Salt Springs Recreation Area

Salt Springs Recreation Area occupies a unique position among the swimming and camping destinations in the Ocala National Forest. Located along State Road 19 in the northeastern section of the forest, the recreation area sits at the headwaters of Salt Springs Run, which flows 4.5 miles northeast before emptying into Lake George, the second-largest lake in Florida. What sets Salt Springs apart is its water chemistry: the spring is slightly salty, the source of its name. Scientists trace the salt to water rising from the salty lower layer of the Floridan aquifer. In the early 1900s many people came here believing the mineral water had healing powers; today it is simply a beautiful place to swim.

According to the Forest Service, the spring puts out about 52 million gallons of water a day at a constant 74 degrees. The swimming area at the head of the run has shallow, clear water for wading and a designated area for swimming and snorkeling. The slight saltiness lets blue crabs live in the spring, more than an hour's drive from either coast, and schools of mullet swim alongside freshwater fish.

The campground at Salt Springs is the largest in the Ocala National Forest and the only one in the forest with full hookups for RVs. Recreation.gov lists 146 reservable sites: 94 RV sites with electric and water at $70 per night and 52 tent-only sites at $38 per night, in a separate tent area a short walk from parking. The stay limit is 14 days in any 30-day period, sites hold up to 5 people and 2 vehicles, and pets are allowed in the campground but not in the day-use area. To see how Salt Springs compares with the forest's eleven other campgrounds, from Juniper Springs to the primitive lake sites, see our guide to Ocala National Forest campgrounds.

The Salt Springs Marina sits across the run from the campground's unimproved boat launch. It rents canoes first come, first served, with paddles and life jackets included; call (352) 685-0044 for current rates. The run flows about 4.5 miles to Lake George. The lower run is wide with little shade, and the run ends at the open lake, so plan a round trip back upstream. Wading birds and turtles are common, and manatees are sometimes seen in cold weather.

Hikers have two trails nearby. The Bear Swamp Trail is an easy 1.3-mile loop through the old cypress forest that edged the spring when botanist William Bartram visited in 1774. The Salt Springs Trail is a loop of less than two miles through the Big Scrub, with some sharp climbs, a long boardwalk, and an observation deck for birdwatching at the end.

Salt Springs Recreation Area combines the practical appeal of the forest's best-equipped campground with a genuinely unusual natural feature. The slightly salty water, the blue crabs in a spring far from the coast, and the paddle run to one of Florida's largest lakes make it stand apart from the other springs in the Ocala National Forest, whether you come for a weekend of RV camping, a day of swimming, or a paddle down the run.