Salt Springs

Salt Springs is just one of Florida’s fresh water springs located in the Ocala National Forest. This spring produces approximately 80 million gallons of water a day. The crystal clear water from it flows for 7 miles into Lake George. Not only is it a popular destination for day use, it has a very large campground.

Salt Springs is the only campground in the Ocala Nat’l Forest that provides full hook ups with water, electricity and some sites have sewer hook ups as well. There are 106 RV sites and 54 primitive tent sites. This campground is very popular with winter visitors and reservations have to be made far in advance.

We camped there for the first time in September. We found the campground to be very large and open. The facilities were clean and well maintained. The park staff was helpful and friendly. If you like privacy however, there are not many sites that provide buffers between sites. However with so much to do at this park, you, like us, probably won’t be spending too much time at the camp sites.

The spring gets its name from the mineral content in the water. Potassium, magnesium and sodium salts give the waters in the spring a salty taste. The salt content of the water is even high enough to sustain many types of salt water species including shrimp, blue crabs and mullet. For many years the spring was thought to have healing properties for people with different types of illnesses.

Although this spring does have the usual deep boil, much of it is a shallow shelf of lime rock which can be snorkeled over. It’s like swimming in a aquarium. Largemouth bass, bream, sunfish and mullet are abundant. When the sun shines, the mullet are like sparkling silver mirrors below the surface.

Outside the swimming area is a large run or river where boats gather for fishing, swimming, picnicking and just having fun. The campground has a boat ramp to launch boats into the river.

If you enjoy snorkeling, boating, fishing swimming or just taking in all of the parks natural Florida foliage and beauty, Salt Springs is for you. Photo of Salt Springs by M.D. Conner, processing by C.S Conner http://www.flickr.com/photos/connerandsonphotography/

Buck Lake Group Campground

Hidden deep in the scrub of the Ocala National Forest lies an oasis with a crystal clear lake, live oak trees and a group camping area making up one of Central Florida's best kept secrets.

Long time residents of the area have known about this place to camp and fish. In more recent years, the area was gated and is available by reservation only. We had seen signs for it on Hwy 19 on our way to and from other campgrounds in the forest. So, out of curiosity we did some research and decided to check it out on our next camping outing to see if there were sites suitable for our pop up camper.

We were very pleased to see several sites large enough for our camper or even larger ones. There was also a very large group area with picnic tables, tent sites and a fire ring.

Buck Lake is a group campground which can only be used by reservation. The cost is $50.00 a day and accommodates up to 50 people. We reserved it for 3 days in late spring. Upon making reservations a gate code is issued. You will need this code to access the grounds which are gated. If you are accustom to traditional RV campgrounds, this is quite primitive. There are no rangers or campground hosts, water, electric, or showers. Vault toilets are on site and there is a pitcher pump for water. But don't let these minor inconveniences discourage you from a visit there. If you like peace, quiet, privacy, natural beauty and of course fishing and good times with friends, it is the place for you!

The lake has a swimming area and a boat ramp. Boat motors are restricted to 25 hp or less. We took a canoe and john boat with a trolling motor. The bass fishing was awesome! The lake is a perfect place to cool off and for kids to play.

We saw one small alligator during our stay. Other animals sighted were otter, numerous birds including wild turkeys, and kingfishers. We also saw numerous deer and even bear tracks though we did not see any on this trip. As in any campground the same rules apply as to animal safety and food storage.

A portion of the Florida Trail which goes from Alexander Springs to Farles Lake runs through the campground as it is a mapped stop to get water. We were visited by a few hikers. Other than that, we had the place all to ourselves.

What a wonderful time we had with family and friends, eating fried fish caught that day, under a canopy of stars with music and fellowship!

The only down side to the entire trip were the ticks. Mosquitoes and flies were not bothersome. We learned, however, to be diligent with repellents and check ourselves and each other often. Ticks should be removed with in 24 hours to avoid the transfer of disease. They should be removed immediately with pointed tweezers. NEVER try to burn them or smother them as some old remedies suggest.

