Juniper Springs

Juniper Springs is a oasis in the heart of the Ocala National Forest, long cherished by locals and visitors alike. Its clear blue waters and winding creek offer beauty, adventure, and a true sense of wild Florida.

Learn about how a springshed is the land area that feeds groundwater to a spring. Juniper’s protected forest setting helps preserve its water quality and makes it an important scientific baseline.

Monitoring shows minor nitrate increases at Juniper Springs, mostly from natural atmospheric sources. Ongoing research helps protect its water quality and preserve its natural condition.

Protecting Juniper Springs means limiting nutrients and respecting its forested springshed. With careful recreation and responsible use we all can help preserve this spring for the future.

Juniper Springs was developed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Their handcrafted millhouse and water wheel still stand as lasting symbols of that era.

Juniper Springs has inspired writers, filmmakers, and visual artists, including Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Margaret Ross Tolbert. Its landscape and sand boils continue to shape cultural imagination.

Alligator encounters at Juniper Creek are rare but serious, so swimming in the run is not advised. Forest Service planning helps protect the head spring by directing paddling access away from the main pool.

A lifelong Florida naturalist and springs advocate Bruce Day has spent decades exploring and protecting these waters, sharing knowledge shaped by field experience and deep appreciation.

Find information and stewardship resources through the U.S. Forest Service and regional water agencies. Local paddling and advocacy groups also help care for Juniper Springs.

Juniper Springs still reflects the craftsmanship of the Civilian Conservation Corps, including its historic water wheel and mill house. Canoeing the seven-mile Juniper Creek remains a defining tradition.