Alexander Springs - Ocala National Forest

Alexander Springs is one of our favorite places to cool off in the summer. On a 96 degree day, nothing feels better than a refreshing swim at this freshwater spring. The constant 72 degree crystal clear water is just what the doctor ordered on a hot, humid summer day. There is a sizable swimming area ranging from wading depth for kids to the deep boil. You can snorkel, free dive or scuba dive in this spring. Scuba divers must be certified and register with the Park. There is also a sandy beach area for sunbathers and for kids to play. In addition, there is a large day use picnic area with many tables, BBQ grills and several pavilions. After we bought our camper, this park was at the top of the list of campgrounds we wanted to visit.
We stayed there in March of 2009 at site 59 loop 'D'. The campground is wooded and well shaded. All of the sites are beautiful and many offer good privacy. The loop roads are paved and each site has a paved pad for camper and car parking. Do not park your camper or car off this pad as we found out the hard way. The campground hosts will ask you to move it.
This park was a challenge to us since it does not have electric or water hook ups. We managed just fine since the weather was still cool. It was even quite chilly at night. We took several gallon jugs of water and there are potable water stations with in easy access. So we just kept refilling them. We did all our cooking on the campfire or propane stove. Camping lanterns were our lights at night. It really was a lot fun, roughing it a little.
Since our visit was in the spring, we did not swim although many people swim year round. Some wore wetsuits which is what we would like to try. But there are lots of other activities to do besides swimming. There are several good hiking trails,our favorite follows the spring run through the hardwood hammock. You can also canoe the spring run and river(the park offers canoe rentals). In addition you can fish from two fishing docks along the river or from your canoe. This campground is also great for star gazing. It is far enough away from any cities so the night sky, if clear, is absolutely gorgeous.
Many campers used generators and that was a little annoying to listen too. Also, I would not recommend the south side of loop 'D' or and sites close to the road which goes to the park. Traffic noise was somewhat bothersome. When we visit again we plan to stay in loop 'B'.
The bathrooms and showers were clean. We were not troubled by animals or bugs on this trip although the Ocala National Forest is known for its large black bear population. So be sure to follow all the campground guide lines regarding food storage. We definitely want to go back to this campground. The Happy Camper recommends this campground during the fall through spring months. Check out the spring on a hot summer day as well. If you go during the summer, go early, the park fills up fast and the thunderstorms come early.

Remember to keep a green site, only wash dishes in approved areas.