Silver Lake is part of the Withlacoochee River watershed system which begins in Polk and Lake counties, and then flows west and north, eventually discharging into the Gulf in Citrus county.
Silver Lake is located adjacent to I-75 in eastern Hernando County in the area of Ridge Manor. It lies within the Croom Tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest. It is an expansive lake that is popular for kayaking, fishing and boating. There are also camping facilities, but you’ll want to look for a spot further from I-75, as noise from the highway can be heard on the northern end of the lake.
The Withlacoochee State Forest provides canoe trails. Three trails begin on Silver Lake:
• Silver Lake/River Junction to County Road 476 bridge at Nobleton is 10 miles.
• Silver Lake/River Junction to Iron Bridge is 3 miles.
• Silver Lake/River Junction to Hog Island is 6.5 miles.
Links to the maps are available on freshfromflorida.com.
A forested area with numerous cypress trees line the lake and provides a shaded hiking path. We took a short walk starting at the northern end of the lake and traveled south along the water’s edge. We came upon a cypress with a gnarled base about 10 feet wide. It was quite impressive.
There are ample spots available for a picnic from individual tables to pavilions which can be reserved for parties.
The Silver Lake recreational complex boasts three campgrounds: Silver Lake campground, Cypress Glen Campground and the Crooked River Campground.
On the southern end of Silver Lake is the River Junction recreation area. The old girl scout camp is located in this vicinity. Here, treehouse style cabins were built up on poles, which is an interesting sight to see. The 72 acre girl scout camp was active from the 1960’s until the 80’s.
In order to get into the cabin, a girl would have to ‘shimmy’ up the center pole and then drop down the rope ladder which was stored inside the cabin. We look forward to returning to Silver Lake to explore this fascinating piece of history.
You can find more information on Silver Lake by visiting freshfromflorida.com.