Last updated on April 15th, 2026 at 09:40 am
The Ocklawaha River almost died, but kayaking one of its pristine sections, you’d barely know it here.
This section of the Ocklawaha River near Ocala forms the western border of Ocala National Forest. Here the Ocklawaha is wild, pristine, profoundly quiet and lined with ancient cypress trees. It’s the sort of the place where in an eight-mile kayak trip, we saw one beer can, two man-made structures and dozens of birds, turtles and gators.
With an excellent outfitter providing livery service for downstream paddling as well as cabins, RV sites and tent camping, it’s an appealing destination for a nature-filled getaway.
Why was the Ocklawaha River at risk? A project called the Cross Florida Barge Canal.
This canal, designed to be a shortcut for ships between the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, began in 1964. Its proposed route followed the Ocklawaha River and would have widened and channelized it. It was never finished, though, thanks to opposition from Florida environmentalists.
What remains from that project is the Rodman dam, which interupts the Ocklawaha’s natural flow from the St. Johns River. If you have heard of the Ocklawaha, it may be because of the fight to have the Rodman Dam removed. A bill to remove the dam has passed the Florida Legislature, but was vetoed by the governor.
Construction of the canal never reached this central section of the Ocklawaha River along Ocala National Forest. The canal project was killed in 1971 after it was almost a third complete.
The only sign of the canal project on this section of the river are its huge bridges – towering structures designed to accommodate big barges — a strange site on a small river in the middle of a forest.
When the canal project was killed, land along the river became the one-mile wide Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. This corridor allows black bears, deer, bobcats, otters and other wildlife, which is plentiful, to move freely. It’s named in honor of the woman who led the fight to save the river.
Here’s more about the “free the Ocklawaha” cause.
Kayaking a wild section of the Ocklawaha River
When I decided to paddle the Ocklawaha a few years ago, I only vaguely knew the history. I was merely looking for a pretty river explore. The Ocklawaha River delivered, and I recommend it as one of Florida’s less well-known kayaking destinations.
There’s a steady current, so with livery service and a one-way route, it was an easy and relaxing paddle. Fallen trees and limbs have been cut to allow small boats to pass. Much of the Oklawaha’s water comes from the spring-fed Silver River, so lower portions of the river have spring-like clear water with fish visible.
We arranged our trip through Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost and Resort, which also rents six cabins that sleep up to six and has spaces for RV and tent camping.
On a December weekday, We took the most popular trip, the four-hour paddle from Gores Landing north to the outpost. You could easily spend more time on this trip if you explored the tributaries and stopped to take photos.
The Ocklawaha (which is unusual in that it flows north) is a long river, so there are many options for paddling trips. The outfitter offers trips of different lengths, including two- and three-day overnight trips with camping at primitive sites along the river. There are also several launch sites that would be good places for an out-and-back paddles not requiring a livery service.
We saw just one other boat the day we visited. We saw uncountable turtles, a dozen alligators and a variety of birds including our favorites that day: kingfishers flitting about with their big heads and rattling call.
There are several nearby spring-fed streams that might beat the Ocklawaha for sheer beauty – the Silver River and Juniper Springs in Ocala National Forest, for example. But the Ocklawaha River is the only one of the three that lends itself to a multi-day outing with primitive camping; the only one where you can be immersed in nature for several days. And compared to the Silver and Juniper, it has far fewer people.
Paddling the eight-mile section of the river, I had the feeling I was far from the commercial world. The space seemed vast, with no telltale highway sounds or power lines to bring me back to daily life.
And the Ocklawaha is worth experiencing because it’s nice to celebrate that it’s still there.
Tips for planning a trip on the Ocklawaha River
- Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost Resort, 15260 NE 152nd Place, Fort McCoy, FL 32134. 352-236-4606 or 866-236-4606.
- The half-day liveried paddle trip I took from Gores Landing can be done in canoes, double kayaks or single kayak.
- Map of Ocklawaha trip options from Outpost.
- There are also options for a one-night camping trip and a two-night trip with two nights on the river.
- Cabins at the Ocklawaha Outpost are efficiently designed and cute but very compact. The outpost also offers RV full hook-ups.
- Oklawaha Outpost will provide livery service if you bring your own canoe or kayak. Call for details: 352-236-4606 or 866-236-4606.
- A less expensive non-liveried alternative would be to bring your own kayak or canoe and put in at Gores Landing, where primitive camping is available for $5 a night. It’s not to hard to paddle upstream and back for a pretty trip on the Ocklawaha River.
Things to do near Ocala and Ocala National Forest
- Florida Rambler: Six things to do in Ocala National Forest
- Ocala National Forest home page
- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ Cross Creek
- Near Cross Creek, you can dine at the historic Yearling Restaurant, 14531 E. County Road 325, Cross Creek, just down the road from the state park. The 59-year-old restaurant celebrates the Florida Cracker culture. It serves Rawlings’ legendary sour orange pie, as well as frog legs, catfish, venison and the best cheese grits I’ve ever had. It’s decorated with antique outboard motors, old guns and enough memorabilia to be an antique store.
- Historic Micancopy, Florida’s oldest inland city, is a few miles away and is a great place to browse antique shops. Herlong Mansion Historic Inn and Gardens in Micancopy is a bed and breakfast known for its white pillars, wide verandas and Southern hospitality.
- Nearby Paynes Prairie State Park offers extensive hiking plus shaded sites for tents, trailers or RV camping. The park is known for its wild horses and bison, sinkholes, birdwatching and alligators.
