Juniper Springs

It was a long trip back home and we had to drive through the middle of the Ocala National Forest so you tend to see alot of deer grazing and other small animals. But driving their last night was dead no cars or nothing on the way up here. The first place we pulled off at was a dam. I wanted to stop figured maybe it would be worth trampling around. Alot of bigfoot sightings take place near dams because the first get stuck up along them and there is an abundance of water.

Well I started to park and somebody on a dirt bike pulled around the corner. This person appeared to be chasing us they were speeding up and then a high speed chase occurred. I did this to lose this person because the dam is closed at night nobody is supposed to be back their then all of sudden this person gets on a bike and starts speeding. The bike went around the gate and was closing in on us. 

I took off very fast it was like being on a eerie dark race track with nothing but pitch black woods on both sides. I started to pull ahead turned the corner quick made another left and went over a hill. The bike turned the other direction as I could see in the distance a reflection. From my experience in Ocala my first time with Lee we learned our lesson on the nut jobs who like to chase you in the woods so we took no chances here.

We were almost at Juniper Springs when about 50 feet out in front of me jumped a large raccoon. I reacted quickly and swerved to the left well the raccoon which was running to the right changed course and also ran to the left. I ran directly over him with the tires. I felt pretty bad about it because I love raccoons and out of my 100s of investigations never have I hit a raccoon but that was that. Ocala forest is full of much wildlife crossing these roads.

We found Juniper Springs and made our way down a long road leading to a gate house and trailhead area. We seen a light that looked as if it was moving but the closer we got it appeared that it was just the gate house lamp. Their was a firewood shack also nearby that was lit up.

The place was very quiet no activity in the woods and a camper trailer was dark in the camping area near the front gates. We walked up to this dark parking lot a few cars were here but not many and we headed on off directly to the springs. We could hear the rushing water off in the distance as their was a recreation area with picnic benches, a shelter, giant pots, and soda machines.

We walked on over to the springs they were just so large. It looked like one very giant stone swimming pool. The springs were just a natural wonder and honestly I felt more at peace here then anywhere I have investigated in the last few weeks. We started to walk around the springs and noticed a little structure up ahead. 

Lee checked it out and then eventually we headed over their. When I shined my light there was a giant wood water wheel spinning in the deepest area where the springs are 20' deep. This actually was a real water mill and had that barn look to it. I was pretty excited about this.

We had to walk all the way to the other side of the springs to get to the mill which we found out we could have taken a trail which has a bridge on the back side. We took some photos and their was a ghostly presence by the mill I seen it a few times in the flash. We then took the nature trail back to the recreation area and Aaron used the telephone also found a shirt on a soda machine.

This area was well lit their was a general store, patio area and lots of benches around. We left and visited the canoe launch area. Aaron heard something and eventually I heard something moving around. Maybe a gator not to far off or animal its hard to say. But I did my call and it produced no results.

Eventually we left the canoe, recreation and springs area. We wanted to find an actually nature trail which would go deep into the woods where we might get to see something Cryptid. We started to head on back taking this long dark road in the woods. Eventually their was an unmarked natural trail on the right side. It had a small sign saying that the bears here can be dangerous. Then we entered lol but It was not the bears here I was worried about really.

We made good time hiked in deep then I did my call to get whatever is out there's attention. It was rough to do it because at this time in just a couple hours I had developed a fever, sore throat, and headache. But I pulled off a good one and we sat silently a few seconds. Then all of sudden we heard this beastly roar which to me I said right off the bat its a boar. It had that pig type of sound to it not a squeal or anything and hopefully my video recorder picked it up.

After we heard this boar very close to us we knew we pissed it off so I had us head on back to the car. I was not in the mood to slice bacon last night maybe another night you will get that opportunity to see me slice and dice ha. We did make our way back the boar did not follow us. Lee even said it was a boar but he also mentioned that something may have mimicked one to. So we kept an open mind but the sound would be enough for anybody to get the heebie-jeebies.

We got back to the car it was obvious something was following us in the woods. I heard a branch break hard but I do not think that was the boar. This was more amongst the fact something was being quiet slowly following us in the woods watching. We got out of their the activity picked up greatly those last few minutes of leaving the springs.

In conclusion the night turned out real well we had a total of four of us something that has not happened in a long time. We dealt perhaps with a little of everything ghost, perhaps something Cryptid and the unknown.  We took alot of photos and after that it was a pretty long tiring ride back home as it was 6am at this point. 

The hotel might be a place we will visit again maybe next year perhaps to work with EVP, video recordings and things of that sort. I would like to get one of these doors opening or closing on their own. Although we seen no bigfoot at Juniper Springs the sighting that took place here intrigued me enough to want to investigate it last night and hopefully we will return to this hidden jewel in the Ocala woods. It was a real great time getting all together for such a thrilling adventure. Peace
Rick