Juniper Creek Run Canoe & Kayak Rental — Local services in Belleview

Where to start, first off I feel that Juniper Creek Run Canoe & Kayak Rental needs to be more up front with how hard and technical Juniper Springs Run is. This run is NOT for beginners and I would even hesitate to bring young children on this run.

By no means am I an expert kayaker, but I am very good at reading water, steering and navigating small human powered boats,(Rower, coxswain and crew coach and love kayaking) This run was difficult in a larger heavier sit on top kayak. Not sure it would have been any easier in a smaller less heavy kayak. The top of the run, where the water is crystal clear, is very narrow and shallow, as is only inches of water and a very strong current. Like any run, there are downed trees, smudged rocks and branches, along with very low tree branches and trees that go totally across the water way. The water level was next high on the day we went, but since our kayaks sit higher in the water, we had to climb over 3 trees.

There just was not any time to really take in the beauty of being in Juniper Prairie in the Ocala National Forest, you have to stay on your toes to make sure you do not get caught in an eddy or run into a tree.

Juniper creek run and canoe & kayak rental company is not allowed to cut branches/trees that impede the run, and there are some large items that can easily take you out if you are not watching.

This is a long 7+ mile long paddle, you are in nature there are NO takes out along the route, you have to finish the run all the way to the takeout point. You cannot turn around and go back to the start it is one way only.

Besides the twists, hairpin turns, shallow waters, smudged branches, there are Rapids after the 5 mile mark. While short, they are mighty if you are not prepared or do not know how to navigate them. Plenty of kayaks and canoes go over at this spot. Be prepared and make sure all of your items (shoes, phones, water bottles…) are secured.

While I do not mind seeing alligators on the banks while kayaking, we did not see Elvis the alligator, and I was glad not to see him, as I did not feel as if there would have been enough space to keep a safe distance.

As for Juniper creek run canoe and kayak rental, the staff was friendly and helpful. Their shuttle was on time and the driver was very nice.

Now that I have kayaked Juniper Springs and can cross it off my list I can say I will not be back.

If you are not an experienced kayaker, kayaking with children or just looking for a run that is more relaxing to enjoy nature, than I would highly recommend going down the road to Silver Springs. There is a 5.5 mile run that is absolutely stunning.

Hope this is helpful, be safe and enjoy...

We drove 3.5 hours from Palm Beach county to come up for Juniper run on August 5. We brought our dog to a sitter and picked my wife’s parents up to come with us and our 6 year old son. I’ve been going down Juniper run with my parents since I was very young and love it very much. We took a weekday off to avoid crowds and called the day before to ensure there were no closures or issues. Your website states very clearly that children under 12 are not recommended for the run (though I’ve gone my whole life and loved it) but not that they are required to be of any age or weight. Your website states that children under 8 years old are not permitted to ride on the shuttle bus back to the park - which we accepted and planned for. To avoid the hassle of bringing our boat up, we decided to rent one of your kayaks. We left very early in the morning and arrived shortly after 8am when the gate opened. The woman at the front desk told us because our son was under 8, he was not permitted to go down the run on your kayaks. We escalated the matter to her manager who said it was a company policy, had to do with the lawyers and liability insurance policy and that the website needed to be updated (this exact complaint happened 1 year ago - see the Google review in images, how long does it take to update your website? How many people do you need to inconvenience first?), and he offered no resolution on the matter, but said we could go down the road to Alexander and rent a boat with them no problem, which is the SAME company and made no sense. He then rudely closed the sliding glass door in our faces. Nowhere on your website does it state this. Your liability waiver policy, which is displayed on your website, says nothing about an age limit. We would have brought our own boat had we known this would be an issue. I do not appreciate the lack of professionalism from the manager and the disregard for our situation and the extent we went to based on false information on your website. Why not allow anyone to sign a liability waiver for the run? Where has common sense and self-accepted risk gone? Consider the amount of children at young ages that could love and enjoy the park, just as I and my sisters did growing up, but they will be deprived unless their family is able to bring their own vessel? Unacceptable. Charging $14 per person just to get in the park for day use is gouging and ridiculous, further unjustified based on the complaints in the reviews about damaged boardwalks and lack of property maintenance. Everyone should be able to enjoy the park at their own accepted risk....

The lone supply needed for this journey is a pre scheduled therapy session because a psychiatrist’s office is the only safe place this river of death will lead you. You’ll be trauma bonded for life with anyone who joins you and recounting the series of events to anyone who has not been terrorized by this river will only result in disbelief.

If, like me, you’ve kayaked many Florida rivers and think you’ll conquer this one with ease, you’re sorely mistaken. Heed the warnings. Your skills pale in comparison to what will be needed for this 7 mile trail of terror. Once you enter the lethal lagoon, there is no stopping, only strenuous paddling with a swift current for 4.5 hours. When the time comes to stop for a necessary sip of water, be prepared to fight for your life out of the thorny, tick ridden bushes at every sharp turn. All 672 of them. Navigating the thick foliage, logs in the water, legit rapids and switchbacks in a tandem kayak is enough to put Olympic rowers to shame. You’ll flip enough times that swimming with the gators will almost be a welcoming by the end, to enjoy relief from the relentless paddling.

They’ll tell you this narrow passageway of a river widens after the first 2 miles. The only thing that expands beyond that point is your imagination for what lurks below as you transition from clear shallow water to a deep murky torrent. If the 12 foot gators are not enough to get your adrenaline pumping, the snakes, spiders and deadly water hemlock lining the banks will surely have you questioning your judgment.

Do not ignore the read flags. Ask yourself how many other Florida springs adhere to the following: 🚩A waiver 🚩An orientation 🚩Watching a 7 minute video 🚩Do not allow kids on the rented kayaks 🚩Smile when mentioning the “aggressive” gator at mile 6 🚩Sell Aan “I survived” souvenir sticker

In conclusion, you cannot convince me, anyone, literally anyone who works here has ever stepped foot in this river or has read a single independent review- only a scripted explanation. You also can’t convince me more deaths haven’t occurred here and have been scrubbed from the internet. The reason kids are not allowed in the kayaks is NOT because of the shuttle insurance, it’s because there is a very real risk of death for adults and even higher for kids. Don’t let them fool you with that nonsense. In all seriousness, the trail is beautiful but negligent to...