The 14,283-acre Juniper Prairie Wilderness in Ocala National Forest contains a mosaic of habitats bound together by the flow of open prairies, many with ponds, across the landscape. The diverse ecosystems include pine flatwoods, hardwood swamps, shallow lakes, grassy prairies, sand pine scrub, oak scrub, sinkholes and sawgrass marsh. An 8-mile portion of the Florida Trail traverses the entire Juniper Prairie Wilderness between Juniper Springs and the Pat’s Island Trailhead. The United States Congress designated the Juniper Prairie Wilderness in 1984. [Source: U.S. Forest Service]
