Alexander Springs Wilderness

The Alexander Springs Wilderness is one of four designated Wildernesses in the Ocala National Forest of central Florida. Established in 1984 and managed by the U.S. Forest Service, it borders the Lake Woodruff Wilderness to the north and southeast. The Wilderness is named for Alexander Springs Creek, which meanders through its swampy heart toward a confluence with the St. Johns River. (The eponymous first-magnitude springs that give rise to the creek actually lie several miles away, on the edge of the Billies Bay Wilderness.) The St. Johns defines the northern and eastern boundaries. Though waterlogged bottomland dominates, some higher ground does exist: the scrub uplands in the west, Kimball Island in the northeast, and scattered Indian shell mounds. Landmarks include Stagger Mud, Kimball, Lee, and Horseshoe Mud lakes; a cluster of ponds in the western uplands; and the sluggish courses of Stagger and Get Out creeks. Much of the area is hardwood swamp forest interspersed with hammocks of cabbage palm and live oak. The western and southern reaches include tracts of sand-pine scrub, an imperiled ecosystem that finds its greatest refuge in the Ocala National Forest. A rich array of wildlife uses the river, wetland, and forest mosaic — keep an eye out for alligators, white-tailed deer, red-shouldered hawks, and a plethora of wading birds. The easiest way to explore is by boat: no trails or old tracks exist for easy foot access. Alexander Springs Creek provides an excellent venue for paddling, though you may encounter motorboats on the creek, allowed by the Florida Wilderness Act of 1984. Canoes can be rented at Alexander Springs Recreation Area and paddled downstream into the Wilderness. No haulback service is offered, which means an upstream return paddle or a shuttle back to the Recreation Area.