Silver Springs State Park

{By Kelly}

Another beautiful morning at Juniper Springs. It's great camping here because you can explore before the park opens up to the public. I like to head to Fern Hammock Springs early to see what critters are enjoying the spring while it's nice and quiet. Yesterday I saw an alligator, today I found an otter!

Today's adventure is Silver Springs, just outside of the Ocala National Forest. It used to be a theme park (one of Florida's first) and now it is a Florida State Park. You might remember their famous glass bottomed boats - we'll be paddling along those same routes on our stand up paddleboards. If you don't have a canoe or kayak, you can rent them at the park, or explore the Silver River aboard a glass bottomed boat ($11 for adults). 

We decided to launch from Silver Springs State Park ($8 per vehicle admission) and do a one way paddle down the Silver River. We dropped off our truck at Ray Wayside Park ($5 entry fee) so we would have a ride back to our vehicles.

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A view above and below the magnificent Silver Springs

Immediately upon launching from Silver Springs, you are gliding above crystal clear water under a gorgeous canopy of cypress and oak trees. It's a wonderful slice of Old Florida. We paddle through remnants of the old theme park and back up to the headspring where the glass bottomed boat tours begin. The water is so deep and blue, it is mesmerizing. 

Our journey begins down the Silver River... a little over 4 miles to go!

From the head of Silver Springs, it is a little over four miles to the park where we will take out, but there's a nice current flowing in our favor. We paddle past a variety of birds, a few alligators, lots of gar and other fish below us, and monkeys. Yes, I said monkeys! There are a lot of stories and theories about how they got there... I gravitate towards the Tarzan theory. When they filmed the Tarzan films in the 1930's and early 1940's, they put a few Rhesus monkeys on a small island in the middle of the Silver River to make it look more jungle-like. Well, they underestimated them and the little buggers swam to shore and quickly multiplied. Whatever story you believe, the monkeys are alive and well in several areas along the banks of the Silver River. Here's proof:

One of the famous Silver River monkeys

We had a ball watching them, and Jackson and Remington got quite a thrill, too. Jackson began quivering and whining as soon as he spotted them. Justin had to paddle the canoe down the river for fear Jackson would jump ship to frolic with the monkeys.

The Silver River paddle was by far one of the most beautiful we've ever experienced. The crystal clear water and abundant wildlife makes this stretch of water extra special.

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