Juniper Springs Kayaking Canoe Run in Florida | Ocala National Forest
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 มี.ค. 2020
- Juniper Springs Kayaking & Canoe Run in Florida's Ocala National Forest provides some of the best kayaking and canoeing in Florida! Join Paul and Sarah at beautiful Juniper Springs for the 7-mile Juniper Run on Juniper Creek. WARNING: This run is not for beginners! There are tricky obstacles, rapids, and alligators!! Watch until the end because you don't want to miss Paul and Sarah jumping into the big boil at Juniper Springs!
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Juniper Springs Kayaking Canoe Run in Florida | Ocala National Forest
Recorded: February 2020
This reminds me of when I was a Kid, my Dad and Friends, put a Small Aluminum Cabin Cruiser in Lake Monroe. We went all the way up to Jacksonville. There were several places we had to cut fallen trees to get passage. One was quite large, and we worked on it two different days. No Alligators back then, but lots of Snakes.
I live in NC and mostly paddle white water. Many years ago a friend of mine talked me into going to Ocala National Forest to paddle the springs there. Wow !! Have been going back ever since and have a nice Bell Majic canoe to take down there
Very nice! It's hard to beat paddling in the Ocala forest. Around every corner feels so wild and it's always awesome to see so much of Old Florida's beautiful wildlife. Thanks for watching! 😊
Always stay to the right!! They might say it all leads to the same which most split offs do but my friends and I have been doin that river for over 20yrs and 1 of the 1st times we went, we split off to the left and went at least a mile down before realizing it did not meet back up, and paddling up current was impossible, plus we just seen a 12ft gator, so hours go by and we weren't getting anywhere, I decided I was not gonna spend the night out there, so finally I had to jump in and pull us out by walking the canoe through the water. We made it out but we were over 3hrs late, they almost sent out people to look for us, scary thing is I dnt think they would of found us, anyways my point is STAY TO THE RIGHT! Lol
WOW! Oh my goodness!!! 😮 Your story gave me chills! I can't imagine. Well, you have a good story now! 😂 Got it - stay to the right!!
Wait wtf that sounds scary!! And you walked it with Gators in the water?
You sure you were on Juniper run? There is no split off that goes more than 100 yards, let alone a mile. Juniper is pretty much a one-way street, no turns, kind of paddle.
Yeah we were on the Juniper run. True there's only a couple that split off briefly. What an amazing canoe run though! We've done this one many times. Thanks for watching! 😊
@@PSAdventures Sorry, that was directed at the commenter (“always stay right”). There was no doubt about y’all being on Juniper :-)
Been to Juniper Spring so many time, but I cannot wait until I take my kayak on it! Thank you for sharing your trip!
Our pleasure! You will love the kayak run!
Come to Henry county FL. Canoeing at Fisheating Creek is amazing. When you head out go left, not straight. Paddle under the railroad tracks and across the pond. The creek starts there and your in deeper wilderness. No board walks on the sides or other people. Real Florida
That sounds like a good paddle! Thank you for the suggestion! We're always on the lookout for beautiful places to explore. And it looks like it's right in the middle of the state just by Lake Okeechobee. Interesting!
@@PSAdventures I do gotta mention tho, there are ALOT more alligators untill you get to the creek so I would suggest a canoe 🛶
your videos are just amazing!!! and the adventures you two seek out are very fun to watch!!! thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Jeff! We appreciate you joining us on our adventures! We'll keep Seeking Saturdays (adventures)!
beautiful energy.. LOVE IT
Thank you so much Saffaree! You just made us smile. 😊
OMG I love you guys. Made my day watching this. So positive and loving life!
Thank you so much Paul! 💕 You just brought a smile to our face. It's great to see another Paul out there. So glad you enjoyed and happy adventuring!
I have watched this video about 10 times I just love it! It's on my list to go to this year. Love this
😮 Wow Jessie! So glad you enjoyed the video! Juniper Spring is one of our favorite kayak & canoe runs. We keep going back because it's such a nice park. You'll love it! Glad to have you on our channel!
