Alexander Springs Ocala National Forest

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Alexander Springs is a first-magnitude spring in Ocala National Forest. It has a wide, shallow swimming beach, clear water for snorkeling, and a paddling run through the trees. It’s an easy day trip from Orlando, or a base for a night or two at the on-site campground. The short version: come for the water, stay for the paddle.

I’ve floated and snorkeled springs like this one all over Florida since I was a kid. Alexander has always been the one I point people toward first. It doesn’t have the crowds of the theme-park-adjacent springs near Orlando. The beach is big enough that even a busy Saturday rarely feels packed by 10 a.m. It’s far enough into the forest that cell service gets spotty, so plan your route before you leave pavement.

Alexander Springs Recreation Area

The recreation area sits along County Road 445, in the northeast corner of Lake County, between the small towns of Astor and Altoona. It’s built around a single spring boil that feeds Alexander Run. The swimming beach, a picnic area, a canoe and kayak launch, and the campground all sit within a short walk of each other.

The spring is broad and shallow near the beach, then drops off toward the boil. Cypress and palm crowd the banks. The water holds a constant 72°F no matter the season. Alexander is one of three well-known springs inside Ocala National Forest, along with Juniper Springs and Salt Springs. It’s the only one of the three that allows certified scuba divers in the water. Sand extends well out from shore before the bottom drops away, so there’s no sudden ledge to catch a wading kid off guard.

Category	Details
Location.	County Road 445, Ocala National Forest, between Astor and Altoona.
Water temperature.	72°F year-round.
Swimming & snorkeling.	Open year-round. Certified scuba diving allowed by permit.
Camping.	67 sites across four loops. Book through recreation.gov.
Gate hours.	Locks at 8pm March to October, 6pm November to February.
Fee.	Day-use and camping fees apply. Check the current fee on fs.usda.gov.

Alexander Springs entrance fee

Alexander Springs charges a per-person day-use fee at the swimming and picnic area. That’s separate from the campground rate. The recreation.gov listing for the campground also notes a per-vehicle, per-night charge for extra vehicles. Neither page lists an actual dollar amount, and the forest’s own recreation-area page wasn’t loading as of this writing. Check the current fee on fs.usda.gov before you go, rather than trusting a number from a third-party site.

The schedule is easier to pin down. The recreation area is open year-round. Camping check-in is 2 p.m. and check-out is 11 a.m. The entrance gate locks at 8 p.m. from March through October, and 6 p.m. from November through February. Show up after the gate locks and you won’t get in without calling ahead.

Alexander Springs snorkeling

The swimming beach is wide and shallow near shore, which makes it an easy spring for kids and weak swimmers. It slopes down toward the boil, where the water gets noticeably deeper. Snorkelers who swim out toward the boil find schools of small fish moving through the eelgrass. It’s common to see a turtle surface near the swimming line. Visibility here rivals any spring in the state, and that constant 72°F water stays clear year-round, not just after a dry spell.

Alexander is also the one spring in Ocala National Forest where certified scuba divers can get in the water, gear and all. It’s not a deep cave system like Devil’s Den over in Williston. This is open-water diving in a spring boil. It’s still a real draw for local dive clubs. You’ll usually spot a couple of divers suiting up on the beach on a weekend. Bring your own mask and fins if you snorkel often. The concession stand rents gear, but the fit is never as good as your own.

Ocala National Forest canoe rental

Alexander Run flows out of the spring boil into the Alexander Springs Wilderness, a short paddle worth setting aside an hour for. The launch sits right next to the swimming area. Rent a canoe or kayak on-site through the concession, or put in with your own boat. Either way, you’re paddling through cypress and palm with almost no development in sight once you clear the first bend.

Most people paddle out and back rather than commit to a longer one-way trip. That means no shuttle to arrange and no set turnaround time. The water is slow-moving and flat. That makes it a forgiving paddle for a first-timer or a family with kids in the boat, nothing like the whitewater runs out west. Lily pads crowd the shallows in spots. It’s common to spot a heron or an osprey working the banks. Go early. The run stays shaded for the first stretch, and the light through the cypress canopy is better before the sun gets high.

