Juniper Springs Rec Area

Good location. Showers and restrooms nice. Hiking trails were busy for time of year.

We opted to reserve a spot at Juniper Springs towards the end of our overlanding trip in the forest as we got caught in hunting season. The spot served as a decent place to park for the night, and offered a safe spot to shed our equipment and venture onto some OHV trails. I wouldn't recommend this place for people that want a serene and private camp, but it's a decent place for the price. The showers were clean, the neighbors were respectful, and the spring was a nice place to say that we saw. We weren't bothered by staff and at all, but we were comfortable enough to leave our things in our designated spot which was a cool perk. Sand 40 was closer to the bathhouse than the map suggested, so we had a constant reminder of others throughout the night and day as people went in and out of the door. I've never met a door that was so loud, but to have facilities outweighed the annoyance. I read some of the other reviews of some of the pitiful complaints, but I didn't seem to experience anything really worth complaining about. Then again, I'm used to pooping in a hole so this place felt like a Marriot.

I stayed on the Tropical Loop and really enjoyed that side of the campground. The bathhouse was clean & dry. Hot water in the shower was just the right temp. although the showerhead was poor. Water spigots are located just a short walk from any site. Campsites are quite roomy in most locations. I have a tiny trailer so the tight pull-thru driveway was fine for me. I think it would be a challenge for big rigs to keep their wheels on the paved driveways except in some of the back-in sites. The swimming area was beautiful. There's a nice building with restrooms & showers, a small store, and a very nice picnic area. Unfortunately, the boardwalk trail along Juniper Creek was in extreme disrepair and was closed-- and it's the longest trail in the park so that was disappointing. I also saw a pavilion near the Fern Hammock Spring that was in extreme disrepair and was fenced off. There was a bridge near the mill house that also was in need of repair and was closed. But the camping experience I had was very nice. Luckily for me, nobody with a generator was close by, so I could enjoy the hooting of a nearby barred owl and hear other creatures moving around in the woods near my site. I rode my bike through the designated tent area and found it to be quite wet, so if you're planning to choose a site in that area, beware!

Been camping here for over 55 years but haven’t been in the past few. Recently camped one night. Sites were clean and restrooms maintained but was disappointing to see that the boardwalks near the swimming hole were inaccessible due to poor maintenance. Would be nice to see national parks maintained to a little higher standard than this. Other than that, love this campground and the Ocala national forest.

We stayed at site 60 and they had a massive tree about to fall on the camp site. I tried to move my site and offered to pay money and they still refused, so we got forced into camping on the walk way almost. Claimed it is pet friendly and you arent allowed to bring your animals anywhere besides tied up in your campsite. Will not re visit this specific spring, but I will always travel the ocala forest.

We had site #19 and it was a great site. It was close to the wall path to the swimming springs and the boils. Far enough from the bathroom that we were not bother by noise or lights. The site was clean and well maintained. The bear box was amazing and huge. We put all our food and stoves in it at night. The other campers were respectful of the no noise rule after 10p. We want to camp here again.

Good times

This campsite offers very little privacy but it does offer plenty of shade, a nice large picnic table and fire pit. Good trees for hanging a hammock or setting up a slack line. Close to bathrooms with hot showers also. Just be prepared to bring tarps to create your own privacy.

The facility is not well maintained with the current management concessionaire. The bathrooms are filthy and the one worker we talked to tried to dissuade us from kayaking the Juniper Spring Run based on our age alone. This run is easily accomplished by novice kayakers. It may take a little longer if you are not very experienced, but it is certainly doable. The $10 fee is absurd for your own kayaks. I have never paid so much to launch my own kayak. The whole vibe of the campground is negative. DO NOT signs everywhere. The boardwalks are closed and there is absolutely nothing in the mill house. What a shame to waste such beautiful land and nature. I'm sure this is not what the benefactor envisioned for his land.

Friendly staff, clean, quiet, great access to day hikes and the Florida Trail runs right through the front of the park.
I had a great stay. I was there for 3 nights during the holidays when it was at max capacity and even then everyone was considerate for other campers.
Clean showers and restrooms too.