The last weekend of August, 2003, I hiked solo through the Juniper Prairie Wilderness. It was a very enjoyable trip despite the many ticks and some mosquitos. My map shows the approximate location of the Florida Trail and the Yearling Trail; Silver Glen Springs (1) provided overnight parking for $10, then I hiked West on the Yearling Trail through pine flats to meet the Florida Trail. My hike started in the afternoon. It was getting dark by the time I got about two thirds South towards Juniper and I set up camped near the creek.
The second day started with a hot oatmeal breakfast. After breaking camp it was about two hours' walking to Juniper Springs; I decided to wear shorts on day 2 while walking through the tick infested brush of the Southern portion of this part of the Florida Trail. These ticks were slightly smaller than pin head size.
Florida has been getting lots and lots of rain this year so portions of the trail were under water and required some wading. The cool water felt great.
Juniper Springs is fun swimming but it is cloudy from all the swimmers - the spring is walled off to make a basin that overflows past a water wheel. It is still a high quality swimming hole. One wonderful thing about this trail is the opportunity to swim in the cold waters of Juniper and Silver Glen springs after getting hot, sweaty and dusty. Nothing feels better.
Since I didn't have time to walk all the way back to my parking spot and couldn't rent a canoe (they had been cleaned out by 9:30 that morning) I was able to get a ride with the guy who picks up the canoers - from (2) to (3) on the map. I was impressed with the clerk - even though nearly everyone wants a ride from the end of their conoe trip back to the beginning, and the driver had never taken anyone TO the wayside (3), she charged me $5 without flinching. The wayside provided another pleasant wade and it wasn't too long until I was back to (1) and the cold, crystal clear waters of Silver Glen Springs ($4 admission to the park, separate from the $10 parking fee).
I enjoyed this walk. I don't really mind the heat, with highs in the low 90s and nighttime lows in the mid to low 70s, or the humidity, though I was definitely sweating. It was a good chance to experience some solitude and to see a beautiful part of the world I haven't visited before.
| Item | Weight (lbs) |
| Pack, by itself | 5 1/2 |
| Cat's Meow bag | 3 1/8 |
| Coleman Peak 1 Stove | 2 7/8 |
| GoLite Den 2 tent | 3 1/2 |
If I was hiking this trail again I would consider taking a blanket instead of a bag to save weight - I only wanted inside my fully unzipped bag during the coldest part of the night. I would also be sure to bring a better hat and long sleeved shirt and pants, for sun and insect protection, and I would bring no extra stove fuel.
Visit the forest service's Ocala National Forest web page