Juniper Springs or Ichetucknee Springs?

[bobbyshawatl]

I've decided I wanted to do something a bit more nature related on my way back from Disney at the end of this month. Thanks to a previous question about this, I'd settled on Ichetucknee Springs. My plan was to stay in Gainesville and drive up that Saturday morning. Unfortunately, I delayed in my hotel booking, and now the University of Florida football game has everything decent booked up in Gainesville. So, I had to change plans and book in Ocala.

That leads to my question. I've started looking around for some natural things to do near Ocala. I found Juniper springs. The canoe rental for Juniper Run sounds neat, along with the spring swimming and nature trails.

Anyone familiar with both locations? Any recomendation of one over the other? This will be on October 1, so this will be the "off season" for Ichetucknee, and appears that will limit some of what we could do there.

Anything else better in the area of Ocala I'm overlooking?

 

[safetymom]

We love Ichetucknee Springs. It is so peaceful and beautiful floating down on your tub.

 

[IlovePiglet]

I'm not familiar with Juniper Springs but since you're heading up 75 Ichetucknee isn't far off the exit and it should only be about a 45 minute drive from Ocala.

 

[jodifla]

Oh, I'd do Ichetucknee Springs. Juniper Springs is nice, but tubing down the Icnetucknee is so cool!

 

[bobbyshawatl]

Thanks everyone so far! Sounds like more people like Ichetucknee. However, this is on the website for the park:

Off-Season
Begins the day after Labor Day until the Friday before Memorial Day; tubing is ONLY available through the South Entrance off US 27. The shallow and sensitive north section of the river is given the opportunity to regrow and recover from the heavy traffic of the summer. To tube from Mid-point or Dampier's Landing, park in the South parking area. There is no tram service in the off-season.

Will that cause problems if there is no trams between the start and end points? Plus, it looks like you cannot tube the entire length in the off season.