47717 NFS 540 2

Escape the Noise. Take a ride down a dirt road in the Ocala National Forest or float, canoe, kayak or use a trolling motor down Alexander Springs Creek to the bend and you will find 2.5 acres of serenity with the sights and sounds of the forest not the city. Hear the breeze rustling through the tree tops, the birds singing to one another and the Hoot Owl saying "Hooty Who to You!" Nestled between Alexander Springs and the St John's River is this Rustic Cabin built in the 1960s. This forest cabin has two bedrooms, two sleeping lofts, a great room with kitchen area, a storeroom, and a very practical (for larger groups) “separated” toilet, sink and shower combination. It can comfortably sleep eight, even ten when using the built-in settees. The large chimney is formed from used-brick, with a fire-brick firebox. Adjacent the fireplace is a built-in charcoal grill, with a compartment for firewood below. The high ceiling is decked in pecky cypress and runs the length of the cabin. Another favorite soundscape comes on a rainy night, with the cold patter on the metal roof offset by the warm crackle of an oak wood fire. For those hot summer months, the bedrooms have window-unit air conditioners, the great room has ceiling fans suspended from the beams, and the south sleeping loft has a whole-house exhaust fan. But the spring and fall are most often enjoyed from the screened porch which wraps the two creek-view sides- perfect for napping while overlooking Spring Creek (Sea Island-style hammock included!). While resting in that hammock, enjoy the babbling sound of the artesian spring splashing into the “fish pond” (great for keeping your catch fresh and lively until the grill is ready). The spring feed can also be valved off; the better to “hear” the silence of the forest, broken only by the evening hoot-owl concert. Underneath the cabin is a rack for the Grumman canoe (also included) and a steel cabinet for securing paddles, tools and large items like an outboard motor or trolling motor, if desired. Creekside, we find two docks, bracketing a deep whirlpool, where largemouth bass are frequently found. And down by the canoe launch is the boat shed, complete with motorized lift. The parking area is accessed by a U-drive with two gates, adjacent to a covered woodshed which is large enough for a cargo trailer in addition to the firewood racks and the Gravely walk-behind mower (included). The large stand-alone outdoor grill is built from brick and lined with firebrick, and roofed in case of a sudden rain shower.