Timucuan Trail Ocala

The Timucuan Trail is a short loop near the campground, well under a mile. It winds through a hammock of cabbage palm, with a couple of spots where the forest opens onto the spring run. This isn’t a hike you’d plan a trip around. Think of it as a stretch-your-legs option before or after a swim, one shaded enough to walk at midday in summer without much trouble.

A blue-blazed connector trail also links the recreation area to the Florida National Scenic Trail. It’s the long-distance footpath that runs the length of the state. You don’t need a thru-hike to use it. Even a mile or two out and back gets you into quieter forest than the loop near the campground.

Ocala National Forest camping

The campground has 67 sites split across four loops. Level parking pads work for RVs as well as tents, and sites are shaded throughout. Each loop has its own bathhouse with flush toilets and showers, plus a small camp store on-site for firewood and basic supplies. Recreation.gov lists it as open year-round, with reservations required rather than first-come, first-served.

Black bears and raccoons both turn up in the campground on a regular basis. That’s normal for Ocala National Forest, and it’s not a reason to skip it. It’s a reason to store food properly and keep a clean site. Beyond that, it’s a straightforward, well-run campground. Potable water is at each loop, a boat ramp sits near the canoe launch, and the swimming beach is a short walk, no car needed. Book early for a weekend in spring or fall. Those two seasons bring milder weather and lower water levels, and everyone wants them.

Ocala National Forest springs

Alexander, Juniper, and Salt Springs sit inside the same national forest, and they get compared constantly. They’re built for different trips, though. Alexander is the swim-and-snorkel pick, with the widest beach of the three and the only scuba access. Juniper Springs is built around its canoe run, a paddle through the forest along Juniper Run. It draws people who want more time on the water than in it. Salt Springs has a faint mineral taste and a bigger swimming basin, with blue crabs in the shallows. Its campground is the most RV-friendly of the three, with hookups Alexander doesn’t have.

If you only have time for one, match it to what you actually want to do. Come to Alexander to swim and snorkel. Go to Juniper to paddle. Pick Salt Springs if you’re pulling an RV and want hookups. All three sit within a half hour of each other on forest roads. A two-day trip that hits two of the three isn’t a stretch if you’re already out here.

Spring	Best for	Swimming	Camping
Alexander Springs.	Swimming and snorkeling.	Wide sandy beach, scuba allowed.	67 sites, four loops.
Juniper Springs.	Canoeing.	Small spring pool by the old mill.	On-site campground.
Salt Springs.	RV camping.	Large basin, mineral water, blue crabs.	RV hookups available.

Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.

Does Alexander Springs have alligators?

Yes. Alligators turn up in the spring basin and along the run, same as at most Florida springs with a natural shoreline. It’s rarely an issue for swimmers who stay in the marked area near the beach. It’s worth knowing before you paddle Alexander Run. You’re more likely to see one at a distance there than anywhere near the swimming beach.

Can you swim at Alexander Springs?

Yes, swimming is the main draw. The beach is wide and shallow near shore. The water holds steady at 72°F year-round, and there’s no closed season the way some manatee-viewing springs have.

Is there camping at Alexander Springs?

Yes. The on-site campground has 67 sites across four loops, with bathhouses and a small store. Reservations go through recreation.gov rather than first-come, first-served.

How much does Alexander Springs cost?

There’s a per-person day-use fee and a separate camping rate. Neither recreation.gov nor the forest’s own page had a current dollar figure posted at the time of writing. Check the current fee on fs.usda.gov before you go.

Before you head out, our Florida springs guide rounds up the rest of the state’s best springs. Our camping gear checklist is worth a look too. It fits right in if a night at the campground or a float on the run is part of the plan.

Also in Ocala National Forest: Juniper Springs and Salt Springs. Florida springs for camping lines up all three campgrounds.

Published October 1, 2026.