of the gateway into the forest from Altoona, Alexander Springs and so many of the forest roads, most now paved with side roads by the numbers. A map from the forestry service on Hwy 19 is a great idea. Unless you are an experienced hiker I would advise places like Juniper Springs, Salt Springs, a little farther north on 19, or Alexander, which is more of a swim, picnic and wander the trails. There are places in these areas for food purchases but not 5 star dining. Those who expect that will be disappointed.There are fees in some of the areas around the springs and larger trails, but I can't imagine anyone thinking that all of this beauty and freedom to explore is maintained for free. There are rangers constantly in these areas, preventing littering, unsafe fires for campsites, danger to the animals who roam free andcontribute so much to the natural beauty. They are there to help visitors also. Otherwise new forest wanderers might get confused about just exactly where and how they found that beautiful field near the spring.Cell phone service is pretty good in the area and even though it sometimes seems as if you are mile and years in time and space from commercial space, you are only within a very few miles of restaurants, motels and even shopping.There are small communities on the state roads and Hwys 40 & 19 where some families have lived for generations. They are just ordinary people and are helpful and proud of the forest they have chosen for home or getaways.They do expect respect of their space and frown upon drunken racing down the trails and roads. Treat this trip as if you are in a friend's home and it will be enjoyable and very refreshing. Even spiritual. If you travel Hwy 40 to Astor, your journey ends at the beautiful river in a community that has everything from a dollar store to many restaurants. Also a market for camper's forgotten provisions and a lot of nice people. This a car travel trip as it is over 10 miles from where you first viewed the forest on Hwy 19, but is a chance to view the river and eat great food, seafood especially available and well prepared. Gator tail, too, in some places.All of my life I wandered through the forest and was never kidnapped, molested or robbed. I always felt as if I was sharing something that belonged to us all but not designed by human hands.Caution in trail traveling is always wise. There are critters out there but they are not hunting for someone to harm. Respect their homes and if you are quiet and travel slowly you will see many beautiful birds, squirrels, rabbits and even an occasional fox or wandering whitetail deer. This is also a nocturnal habitat for many and camping overnight will make them more visible and often a little vocal.A walk in the forest is many things for many people. It is not a theme park stroll nor is it a street festival with parades and bands. But the parades and attractions are there and truly unforgettable, and if you look down occasionally as you wander you may see the footprints of the local critters as they wander around their own backyards.Respect the forest and travel carefully and you will have an experience that will be remembered as a look at a true natural kingdom.

Don't bother unless you have $$$ and a 4x4 jeep or something. We were looking forward to some scenic driving as advertised/promoted and seeing some springs/hiking trails. Turns out you need a day pass for EACH little area within the forest ($5/person every time). Each spring/hiking area is separate and require their own $/pass. Total money grab. Most of the roads are not useable/recommended with a regular passenger car due to the sandy consistency so you're stuck on the main highway routes unless you get a jeep. This could be a good hiking/driving park, but one, it's a rip off and if you don't know you need a jeep beforehand, you're screwed. We took some back roads home and they were way more scenic!

Camping for the weekend was a lovely experience. On location and within walking distance - there is a beautiful natural spring that was built into a swimming pool. This was constructed by the CCC back in the 30's. Also, they constructed a mill and bridges. There are trails and especially a nice board walk trail. There is a beautiful brook that can be explored by kayak. This is called Juniper Run. (Must be aware of bears, however.) If you enjoy camping, this is a beautiful experience.

My fiancé and I had planned on going to a natural spring after researching day trips in the Central Florida area and finding the most breathtaking photographs of what they looked like. It looked like Ocala Forest had many to choose from so we decided to visit Silver Glen Springs. We paid a small fee to get in and each got a wristband as proof of payment. There was a small path from the parking lot / office area to the spring and it was fairly pretty with spanish moss hanging off all the trees around the path. At the end of the path we could see a bit of crystal clear water peeking out from behind the trees. There are many picnic tables around and so we dropped our clothes / bags off on one and waded into the spring. Be careful of the turkey vultures though, as they are everywhere and almost flew off with my clothes! The water was just a bit cold at first but we got used to it. Clear and beautiful. We stayed in the spring for at least 2 hours just swimming around. There was a few party boats on the other side of the spring and they were blasting loud music but it really didn't bother us. We went on a Sunday so I assume if you went on a weekday it would be quieter. Definitely one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and I want to go back one day and bring more people so they can experience it as well!

Ocala Forest is where I ride my motorcycle. The Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway is perfect for bikes. Great roads, sites, and places to stop to rest & refuel. Very well maintained. Recently took the Fort Gates ferry across the St Johns river. Amazing trip! Ferry has been operating since 1854. This ferry used to take troops across the river during the Civil War. Now that's history. If you're a biker, Ocala Forest is for you!

We spent three days at this campground. Although we were not permitted to take our dogs anywhere outside of the camping area it was very nice. The sites themselves are very shady and mostly private. The picnic tables, grill and fire rings that are in each site is a added bonus. The showers and rest rooms were kept very clean! If I had to complain about anything, it would be that the campground hosts aren't the friendliest, or helpful people around. I wish there were a hiking trail or something to do other than just sit around the camp. I would visit this campground again just for the peace and quiet invironment.

Went to enjoy some hiking and playing in the natural springs there. We were surprised at the separate fees we had to pay at each area we went to. What happened to a park admission? Each spring had a rec area that collected its own fees - $6 per person generally and these were operated by subcontracted companies. No guards at the areas we visited, and dangerously slippery access to water actually caused me NOT to visit more than 2 spots. Interesting places, and if I lived nearby I would use the boating and kayaking facilities. As a tourist - not worth all the distance and hassle.

