Juniper Run
Cost:
$50.00 per person (plus $4 park fee). (includes boat, paddle, vest, shuttling and guide)
Using your Own Boat - $35. (many paddlers with their own boats like to join us to learn
more about the history, archaeology and natural history of these
rivers).
Group size: 1 - 24 people
Trip time: 4 - 4.5 hours
Skill level: Intermediate, narrow winding creek can be a challenge for novices
Dates
Join us for a scheduled tour.
(see
calendar
for trips being planned).
If you see a free date on the calendar, suggest
the trip of your choice and we'll post it!
or,
schedule your own private
tour.
Call for details
(386-454-0611)
Location
To see this river's general location, go to the River Locator Map
Description
The first mile of this gentle spring run is one of the most magical places in Florida. A thin sheet of crystal clear spring water skims your boat over the white sand bottom (from an ancient sand dune), as you pass through a fantastic sub-tropical forest of palms, hardwoods and lush under story of shrubs, vines, ferns and herbaceous plants. This is Fern Hammock. After a while, the surrounding forest changes, almost imperceptibly, to a higher and drier forest of oaks, hickory and pine. Then, by the time you've become used to your new surroundings, the flood plain widens again and the river carries you through an alternating series of narrow, myrtle shrouded passageways and open marshes of cattail and wild rice.
After doing this
river, you'll know why Marjorie Rawlings considered naming one of
her books "Juniper Creek". Her editor, having never
seen the river, and therefore being immune to it's spell,
suggested she think of another name. She renamed it "the
Yearling".
Highlights
This beautiful
stream cuts through the heart of the Juniper Prairie Wilderness
area, which is home to a healthy population of Florida black
bears. On our last trip here (I can't believe it's been nearly a
year) we saw a mother and her cub. But we were lucky. Chances of
seeing any of these elusive, mostly nocturnal animals are
slim. Birders will enjoy the chance to see a variety of birds in
the different types of terrain offered on this trip. There are a
number of gators, although our old buddy, a giant 12 - 13 footer
which we enjoyed seeing on nearly every trip, basking in the open
flats, was killed a few years ago. There's also a colony of
otter's that live in the flats and have become pretty adept at
looking cute and getting fed in return. While this is a harmful
practice which we all know is wrong, (right?), it has resulted in
some very sociable otters.
Difficulty
This is a winding
stream with a moderate (by Florida standards) current. Be
prepared to play bumper kayaks. Canoes should be used only by
experienced paddlers and/or those who have a strong (preferably
blissful) relationship. I've seen some seemingly happy couples go
completely "Jerry Springer" in canoes on this river.
One lady (not in our group) even hiked out. Anyway, it winds.
Wildlife
The most notable
wild residents of the run are river otters. In the last mile of
the trip, a colony of otters have been entertaining paddlers with
their antics and curiosity for years. This is also bear country,
though we've only seen two on our explorations here. Upstream,
you'll see songbirds and other forest species. While downstream,
you're more likely to spot wading birds such as egrets, herons
(Great Blue, little blue and green-backed). An osprey, whose nest
you'll see in a huge, dead snag, is pretty usually pretty
persistent in his request for you to paddle-on.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) - The roots of this interesting small plant have been used by natives of both North and South America for food and medicine. Like many other edible wetland plants, these roots will set your mouth on fire if eaten raw. They must be dried or roasted before using. The strange hooded spathe, overhanging and partially concealing the erect spadix inspired this plants name, as well as some of the old lore associated with it. According to the ancient doctrine of signatures, the phallic look of the spadix meant the plant would enhance fertility. As testament to this property, William Cole, a 17th century proponent of this doctrine, claimed that these plants, when eaten, "are notable for stirring up the inclination to copulation." Sadly, most people I know who've eaten these roots, including myself, seem to be immune to this charming attribute. NOTE: This river is a
good place to look for these plants, as they grow right
along the river bank in several places. However, it is
illegal to disturb these plants here in the National
Forest. Look, but don't pick! |
History
When William
Bartram explored this area in 1774, he referred to this beautiful
stream as Six-mile run. He was so enthralled with the fauna, that
he set up camp and spent the day collecting many local plants.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings loved it here also, and wanted to name
one of her novels "Juniper Creek." Her editor
encouraged her to use another name for the book. I shutter to
think of how many tourists might crowd this delicate stream
daily, eager to experience Rawlings' Florida, if the books title
hadn't been changed to "The Yearling."
Recent Trip
Notes and Conditions
(Interesting
sightings or notes? Let us know and we'll post here)
July 20, 2003 - Lots of recent rains have put a little get-up-and-go into this otherwise easy current. A little speed added to the twisting course of this stream makes for a fine workout (and an occasional dunking). Come on in, the water's great!
(Journey Home)