Woww the water looks so clean and clear... and beautiful place..😍
The water at Juniper Springs is so clear in almost all of the areas, even the canoe & kayak run. It's hard to beat Florida springs! Thanks for watching!
y'all are adorable, looks like so much fun!
Thank you so much! We try to have a good time no matter where we are (or if there's alligators. Haha! So glad you enjoy our video!
Awesome adventure that is now on my bucket list.
Thanks so much Simir! It's a great paddle for sure. Enjoy!
Looking forward to this!!
Awesome Debbie! It's a fun canoe run for sure! We've done it several times and it's always fun. Enjoy!
I can’t wait to take this trip.
It's a great kayak run. Hope you enjoy!
Fantastic Video! Thanks for Sharing it. I've been to Juniper once but didn't kayak. Now I'm ready to go back. Smooth Paddling to Ya!
Awesome! Juniper is a great place to enjoy the swimming and even to walk around. One of the best in Central Florida!
Love your videos. Hope to see you guys out there sometime. You do all the amazing things that I enjoy as well. ❤
Aww thank you so much Susan! 💖 It would be amazing to run into you out there! We've met a few people that recognized us from our videos and we're always so surprised. There's a lot of beautiful places to see in Florida!
We love our kayaks.
Do you prefer singles or doubles?
Lots of fun!
Definitely!! This is such a cool kayak run. We hope you try it if you're in the area!
Such an adventure. I love kayaking and camping. I’m a little
scared with all the branches and little rapid though.
Thanks for watching Khalis! We agree that kayaking and camping make a great combination! The branches and definitely avoidable, as long as you have a good navigator on board - whether that's yourself or someone else in the back of the kayak. :)
Awesome trip and great footage! Thank you!
We're so happy you enjoyed our video William!! It's a cool state park if you happen to go. Definitely call beforehand though since I think it's under new management so the kayak & canoe service might not be running at the moment. Thanks for watching! 💓
Thanks for these visually beautiful videos…I love your positivity! As a newcomer to Florida you’ve really shown me some great places I want to visit!
Aww, thank you! We love sharing our adventures on this beautiful planet and Florida has so many wonderful destinations! 💗
Such an awesome paddle! Great shots. 👍
Thank you! We love this kayak run.
Thanks for the video! I did Juniper Run with the Boy Scouts back in 1958 or so...it hasn't changed much! I don't remember any rapids though; we only saw one gator and it was in the wide grassy area near the end of the run.
Nice! Wow that's amazing that it looks the same to you after all these years. Glad you enjoyed! 😁
Beautiful spring and great video guys! Keep up the great work🤙🏼
Thanks so much! 😊 It's one of our favorite springs, especially for kayaking!
Thanks for uploading. I want to try this some day.
One of the best canoe and kayak runs! 😁🛶
Went there two years ago when visiting my dad in ocala. Saw an older gentleman go down that waterway with a paddle board and I said next time I visit Ocala from Massachusetts I'm going to do it. Will be there in 2 weeks to give it a try.
Nice! Juniper is a great run to try. We haven't seen too many people try it on paddle boards but you'd definitely get a great view of the clear water. One thing to note is that it's one-way so you might need someone to pick you up at the other end if they aren't running their shuttle. You'll have to check in advance to make sure. Enjoy the run and watch out for alligators about halfway through. They love sunbathing on that part of the run!
@@PSAdventures thank you very much for the heads up. I will definitely call a few days before I fly to florida. Thanks for the video again.
Loved watching this video! Thanks
We're so happy you loved it Krystal! ❤️ There are a lot of state parks in Florida but this has been one of our favorites because of the nice kayak and canoe run they have. Thanks so much for watching!
I absolutely love your videos! Addicted!