Located on SR 314 just outside of the greater Ocala area... Very peaceful and serene... Provides for a primative or RV camping experience with necessary facilities... RV and Tent sites have picnic tables on concrete slabs, free standing barbeque grills (charcoal) and metal fire rings/pits at each site... Lots of trees and brush between sites for semi-seclusion... Plenty of tree cover to provide shade and a variety of wild life to round out the experience... There is also a recreation area with a lake, beach and parking area and nature trails for use during the day... The only deficit for this experience was the showers within the restroom, The water for the shower is ALMOST too hot so for me was a little uncomfortable... Also, the water control for the shower is of the automatic type so you have no control on the length of time that it runs for OR the temperature of the water... The shower heads left a lot to be desired in that they were mostly clogged with little to no flow or little to no spray pattern so getting completely wet was a challenge... Enjoyable experience that could be easily improved with a little attention to the shower stalls... Cost is $12 per night... There is also dump facilities provided for use by RV owners... Overall nice location and place to stay...

This was our second trip to Ocala National Park. For this trip we stuck with the southern end. We pitched our tent at Clearwater Lake Recreation Area. There are no electric hookups but that was fine with us. Our site, like all the others consisted of a nice level spot, a lantern pole, a nice metal picnic table, a barbecue grill, and a fire pit. They provide bear proof trash receptacles within a short walk of all sites, but not on the site. That's perfect. Showers with warm water, flush toilets, a dish cleaning station, and some faucets outside with potable h2o. Bathhouse was clean.Our site was number 18 and it had a short trail, conveniently short to the lake. There are benches along the shoreline but watch for gators. We didn't see any, but this is Florida.There is a sandy beach, which we didn't use, but it is also available for day use. Our campsite was very reasonably priced. At half the full price with our National Park Pass it came to $9.25 per night.There were plenty of curious and gregarious squirrels, lots of birds, such as cardinals, woodpeckers, catbirds, etc. We also saw a deer down by the lake. During the week it was low key and quiet. On Friday a large youth group arrived, and occupied several sites. They were a bit noisy but really no more than would be expected. They were having fun.The noise that did bother us, was the traffic on the highway nearby. I suppose if you're used to it it won't bother you, but we are used to a much quieter area, where we live. The camp host, Jeffrey was nice. Firewood is a little pricey at $6.50 per small bundle, but it is cut and split. We were free to gather wood, but we really didn't want to during this short trip.We took a day trip to Juniper Springs. It was gorgeous, and we loved it. I was disappointed that we had to pay to get in. Most national parks honor the pass we have. We would go back. It's very picturesque. Oh upon our entrance to Juniper we met a couple of employees guiding a pygmy rattle snake away from where people would encounter it. That was a fun thing.Outside the gift shop is a patio area with picnic tables and flowering vines. We saw a darling little hummingbird feasting. I also spotted two types of skinks. The first is the beautiful Five-lined skink, and the other was a broad-headed skink. Both are delightful.Along the nature trail I encountered wildflowers and birds, and butterflies and dragonflies. I loved it.The day we left to drive south to our home we stopped at Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge. I am so glad we did. The road in brought us right through a gorgeous cypress swamp. I photographed beautiful wildflowers.Next we walked the 1/2 mile wooded loop trail. Mosquitoes were right on cue! ugh. Bring repellent. I make my own of clove and cinnamon and it was effective. None landed on me. There are informative placards along the trail, and it is easy walking. Finally we strolled into the wetlands area. Unfortunately we were out of time and only got to spend about an hour on that trail. Being a photographer, I tend to mosey, so I didn't get very far. I DID get lots of pictures. I was trailing behind photographing "stuff" when hubby called me to come to where he was. He had spotted a snake. Sadly, I missed it, since snakey wasted no time crossing the path.Returning to Lake Woodruff will be high on my priority list, and I hope to spend an entire day there, exploring.Nearby Deland, Florida seems like a nice town to explore and stop for lunch, but we were already behind schedule and had to head home.

Sept 12, 2013 Tent camped for 3 nights at the Primitive Fern Loop site. We set up camp and then went for a swim in the beautiful and 72 degree spring water to cool off. Upon our return to our site, the work camper couple came by in a golf cart and informed us that we had to relocate our camp site due to us being too close to a diseased tree and it was dangerous for us to be there! We thought we were hearing things, it was the LAST thing on our agenda that day, to move the entire site; tent, gazebo, chairs, lanterns, coolers, etc. Their response was that they would help us move, and staying put was not an option. We reluctantly complied and moved for the next hour. Very upset about it but we were at their mercy. Needless to say, when we left 3 days later, the diseased tree was still standing, in all its glory. But that was the only inconvenience of our trip. We saw wild turkeys in the camp site area, large tortoises in the springs; a plethora of wild life. The sun coming thru the 80-100' pine and oak trees in the morning made the dense forest look enchanted. Bear scat was seen on the guide walk but we never saw any. Make sure you don't feed the wildlife and keep your food and coolers in your vehicle when leaving unattended; the raccoons are very crafty and could ruin your trip. This is a great park to cool off in the summer but is very busy on the weekends with the locals; still lots of room to swim and everyone is nice and having a good time. The only way my wife could get in the water was to jump off the deck! Also don't bring any alcohol to the Springs as there is a strict Cooler Check guy at the entrance. But very fun. All the employees were very pleasant and informative. We didn't do the canoe run but went down to the start and watched people go down; its not for novices as we found out.