Juniper Springs Recreation Area

What a beautiful place! The landscape is gorgeous. The water is clear and FREEZING. I love that there are a few options of where you want to hang out. Take a walk or picnic or swim in the spring. The preservation of the historic water mill is so neat. My favorite part are the beautiful trees with all the Spanish moss. Definitely check it out.

$13.91 admission fee. Just called on 7/19/24. I haven't visited here yet so I thought I'd post the fee to get in. May save someone a phone call. Fee half off with National Parks pass.

I did visit the springs, they were really nice. Clean crystal clear water. Not over crowded like some places, maybe due to the entry fee. I enjoyed my first visit. Thank you.

This place is the definition of a "hidden gem"! Our family has visited springs all over Central Florida and after visiting Juniper Springs, this is now at the top of our list.

There are picnic tables that you can move where wanted, there are permanent grills (although we will bring our own next time, to not have to share) and they even have hammock holders throughout so bring a hammock.

The parking is not too far to have to "run to the car" for forgotten items and the staff was very friendly, minus the overly loud blue-haired female lifeguard that seems to live on a power trip lol. I hope she finds another job soon because she was definitely a damper on the environment.

Overall, I really enjoyed how family friendly this place was and being able to bring our own floats was a nice addition. I loved the property and especially that even at full capacity", the park was not too over crowded. There is plenty of room for everyone.

Loved the area for swimming. Was clean and up-kept! Very cool water, and great for relaxing.

Just a warning for those who can’t swim, it’s very deep in all areas. There are no shallow parts where you can touch.

Beautiful natural spring in the Ocala National Forest. We arrived right as the gates opened and stayed until about 3pm. The early crowd was nice and quiet, but got a little louder the later it got and the younger the crowd became. Overall a beautiful little gem with lots of gorgeous hiking trails and crystal clear water.
It was about $45 for 3 people to get in.

Loved these springs ! Though the swimming hole is small it’s super deep, so it’s so cold I loved that. Along the edges are place to sit , in the water , very cool ! An old mill exhibit , places to grill, not too far of a walk . Bathrooms were disgusting I must say , but what do you expect . Pricey which I don’t understand but the hole itself was beautifully cold , they need to repair the trails tho and wear water shoes the rocks hurt your feet . Also don’t touch the hand rails , I got a bad splinter lol

Gorgeous swimming area. Beautiful wooded campsites. The most beautiful 7 miles of kayaking. One of my favorite places on Earth. The people who work there are sweet, helpful, friendly and funny.

At $13 per person this place is beautiful has plenty of walking trails, BBQs and a beautiful spring with picnic tables and benches surrounding. I went at around 12:00 on a Tuesday and nobody was there it was amazing to have the place myself. The old water mill that you can tour through is also a great bonus just a small walk from the spring. The water was crystal clear and so refreshing. I can't wait to go back. They also have camping areas a close walk from the water and I'll be coming back for a weekend retreat.

Great campground, the springs are beautiful but over 7 miles of kind of difficult twist and turns. It is absolutely worth it. Just come prepared with snacks and enough water, especially if you are doing it with kids. No inflatables are allowed on the Jupiter Run, so bring hard bottom kayaks or rent them there.

Really nice spring that you can swim in. Water is a crisp 72°f, super clear. Make sure you know how to swim and bring your goggles. We did pay $12 per person to get in. All the trails are closed due to being pretty destroyed. Not sure from a storm or just time. Lots of camping areas available for tenting. Sites have no electricity, but are well maintained and high tree canopy. All garbage cans are bear proof so I am sure they are around. We didn't see any. We spent the afternoon there and it was great. May come back in the summer and when the trails are reopened. Could totally see this place being super busy on those long summer days.

BEAUTIFUL! The scenery is wonderful, bathrooms, plenty of tables and benches, lifeguard on duty, trails to explore… but overall a great place to visit. Keep in mind the water is almost like an ice bath… although it is refreshing, something to consider before visiting any spring

We camped out in a pull behind camper and had an absolute blast. The weather was nice so we didn't need electric hook-ups. The camping spots we saw, including ours, are very shaded so the sun isn't a problem even on hot days. The spring area was wonderful, lots of room for blankets and towels and ample swimming area. The staff was informative and very nice. Would absolutely recommend going here and we will be back.

Awesome place! We had a great time with the family, enjoyed of great view and weather, and were charged with positive vibes of nature! The clear water and fauna gave an unforgettable impression!

Developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930's, this natural spring recreation area offers swimming, canoeing, camping and hiking. Many of the campsites are in shaded locations. The canoe run down Juniper Creek is beautiful as well.

A must stop the place is beautiful even though the trails were closed. You must swim in the crystal clear water. Very cold but very refreshing after being sun burnt. The water stays at 76° year round

Beautiful place. They're currently repairing the trails, but they're still worth it! We were lucky enough to have the spring to ourselves for a bit. Loved everything here!

We visited the spring while staying at another campground in the area. This spring is very unique compared to the others. The mill was really cool to check out and walk around it. The water here felt the coldest out of all of the ones we visited though.

The grass in part of the spring really gave me the heebie jeebies to swim over. It seemed like most people gravitated towards the area that was sand. Only snorkelers seemed to check out the grassy side. During busy days they ask that you don’t use floaties over (60 inches I believe?) since the swimming area is not that big. Hold on tight stepping into the spring. IT’S SLICK.

Some of the trails were marked off unfortunately. I would’ve loved to check those out.

We did drive though the campground. We are considering staying here in the future to use their kayak launch area. It looks to all be primitive camping. Sites 5 & 24 in the tropical loop look to be big rig friendly and good options for solar. The rest have heavy tree cover. The camp ground did feel a little tight though but I think it would still be manageable for 40ft and under.

Highly recommend the kayaking if you're experienced. A fun obstacle course with beautiful views you won't see anywhere else. Feels like free floating in a jungle

Always a wonderful time at Juniper Springs! Campsites and restrooms are always clean, staff is friendly and fun, and the kayak run is a blast! Fun for all ages! We'll be back soon!

This place was absolutely beautiful! I did the kayak run and it was awesome. The current helped with the 7 mile stretch!