Thank you so much! We're so happy you love our adventures! 💗
Fun!! Thank you 🙏
So glad you enjoyed joining us on our Juniper Springs adventure! 😊
Thanks!! I'm excited to try out this run. Also the hot showers
That's so awesome Heather! It's a cool run that we love going back to every couple of years. The water is pretty chilly so a hot shower would be so nice after! Have fun! 😄
If it was in the 50s, there is no way I could imagine going into the water. It's a struggle getting in during the summer, but at least you can warm up when you get out.
When it's 50 degrees out the water at 72 degrees seems like it should feel nice and warm but it's still COLD! Haha. It's definitely nice in the summer when you get out and can warm up in the sun. Makes you feel alive though! 😄
@@PSAdventures When I started reading this message I thought you were gonna try and convince me to go swimming in the springs when it's in the 50's outside. No chance. I went camping once at Ginnie Springs in the fall, when the temp was about 70. The water would pull the heat out of you, and then you would just remain cold when you got out. Did not like it. It only makes sense when it's warm outside.
Definitely more enjoyable on warmer days! I guess the winter dips are more like "Florida polar plunges"! 😂
pretty cool
So glad you enjoyed! 😊
That’s a great paddling tip. It’s called back paddling😊
😄
I am always amazed by how great your camera work is on all of your videos! Kudos!!!!! This is the only one of your videos that scares me! (;
Thank you for the compliment! That's all Paul, a.k.a. Mr. Saturday! We are always looking for a bit of a thrill and paddling by an alligator is sure to make your heart skip a beat!
That water is magical. If you don’t want to buy a kayak, perhaps consider buying your own paddle. A light carbon paddle makes all the difference (although you’ll want to refrain from using a carbon paddle to push off things)
Thank you for watching! I believe this video was from a few years ago, and we've come a long way since then! 😄 Not sure if you've watched any of our newer videos yet, but we love our inflatable paddle board and bring it everywhere! Also, while I'm sure we'll go tent camping again, we now travel around in our van. We laugh about how it's just so luxurious compared to tent camping! 😂
Love the positivity from both of you! Had a tough day and could have chose to watch something negative. But instead chose happy!
Wow! Thank you so much for the kind words Tom. 😊 So happy you enjoyed our video. There's a lot of good things in life to focus on. We try to do the same and it always makes our day better. 🙂
My buddy just fished tht section and caught some nice Bass.............. nice video. Mack
Glad you liked it Mack! Juniper is a great run.
@@PSAdventures I went down there and fished it a few weeks after my buddy did, late febuary and i floated right over a gator but they dont alarm me as we have them here in Eastern NC....
This was the first video of yours I saw and I immediately subscribed because you guys are awesome! THEN I watched more videos and found out you were vegans and I loved you even more! Your videos just make me happy you both seem like such genuine sweet people, look forward to watching more!
Thank YOU so much! We are so happy you found us! 🥰😄
Love the clear water. We've been posting videos on our inflatable tandem kayak on our channel. It's very easy to transport. The water in our area is usually murky and we are always on the lookout for gators. That spot looks like a lot of fun. What is your favorite Florida kayaking location? Have fun and be safe out there!
Hi there! That's the scary part about kayaking in Florida! Lol There are so many great spots to go kayaking. We really do love the juniper springs run because of the windy narrow paths and the clear water. We also kayaked recently in New Smyrna Beach which is great because there are many dolphins. Otherwise, we love anywhere with clear waters, like the Florida keys!
Such a beautiful, peaceful area! We are going next month to swim at the springs. Definitely want to go back to do some kayaking on another trip. We were thinking about getting an inflatable kayak. This would probably not be a good place for an inflatable though with all those sharp corners lol. Good tip on the reusable items.
We love this park so much that we keep going back! That would be a tough one on the inflatable paddle board. There's a lot of turns but I'm sure you could do it. The only thing is that it's 7 miles so if you run into any problems, you can't get off the run. You'd probably have to swim it! 😮
@@PSAdventures yeah we would probably rent a kayak just to be safe. There are some good areas to use the inflatable kayak. We figure since most rentals are like 50 bucks a trip, if we use it at least 3 times it was worth buying. We don't have a lot of room for storage and taking the kayak with us.
