Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Juniper Springs & Salt Springs Camping and Trails

 
 
February 1st thru the 3rd of 2013 the Jeep Only Club of Miami drove up to the Ocala National Forest, Juniper Springs Campground for a week end of camping, wheeling, and memories made over a fire.
 
About Juniper Springs: Showcasing sparkling springs in a subtropical setting, Juniper Springs is one of the oldest and best known recreation areas on the East Coast. Located between Ocala and Ormond Beach along SR 40, this complex of swimming and picnic area, campground, and trails was constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The setting is unlike any other found in the United States, with hundreds of tiny bubbling springs and massive springs gushing out of crevices in the earth beneath a dense canopy of palms and oaks, an oasis within the heart of the desert-like Big Scrub. (Borrowed from the USDA Forest Service website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ocala/recarea/?recid=34064)
 
 
We got on the road for a four and a half hour drive at around 3 p.m. on a convoy headed to the great outdoors, with new members and first timers all very excited. By the time we arrived at the campground it was already dark and getting colder than anticipated with temperatures dropping to the low 30's.
 
Saturday morning it was a very cold 34 degrees and we were up and at it making coffee and breakfast to head out on the trails.



 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
That is no campground, that's in the middle of the forest
 
 

 
 
After some minor repairs on the trail we were ready to keep on going.

 
 


 


 
 
After a full day of trail driving and another repair of one of the jeeps we called it a day after some very good diner (home made chili), unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the evening besides the campfire.
 
 
Sunday we were up for some walking around Juniper Springs recreation area and trail.
 

 








 





 

After a nice hike thru the area we were ready to pack camp up and head on home thru the scenic routes that got us there. If you have the opportunity I highly recommend making the trip and go "off the beaten path". Like always please "leave only your foot prints" and clean up after yourself and anything else that might have been left behind.

Now go out there and explore this beautiful state!!!

 


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