One segment of Marion County's southwestern border is the Withlachoochee River, famous for its beauty and the wildlife in and around it. The largest of Florida's 300 springs, it gushes 550 million gallons of water daily. Visitors like viewing it from glass-bottomed boats. There's also a petting zoo for the kids, a nature trail for the energetic of all ages and a reptile institute. It's home to the endangered Florida panther, many species of birds plus lots of alligators, raccoons and rabbits.
Camps sites are abundant.
Lake Eaton Sinkhole features stairs to its bottom, interpretive signs and a 1.7-mile trail that fosters understanding of a mini but complete ecosystem. The forest's 12-mile Juniper Springs offers sensational canoeing, but hiking, cave diving, swimming, boating, fishing and hunting are other popular activities of visitors and residents. Yes, several small towns are actually within the park's borders. The Cross Creek area made famous by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings novel, The Yearling , is only a few miles over the county's northern border in neighboring Alachua County. For those who aren't involved in hiking, diving or canoeing, golf courses and tennis courts are available.