That's what we were thinking too when it comes to kayaks. We actually just bought an inflatable paddle board and love it! It's so versatile and easy to fit in the car. I don't think we'll ever go without one again! If we need to rent a kayak we will be inflatable SUPs are awesome!
did the run with a group, we stopped for lunch and came close to a copperhead, please watch for rotten branches. We did it on April 1st and had the kids grew up to be to be so cloae to a coppperhead
Yikes! It's wild out there... Was the snake in the trees? Glad to hear everyone is OK!
Turtle soup bon Appétit 😋
😮😮😮
This is for first time floaters. Like a bunny hill. Funny they have PFD's.
Juniper Springs is a great run for all levels. Old Florida beauty around every turn!
Thank for the video. I am planning on doing this one this December . How much time did it take you from put in to take out? Planning on uber back since the shuttle is not working on December.
We're so happy you enjoyed Jaime! When we do the canoe run, we usually stop in the middle somewhere and have lunch so if we're going leisurely it takes around 3-4 hours. It's a beautiful run! Good idea on the Uber since I'm not sure the status of their shuttle service. You'd have to check to see if it's up and running. Enjoy!
Looks like a good beginner spot to me haha awesome video
Haha! I bet to pros dropping into waterfalls but definitely a little challenging to the average park visitors. So much fun too! 😁
@@PSAdventures haha fair enough. I like how shallow it is. Are dogs allowed?
@@PSAdventures btw I’ve been planning a trip to gsmnp and have watched a lot of your videos and they have really helped. Thanks for the awesome content
No only service dogs are allowed in Juniper Springs so that's unfortunate for dog lovers.
Awesome Evan! We're so happy you enjoyed our videos! GSMNP is such a nice place to spend a lot of time hiking. There's so many trails. Have fun!
I went here years ago and a snake fell in our kayak and I also got stuck in the mud when I jumped out the kayak.. lol
Omg! 😮 We haven't had that experience yet but wouldn't be surprised! Definitely had the experience of being stuck in the mud on the Juniper Springs run though. Haha! Thanks for watching! ❤️
You currently cannot rent a kayak at juniper they don’t have someone to pick people up right now but you can bring your own for the kayak run
That's so crazy! We heard they went through some kind of management change. That's really sad because we really loved this canoe and kayak run. Hopefully they open that service back up again! Thanks for the comment!
You go 7 miles down river how do you paddle back to where you started with the current
Hi! Thanks so much for the question because I'm sure others are also wondering. The park has stopped doing the shuttle service since we made this video. The best option may be to go with a friend, drive two cars, and to leave one at the exit point. There may also be some folks out there that would be willing to pick you up for a fee. We sure hope the park brings back the shuttle service one day!
AWESOME. You should have used limbo music in the beginning. (j/k)
6:07 TURTLES!
Red button hit. Glad to sub & support fellow journeyers!
Thank you! It was basically limbo in a kayak. Ha!
We live in Georgia and I have been wanting to start visiting some of these springs in Florida to swim, tube, ect. But what do you do with the crocodile threat? Is there some springs that have less of them than others? How do you and other Floridians adapt to this? I don't want to get killed for swimming in a spring.
Hi! You will love it! The water is so clear and crisp - it's cold year round! The swimming areas have always felt safe to us, but there's are a few things to keep in mind to best avoid alligators. Swim only in designated areas when the parks are open, swim with others around, and don't wander into any murky swampy areas. Not that it would be impossible, but we have never seen an alligator in the designated swim areas. That being said, Juniper Springs is your best bet for a swimming area if you're afraid of the gators because it's surrounded by a concrete barrier so it feels more like a swimming pool. Hope you try it sometime!