We highly recommend this campground to anyone who loves the real Florida and wants a break from the typical crowded, noisy campgrounds. You will find nothing but what God created for us to enjoy.

Juniper Springs

Juniper Springs is a very old park and campground in the Ocala National Forest. It is one of four major springs in the forest which flow into Lake George or the St. Johns river. Many of the existing structures, including a working water wheel, were erected in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC).

The main attraction are two gorgeous fresh water springs, the main Juniper spring boil and a lesser grouping of smaller springs called Fern Hammock. Swimming is not allowed in Fern Hammock and when you see it's natural fragile beauty, you know why.

You can swim in the main spring year round and the river flowing from it makes it's way to Lake George. You can canoe or kayak a 7 mile run to Highway 19. There are also hiking trails; a portion of which is a boardwalk along the spring run. The landscape surrounding the springs and campgrounds are a lush Florida Hammock.

We stayed in the Tropic loop in site 31 in mid October. We were blessed with a early cold snap and enjoyed lots of campfires. This site was very spacious and surrounded by huge live oak trees. It was also very close to the trail leading the main spring.
All the outer sites in the Tropic loop are pull through and most are shady. Many offer good privacy.

This park has no water or electric hook up but we came prepared with lanterns and plenty of water. Generators are allowed during daylight hours. There are restrooms with hot showers and a dish washing station close by and they were clean. The parks staff was very friendly and helpful.

Mosquitoes and flies were not a problem and we did not have any animals raid our campsite the three days there. Even so we were very careful not to leave any food or garbage out because the campground is in bear country.

We were however not so careful about other biting insects. The grounds and surrounding woods must have been crawling with ticks. We all found them crawling on us and three in our party found them attached to their skin. Yuck!

Lesson learned: just because there are no mosquitoes, it's always a good idea to use a good bug repellent especially on your shoes and pants. Check your self and each other often for the nasty parasites.

Overall the Happy Camper highly recommends this campground. The forest, crystal clear flowing springs, and turquoise pools are a Florida must see.

Check out the slide show of Juniper Springs also linked to this site for more pictures of this Florida jewel.

Thanks to Kelli for sharing her wonderful pictures.

Gamble Rogers State Park

We had the privilege of staying in Gamble Rogers State Park Labor Day week. This park is located in Flagler Beach on the Atlantic Ocean. We were camped at site #17 and what a view we had! All of the Gamble Rogers slide show pictures were taken from our site except one. We were delighted to see all the wild flowers covering the dunes. We could sit at our site watching the ocean and butterflies dancing around the wild flowers. Even though it was still summer, we did not need air conditioning because of a constant cool sea breeze.
We were able to take a short walk across a boardwalk right to the beach. This beach has a unique reddish tint to the sand. It was clean and not at all crowded. Many times we would walk the shore and not pass a soul. We swam, fished and took long walks along the shore. We watched the moon rise over the ocean the first night there and it was a beautiful sight to behold. We took a night time walk and could plainly make our way by the moonlight.
Many people were surf fishing and Whiting seemed to be what was running at the time. The park also has a side on the river where there is a boat ramp and fishing dock. In the river you can fish for Redfish, Whiting, Mangrove Snapper and Trout.
Most of the sites do not offer much privacy but if you, like us, enjoy watching the surf and sea, that was not a problem. Due to the sea breeze we were not bothered by any bugs, biting or otherwise. The restrooms were clean and well maintained. There is a dish washing station and per the Park staff there will soon be a washer and dryer. It is a small campground which is nestled between highway A1A and the ocean. We were concerned that the proximity to the road would be a noise problem, but it was not. The sound of the ocean waves was the dominate sound and it was wonderful. The campground was very quiet and as usual, the campers were friendly.
Anyone who loves the beach has to make this one of their camping destinations. We slept all night under the sea breeze and awoke to sound of surf and the sunrise coming in the window each morning. We hated to leave and definitely plan to return.
The Happy Camper recommends this campground. But keep an eye on the weather, especially in hurricane season. We had a storm blow up quickly and sent our awning sailing over the top of our camper. Luckily we only suffered a couple bent poles.

