The Wandering Disciple

If you ditch the hustle and bustle of the highways and interstates of coastal Florida, life slows down a bit. As you cruise the country roads that span the middle of the peninsula, you get a glimpse into old Florida before the development boom.  This is section of road passes through the Ocala National Forest. The forest is the second largest preserved forest in the country and preserves sand pine scrubs, several springs and much more. The park encompasses 430,000 acres in the northern portion of the peninsula outside of Ocala.  Taken: November 11, 2011 at Ocala National Forest (Ocala, FL)

The Cross Florida Barge Canal as it passes through the Ocala National Forest near US-19. The barge was originally designed to allow shipping traffic to cross from the Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico. But the project was never completed due to environmental concerns. (Photo: November 11, 2011)

Ocala, Florida: At 607 square miles, the Ocala National Forest is the second largest national forest in Florida. Millions of visitors visit the forest each year to enjoy the great outdoors within the forest. The forest was established in 1908 making it one of the first National Forests east of the Mississippi River. Stretched out amongst four counties, the forest encompasses 383,000 acres containing over 600 bodies of water. It is home to plenty of wildlife including black bears, alligators, deer foxes and many other animals. The park is a popular place for hiking, camping, off-roading or just traveling the scenic roads and taking in the beauty of the wilderness. There is a collection of visitor’s center, recreation areas and trails to help visitors enjoy the forest. A few of the popular ones include: Alexander Springs: first magnitude spring. Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway: 60 miles of scenic roads. Juniper Run: top 25 canoe trail. Juniper Springs: one of the oldest recreation areas...