Nice. Woke up some memories from our last trip in Florida. Was it cold, you wear jackets?
Awesome! Yes we wear jackets from December through March in Florida lol
@@PSAdventures Last time we were swimming at the end of March in Weeki-Wachee. Canadians, ehh?
Yes! Eh?! Weekie Watchie is on our list!
I'm old can I turn around after few miles go back same way? Thanks!
Thanks for the question Sharon! Since the run only flows in one direction you probably wouldn't be able to turn around. It'd be some serious work to go against the flow and through all the turns in the forest. Juniper Springs has a large, beautiful pool at the entrance too that's amazing to enjoy in the summer time.
The scariest alligator encounter I ever had was on the Juniper Canoe Run. Some friends and I were canoeing along the inside bank of a hairpin turn in the lower part of the run when all of the sudden we surprised a large gator. That gator jumped off a small bluff on the river bank, and then swam right under our canoe. This was a big gator! It was probably in the 13 to 14ft range. That gator jumped off that bluff and was close enough to our canoe that I could have reached out and touched the gator’s back. The gator was close enough that he probably could have jumped into our canoe if he really wanted to. That was much closer to any wild animal than I ever want to get!
Omg! That's crazy! 😮 I think I know which turn you're talking about. It seems like every time we get down towards the end of the run, there's one sharp turn where alligators are always sun tanning. That would freak us out if one jumped in and swam below us! Wow! Thanks for watching!
they are tamed down a lil from seeing people daily but still wild
I was once going down the run and we were coming around the bend and right as we turned our canoe was heading right towards a gator that was in the shallow water eating a DEER!!! I'm like baby STEER....I was terrified heading towards a feeding alligator!
@amygiles8614 Oh my goodness that would be terrifying!! 😯
Who did you rent and get the shuttle ride from? When we called the park they said there was no shuttle service to kayakers
Oh no! It looks like the park might have changed management companies and might have shut down the shuttle service at the moment. That's terrible! We had always rented canoes and used the shuttle for so many years. Hopefully they open it back up soon because it really makes the experience so much fun. Thanks for letting us know!
We camp at Alexander - was wondering about juniper, can you get out and swim anywhere along the way? (ie: where you passed the turtle)
We also love Alexander Springs! Great place to camp and swim. For Juniper Run, you're only allowed to kayak/canoe along the run and not supposed to swim but we've seen people swimming every time we've done the run. I'm sure you'd mainly have to watch out for the alligators since they're always there somewhere along the run. Glad you enjoyed!
@@PSAdventures thanks so much - insider tip - spot #40 at Alexander is called "the honeymoon suite" - huge space and privacy :-) and great video - thanks for making these!!!
Nice! When we go camping at Alexander we'll have to check out that space. Thanks so much! 😃
This place is beautiful! Where did you guys start?
Yes it is! We started right at the main entrance. You can rent canoes right at the start and take the 7 mile one way trip all the way to the end and get picked up. It's a cool kayak and canoe run!
@@PSAdventures awesome thanks!! Definitely going this summer.
Love your videos. This looks like a great idea for myself and my 12 year old daughter. How do we go about renting a kayak like you did. We will be traveling to Florida from Massachusetts. Can you give us the website name so we can get as much info before we travel in March 2024.
Thank you so much for the love Lisa!! ❤️ At the moment I think their canoe and kayak rentals have been shut down since I think they changed management. You'd definitely want to call for more information before going there! Here's the website that operates it: www.adventureocala.com/juniper-springs-campground There used to be a shuttle that would pick you up at the end too so now only private kayaks and canoes can launch until they reopen their rentals so definitely check back. I hope you guys get to go on this canoe run. It's so beautiful! There's a lot of other really great ones too though. Our next video you're going to love if you like kayaking!