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.

Lake Louisa State Park

We stayed at Lake Louisa State Park in Oct. of 2008. It was our first camping trip with our pop up camper. We live 10 minutes from this park and are familiar with it so it was the perfect place to try out our new camper. We stayed at site #30 next to one of the fishing docks with a good view of one of the lakes. This site did offer good sunsets but if you like privacy, you may not like this site since the walkway to the dock was right next it. The campground is nestled between two small pristine lakes, Dixie and Hammond. Both lakes have fishing docks and you can launch a canoe or john boat. No gasoline motors are allowed in these lakes. You can also access Lake Louisa from the park. It is a large lake and is part of a chain of lakes in Clermont. This site offers a swimming beach and picnic areas at this lake. This park also has many hiking and horse trails. We have hiked many of them. Some are in the forest and hammock, some are in the scrub and some are in the open. Our favorite trail runs along Big Creek a creek which runs out of the Green Swamp and into Lake Louisa. We enjoyed fishing, hiking and just relaxing by the campfire. This is a new campground and everything is top notch. There are 3 main loops, very nice bathrooms and washer dryers. There is not much shade however but this will increase as the trees planted by the park begin to grow.
We would recommend this park in the fall and winter months, epically if you like to fish. Some of the biggest speckled perch we have ever caught were out of Lake Dixie off the dock. Alligators can also be seen on these lakes, but don't feed or harrass them. Otters can also be spotted and well as eagles.
The Happy Camper

Hillsborough River State Park

The first time we visited Hillsborough River we were astonished at the rare beauty we found. A large portion of the river that runs through the park has enough drop in elevation and rocks in it to produce rushing water and small rapids. There are long walking trails on both sides along the river with a wonderful Florida hammock surrounding it. You can hear the sound of rushing water as you approach the rapids, much like the creeks and rivers of the mountains. The water is clear and fish and alligators can be sighted easily. The campground is just as beautiful and there are sites which are with in a short walk of the river and a canoe launch. We stayed there for 4 days in April at site #25. The majority of the sites are large and have lots of trees and shade. The sites have easy to reach electric and water. The restrooms and showers were aging but clean(this park is one of the oldest in Florida). We took our canoe and were able to launch and use it with ease. A canoe ride on this river is a must. The water was clear with a bluish/green tint from the limestone content. We saw many birds, fish, alligators, and turtles. April is mating season for alligators so we were extra careful not to disturb them. This park also boasts a hugh shallow swimming pool open in the summer months to cool off. It's a great place to bring the kids. There are many picnic areas and pavilions. Fishing is allowed in several areas. There is however no swimming allowed in the river due to the alligators. With the exception of the squirrels (see the "Campsite Vandals" story) we had a wonderful time. The Happy Camper recommends this campground or just a visit to see this natural treasure. If you would like to see more pictures of this park visit the Parks website.

Sebastian Inlet State Park

We visited Sebastian Inlet State Park in May of 2009. Our site was #9 along the back stretch along the wooded area between the campground and the ocean. We picked this site from aerial views because it appeared to have some shade. When we arrived we were offered open sites on the Indian River but after looking at them decided to stay where we were. Site 9 and several others on that stretch did have a considerable amount of shade. Later we were thankful we stayed where we were. The campground was clean and well maintained as well as the restrooms. The middle restroom did however have some septic problems and the washing machines were out of order. The campground proximity to the river and ocean was great. We took our bikes and rode to the beach often. The beach and river there are beautiful and were not very crowded, however we were not their on a weekend. My husband and a friend put their boat in at a ramp just down from the campground- very convenient! We enjoyed fishing, swimming, bicycling and nature watching. We saw lots of porpoises, manatees and many birds. We had a couple storms come from the mainland/river side. The campers on the river side got the worst of it. We did not have any trouble with animals or bugs except some fire ants at the site. The campground hosts and rangers were all very helpful. The Happy Camper recommends this campground especially to anyone who loves the ocean, beach, boating and fishing. For tent campers we would recommend choosing a site away from the river as they offer some protection from storms.