Comprised
of 383,220 acres, the Ocala National Forest receives more visitors than either of
the other two national forests located in Florida. Towering palms, large live oaks,
and sand pine dominate the landscape in the drier sections of the forest, while
hardwoods thrive beside longleaf and slash pine in the areas with more moisture.
The vast variety of ecosystems in the park combined with its wonderful trail system
make it especially delightful for hiking. Possibly the greatest variety of plant
and animal species can be observed along the Florida National Scenic Trail, 65 miles
of which run through the Ocala National Forest. Most of the campgrounds in the park
contain hiking trails within their boundaries, and the trails offer focal points
as varied as bubbling springs and wildlife observation platforms.
Four
major springs are located within the forest, making it a great place to swim, dive,
snorkel and canoe. Alexander, Salt, Juniper and Silver Glen Springs all have wonderful
swimming areas, and snorkeling and spring diving give the visitor an underwater
view of a unique ecosystem. In addition, all of the springs have runs (streams),
which offer some of the best canoeing in Florida. Crystal clear water flows swiftly
through tropical wilderness on all the spring runs, and they vary in length from
one to seven miles. For a longer canoe trip, the Upper Oklawaha River offers the
visitor a chance to paddle a real Florida blackwater river. The entire canoe run
takes two full days; with four different take out points along the river the trip
can be reduced. Eleven developed campgrounds offer the camping enthusiast unlimited
options.
Ten of the developed sites offer full RV hookups, and the campgrounds range in size
from 14 to 197 individual campsites. Bathroom facilities with hot showers, picnic
areas and concessionaires are available at most of these facilities. For those who
wish to rough it, primitive backpack camping is available throughout the forest,
with a permit from the main office. Several of the trails also have primitive campsites
with water along their paths. The other recreational opportunities in Ocala National
Forest include 100 miles of horse trails, a twenty-two mile bicycle trail, fishing
and limited hunting with permits.
