Silver Glen Springs: An Ocala National Forest Gem

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Today’s post is all about Silver Glen Springs in Ocala National Forest, one of many springs in the area.

We did this as a day trip from Gainesville but it would be a great area for a camping trip, too.

Our first stop was, of course, to admire the spring (crystal clear, 72 degrees year-round!) which also happens to be where the trails are.

Springs Boils Trail

We did the spring boils trail and the Lake George trail, starting with the boils.

This trail is to the right from the main parking area and spring, away from Lake George.

This trail is part dirt, part boardwalk, which you know I love. This about 0.4 miles to get to the boils, so not too far.

I really loved seeing these, they were just sandy little bubbles under the water where the springs boiled up.

They look muddy but it’s just the sand and crystal clear water the springs are known for.

We didn’t really see anything notable along the trail but I’m sure there are lizards and mushrooms and flowers on occasion.

This is an out and back trail, so we just headed back the way we came. We had no plans for our visit here but figured we would do the Lake George Trail, too.

Springs to Lake George Trail

This trail is to the left of the springs, in the opposite direction. It runs parallel to Lake George and offers views of the lake, too.

I really liked this trail a lot, the woods, while they are typical Florida woods, are particularly beautiful.

Instead of the more dense jungle woods, they’re the more open oak woods. It makes sense, I promise.

The trail is pretty wide the whole way, wider at the beginning and narrowing just a bit as it continues.

There was also a little bridge/plank crossing thing over here, but just one.

The underbrush is a lot of palmettos with oaks towering above making a perfect canopy.

Eventually you’ll get to Lake George when you can admire the views. It’s popular for boating so you’ll probably see some.

But it’s a huge lake so you can easily enjoy it without seeing them in every view. You may hear them though.

This is an out and back trail so we turned around and on the way back made a short side trek down to the lake again.

This spot was like a secret surprise white sand beach but instead of the ocean, it was the lake!

It was a beautiful little beach and would be a nice spot to just hang out and relax for a bit.

After enjoying some time here we continued back to the car for the drive back home.

While this isn’t a state park and is a bit more expensive (especially since you can’t use a park pass), it’s definitely worth it.

If you just want to see the spring, it’s not worth the $14 but if you want to do the trails and/or swim, I would highly recommend it!

Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.

Where is Silver Glen Springs?

Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area is on the shores of Lake George and the St. Johns River in Ocala National Forest.

It’s 50 minutes from Ocala, an hour from Daytona Beach, an hour and 15 minutes from Gainesville, 1.5 hours from High Springs and St. Augustine, and two hours from Cocoa Beach.

How long is the Silver Glen Springs hike?

I believe we did the Springs Boils Trail and then the Springs to Lake George Trail. They are 0.8 miles and 2.3 miles, respectively, for just over three miles total.