Salt Springs Recreation Area

Salt Springs is not quite like the other springs in Ocala National Forest. The water tastes different. It is slightly warmer (74°F instead of the standard 72°F), slightly mineral-rich (elevated potassium, magnesium, sodium, and chloride from an unusually deep aquifer connection), and the spring run that carries it 4 miles east to Lake George supports an improbable mix of saltwater and freshwater species in the same channel. Blue crabs and striped mullet swim alongside largemouth bass and bluegill.

It is also the only recreation area in the entire Ocala National Forest that offers full-hookup RV camping — water, electric, and sewer at each of 106 sites. If you're driving a Class A through North Central Florida, this is your stop.

• Location: Ocala National Forest (Marion County), on SR-19 north of SR-40
• Address: 13851 SR 19, Salt Springs, FL 32134
• Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. summer; 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. winter
• Day-use fee: ~$14.50 per person (verify; fee transition in progress)
• Water temperature: 74°F year-round (slightly warmer than typical)
• Magnitude: Second-magnitude (~49–52M gal/day)
• Spring pool: ~110 ft diameter with concrete walls and terraced walkways
• Camping: 160 sites total: 106 full-hookup RV ($65/night) + 54 tent-only ($31/night)
• Phone: 352-685-2048

• Ocala: 35 miles east (SR-40 east, then CR-314 north, then SR-19 north)
• Orlando: 95 miles northwest (~1 hour 45 minutes)
• Daytona Beach: 60 miles west (SR-40 west to SR-19 north)
• Jacksonville: ~90 minutes south (I-95 south to SR-20 west, then SR-19 south)
• Tampa: ~2 hours (I-75 north to Ocala, then east)

The village of Salt Springs sits on SR-19 and has a gas station, grocery store, restaurants, bait shops, laundromat, and post office — more services than any other Ocala NF recreation area.

The spring pool is roughly 110 feet in diameter, enclosed by concrete walls and terraced walkways with steps directly into the water. The 74°F temperature makes it the warmest major spring in Ocala NF — noticeably more comfortable than the 68–72°F of Rock Springs or Juniper Springs. The mineral content means the water has a faint saline taste — safe and natural, not a pollution indicator. When naturalist William Bartram paddled up from the St. Johns River in 1773, his ecstatic description of Salt Springs reportedly inspired Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Kubla Khan."

• Swimming in the spring-fed pool — 74°F, clear, mineral-rich. Snorkeling reveals the unusual blue crabs and mullet mixing with freshwater bass and turtles.
• Kayaking Salt Springs Run — a 4–4.5 mile subtropical paddle northeast to Lake George through cypress, cabbage palm, and live oak. Winter paddlers may encounter manatees moving upstream into the warm spring water.
• Boating — Salt Springs Marina has a motorized boat launch with direct access to Lake George and the St. Johns River system. Lake George is the second-largest lake in Florida and one of the premier bass fisheries in the Southeast.
• Fishing — bass, bluegill, catfish, and mullet in the run; Lake George opens a much larger fishery. FL freshwater license required.
• Hiking — Bear Swamp Trail (1.4-mile easy loop through wetlands with boardwalk), Salt Springs Observation Trail (~1.9-mile loop with birdwatching deck), and a Florida Trail connector (2.9-mile scenic out-and-back).
• Basketball and horseshoes in the campground.

Salt Springs is the largest campground in Ocala NF and the only one with full RV hookups:

• 106 full-hookup sites (water, 30/50-amp electric, sewer) — spacious pads under mature hardwoods; accommodates large rigs up to 40 feet. $65/night.
• 54 tent-only sites — no hookups, near the Bear Swamp Trail and boat launch. $31/night.
• Hot showers and flush toilets in the bathhouse
• Dump station
• Quiet hours 10 p.m. – 6 a.m.
• 14-day maximum stay per 30-day period
• Pets in campground only (not in day-use area)
• Reserve via Recreation.gov (campground 233920) — winter snowbird season fills fast

• Spring-fed swimming pool with concrete terraces
• Bathhouse with changing rooms and showers
• Salt Springs Marina (kayak/canoe rentals, motorized boat launch)
• Picnic pavilions and grills
• General store/concession in the village (walking distance)
• Bear-proof food storage recommended (bear activity confirmed in the campground)

• Salt Springs village (adjacent) — Salt Springs Pizza, a grocery store, gas station, bait shops. The closest services to any Ocala NF recreation area.
• Ocala (~35 miles west) — full hotel and restaurant range
• Palatka (~25 miles north) — chain motels along US-17
• For broader dining: Lena's Seafood (~19 miles west on SR-40 near Silver Springs; open since 1986) is the local favorite.

• The water tastes different — slightly saline, slightly mineral. This is natural and safe. Swimmers with salt sensitivity should be aware.
• Bears are present and active. Store all food in vehicles. Raccoons are equally bold in the day-use area.
• No cell service — limited to partial AT&T/Verizon; T-Mobile essentially nonexistent. Download offline maps.
• Lake George is dangerous for small watercraft. The lake is 12 miles long and 5 miles wide; afternoon chop builds fast. Paddlers should not venture far beyond the Salt Springs Run mouth.
• Weekend and holiday capacity. Day-use area fills on summer weekends; arrive early.
• No pets in the day-use/swimming area. Leashed dogs OK in campground and Bear Swamp Trail.
• Winter is manatee season. November–March, manatees swim up the warm run from Lake George. Cold-weather paddles offer the best chance of sightings.
• Full-hookup sites book fast. The 106 RV sites are the only full-hookup option in Ocala NF; snowbird season (Nov–Feb) fills months in advance.

• Silver Glen Springs (~6 miles south on SR-19) — First-magnitude, Timucuan archaeology, day-use only.
• Juniper Springs (~12 miles south on SR-40) — CCC pool, top-rated 7-mile canoe run, 79-site campground.
• Fern Hammock Springs (within Juniper Springs area) — Photography-only spring with sand boils; no swimming.
• Alexander Springs (~20 miles south on CR-445) — Only first-magnitude spring in any US National Forest.

Last verified: May 28, 2026. The concessionaire transitioned from American Land & Leisure to Naventure as of January 1, 2026; fees and policies may be in flux. Verify current fees and booking at recreation.gov or call 352-685-2048 before visiting. Photos via Wikimedia Commons.