Juniper Springs Campground

One of the best Forest Service CG's. Managed by RRM. It was quiet the week before Presidents Day. On the weekend, there was the usual noise from kids at play. Lots of privacy between sites. Two springs in the CG, one you can paddle. Site 41 is the only one with all day sun for solar charging. Our rate reflects half price + reservation fee.

I camped here as a child, as a parent, and now as a grandparent. Some changes over the years of course but overall it has been preserved as I remember. Nature and history combine for a great experience here. Florida trail runs through the campground near the entrance offering great hiking in forest and scrub. Springs are my favorite in Florida. Swimable year round - temp is constant 73 degrees. Canoe run also my favorite and one of the top rated in the nation. Not for beginner paddlers as it's rather technical, but those who have good navigation skills will be fine. We camped in Tropical Loop and also Sand Pine Loop. Tropical seems a bit busier, but Sand Pine has more road noise from Hwy 40. During the week the place empties out for the most part and weekends are packed. No hook ups so there is generator use- we usually move away from those when possible.
Highly recommend this place. Especially for those who equate FL to Disney. This is the real deal.

Note: this review written in January and reflects a winter camp experience. We do not camp anywhere in FL in summer as mosquitoes are not worth it. Also price paid reflects our NP Senior pass discount.

Honestly, you can keep Florida. The sand, salt, bugs, heat, etc. are just not fun to us. But the dreary winter in Atlanta promoted us to head south for some sunshine. We found it! This park is very nice. We boondock mostly, so usually detest being too close to others in CGs. This one has enough space and vegetation to give you some privacy. Paved pads are all very level. The shower was big and clean, but the water was kinda cool. We were in the loop closer to the highway and the noise was pretty noticable. The other loops appear much quieter as we were exploring on bikes. The spring is beautiful and the paddle trip down the creek is a must do. Take that trip as early as possible to avoid the crowds. We tried hard to be stealthy so we could sneak up on critters. We saw a turkey, a gator, a bunch of turtles and lots of fish in the clear water. Then the crowd caught up with us. :(
We did not get to hike any. Somebody saw a bear two weeks back, so everything is roped off and closed to hiking. Those FL folks must be a bunch of fraidy cats. They have never been to WY I guess. ;)

We have already booked for march 20. This is a great campground.

This was very simple but great camping the spring is what you would expect you definitely will enjoy yourself here.

We camped here for the first time mid March. We were in site 7 with a 32ft tt. Staff were great and restrooms very clean. Springs and Juniper run are very nice. Lots of wild life to see on the run to. Site 7 is not the best though it is smaller and its right by bathhouse. Site 27 and 28 look to be the best to me. There is potable water spickets and a place to do dishes also. We had a good time and will be back.

We’ve been boondocking for a bit and decided to splurge when we saw photos of the springs here and noticed it had hot showers. Came in at 6 on a Saturday night and scored the last walk up site available and it’s worth every penny! Nice large sites with dense tropical foliage between them, beautiful (albeit short) trails, and the springs are lovely. The only downside is dogs can’t swim here and ours is quite the water dog, but luckily it’s not hot yet!

This place is amazing! The camp sites are pretty basic. Nobhookups, just a picnic table and a fire ring. But the place is majestic. The landscape around the sites makes you feel like you are in the middle of the rainforest. The trails to the springs are wonderful! And the spring- oh my gosh! So amazing! The water is 72 all year round, a little chilly but so refreshing! Grab a mask to snorkel around - it is so spectacular! There is a river run to canoe or kayak- we were unable to because of all the rain but I have heard great things about that too! Bear warnings all over but we never saw any. The bathrooms were decent with warm water, timed showers. Only real bummer was no recycling.

We stayed here mid-week at the end of October. The park was so quiet! We pulled our 35ft fifthy into site #7 with no problems. The site felt cozy and private, wrapped with a backdrop of palm forest. The paved loop on our site could have used repairing as it was broken on the edge which left a big gap between it and the sand.

We have cell service from AT&T and Verizon and had great reception here.

We really enjoyed the Juniper Springs. It was lovely to take a dip in the crystal clear waters and lay in the sun surrounding the natural pool. The grounds are nicely maintained. There is a concession store and nice restroom facility at the Springs.

Also at the concession store is where you can rent canoes or kayaks and take them for a run down Juniper River. That was an adventure! Rated intermediate, the run is 7 miles long with crystal clear spring water. It has narrow and wind-y sections with fallen trees over head and in the river bed. Watch out for those in the river bed. We got stuck on a few and had to jerk ourselves off. People spoke of seeing otters, snakes, and personally, we saw an 8 foot gator sun bathing right at the river's edge as we came around about 5 miles in. A very memorable experience!

I should note that we got a discounted rate of $12/night with our National Parks pass. Excellent value.

I actually camped here during my honeymoon decades ago. I have never forgotten the beauty of the springs. You will not be disappointed.