Outdoors & Nature Insider

Along Juniper Run Credit: Kevin Mims

Still looking for a fun adventure for your Spring Break? Maybe you should think about taking a paddling trip down one of Florida's outstanding rivers. Florida has plenty to choose that are perfect for a two- or three-day paddling trip, complete with primitive camping areas that make for an awesome adventure.

I've spent plenty of time on Florida's rivers, on day trips, weekenders and some week-long excursions that, at the end of the paddle, have left me with great memories and quite a few stories to tell. Hey, everyone loves a great adventure story! Some stories revolve around amazing situations that are breathtaking and have left me speechless. Other stories are more lighthearted and revolve around some crazy situation I got myself into. Both types of stories always are great around a campfire.

Once I was kayaking in the Crystal River area, and my boat was flanked on both sides by dolphins. They hung around for a good while, breaking the surface to breathe. That was a great trip! Contrast that with another trip down Juniper Run in the Ocala National Forest where I got so caught up video recording the surroundings that I got swept sideways into a tree and dumped my kayak upside down. Refreshing, but expensive! My video camera didn't seem to appreciate the dip in the clear waters of Juniper Run as much as I did.

Both experiences were very memorable, and that's what it is all about. While I wish I wouldn't have flipped my kayak over and ruined my video camera, it still makes for a funny story and gets a few chuckles every now and then. I invite you to create your own stories on these two rivers:

The Suwannee River

Take a paddle back in time down the tea-colored Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, a paddling route that takes you to all the way to the Gulf of Mexico that is perfect for a few days on the water.  Don't worry, you don't have to paddle the entire trail, unless you want to, of course!  Start your trip at White Springs where you can rent kayaks or canoes from American Canoe Adventures. There are plenty of places to camp along the way, including primitive camping, chickee huts and cabins. Take a look at the SRWT Web site, it might just be the adventure you have been looking for!

The Peace River

For a shorter trip, I recommend paddling the Peace River between Zolfo Springs and Gardner. Excellent scenery makes this section one of my favorite paddling trips. Paddle downstream 23 miles to Gardner, and you can camp along the west bank, making for a great weekend trip.The Peace River is also very popular for those interested in fossil hunting, and sharks' teeth are commonly found along the sandy bottom of the waterway. Oh, it's also on VISIT FLORIDA's 'Been There, Haven't Done That' list, perhaps you should check the list for some other neat adventures around the state!