You should let people know how much the price is for The kayaks
Thanks for the suggestion Gina! When we went I think the fee was about $45 and included the shuttle ride at the end where they pick you up and bring you back to the beginning. It's well worth it and even cheaper if you want to just launch your own kayak if you already have a ride. Maybe about $6 launch fee. I hope that helps!
Do they allow kids on the kayak?
When the kayaks were running they did allow kids. Since they're under new management I would definitely call before you go to make sure! We've heard they might not be running the kayak and canoe service.
sounds like you need to learn to paddle both can steer the boat
It's definitely a tricky run! We've brought several people and always see that it's a relationship tester. 😆
wow awesome, where can i find the rental company? what are the costs? we want to go this summer
Thanks so much for the question! This might be a tricky one since in the past couple years we heard they changed companies and stopped the shuttle service, but the last we heard they might have started it back up again in the past year. Make sure to call Juniper Springs State Park before you go to make sure they still have the shuttle service because it's a lot easier to have them shuttle you. It was awesome every time we've gone over the years. Hope that helps!
Bring a coke bottle or ball jar as a porta potty. New ancient days, potty products for China to market for camping adventures 😄 Don't throw anything away in swamp but 💩 🥜 🥜🥜 peasauce 😋
Oh man Tiger, you crack us up! 😂 Yeah definitely don't want to pollute any of these beautiful waters!
That syder keeps showing up in these videos. You should name her Charlotte.
Never know what you're going to see!
Is there really a company here to give you a ride back to your car? I have my own boats but I would rather rent first so I k is someone is keeping track of my group.
A guided tour would be better for me so I learn the area better for the first time.
Hi! I just called Juniper to ask about their schedule and unfortunately they have stopped the service of picking you up until 2021. I confirmed you can bring your own but will have to get a ride back. You might also be able to paddle back upstream if you're up for a good workout!
That current seemed pretty strong for 6 miles upstream you say? I’ll pass on that haha.
@@tastetherainbow9643 So true! If I decided to go back upstream, I think I could only handle half a mile downstream, then half mile back up... 😂
I'd be afraid the gator would eat me.
Aww, but then all the good water adventures in Florida have a possibility of alligators! Gators generally leave us alone, but yeah, it is always a thought and something to be cautious about! 😅
It’s Florida…. If it’s water there’s a gator in it.
Oh yeah! We always see alligators on this run. They're always pretty cool to see sunbathing. Thanks for watching!
I did this half of this run at night by mistake. We almost died
Whoah! That would be scary at night with all the alligators. 😮
@@PSAdventures it was really scary. I remember seeing a sign for alligators. Then seeing whitewater rushing around protruding rocks in the moonlight. Holy crap and we never flipped. Goodness what an experience. All because my mom didn't read the launch times. And we launched too late. So we had to do the most challenging part of the run at night . True story!
Is lots of ALARGAITS
Thanks for the question Aldelina! We usually see at least one or two when we go but they're normally sun tanning on the side of the river and not bothering anyone. Have fun if you go!
GATORS DON'T GET STUCK YOUNG YANKEES
😆
Not for beginners?...........You're on a beginner boat in a slow moving river......I love what you guys do but I consider you beginners until you can Eskimo roll on both sides in a sit inside and surf on a 19 inch wide surfski. Which not to toot my own horn but I do that. This here is literally most people's first experience on a kayak very often.
Whoah that's awesome! There's some pretty cool videos with people going down waterfalls and barrel rolling with kayaks. You definitely some like an adventurous one! 😮
@@PSAdventures hey I just realized my comment might have sounded a little cranky. I was watching you're video at 2 am and i wasn't in my right mind when I left my comment..... Anyway because of this awesome video my wife and I are heading to Rock Springs this weekend if all goes well!
Don't sweat it! 👍 I know how it is staying up late watching videos. It's be cool to try some places with more rapids. We had gone white water rafting in Costa Rica after a storm and that was wild! I can only imagine in a short kayak. Enjoy Rock Springs!
Boring
Definitely not a boring paddle! Juniper is awesome. 😁