|
State Park Location Maps:
(click here to zoom and navigate local map)
(click here to zoom and navigate regional map)
View TOPO Maps!
State Park Photo Gallery:
volunteer positions open
State Park Event Calendar:
volunteer positions open
Nearby Parks:
Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge
Saint Lucie Inlet State Park
|
|
| State Park Overview: |
 | Located just south of Stuart, this park teems with wildlife in 13 natural communities, including sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods, mangroves, and river swamps. The Loxahatchee River, Florida's first federally designated Wild and Scenic River, runs through the park. Ranger-guided tours of the 1930s pioneer homestead of Trapper Nelson are available year-round. Visitors can enjoy paved and off-road biking, equestrian, and hiking trails. Boating, canoeing, and kayaking along the river are also great ways to see the park. Anglers can catch freshwater fish along the riverbank or from a boat. The park offers two full-facility campgrounds and a youth/group primitive campground. Visitors can arrange boat tours of the river and rent canoes, kayaks, and motorboats by calling (561) 746-1466. Located 12 miles south of Stuart on U.S. 1. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
|
|
Old Florida a must see
The park has a vast eco system. From sand dunes on the east to the marsh and mangroves on the west. The cabins allow a wonderful camping experience for the heat of the summer and give you ample time to enjoy the park during the day and then the amazing view in the evening sky. We have spotted many animals; deer, hogs, tourtisues, squirls, bats, woodpeckers, and other birds we did not know the names of. The park has a nice playground and wonderful rental items from boats, to canoes and kayaks, the guided river tour is a plus as it takes up thru the winding river to an amazing landmark of old florida. trapper nelsons camp. As you come into the park make sure to ask for the audio tour. It is another amazing free feature where you can learn as you drive in the ac:) amazing facts and the kids enjoyed the sound effects as well as the facts we got to learn and discuss along the way. For those of you with bikes, there is a lovely trail for you to enjoy and then the more edge of the bikers they even have a mountian biking lesson trail with many options to work your skills on. A great park for the whole family or a lovers getaway.
(name not given)
14-Jul-2008
| |
|
|
| Camping: |
| Two family campgrounds are to be found at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Pine Grove Campground, with 90 sites, is located near the ranger station in the east part of the park. The River Campground is about four miles from the park entrance, near the Loxahatchee River. It has 45 sites. Both campgrounds have large, tiled bathhouses with hot-water showers, and sites with water, electric, table and grill. There is a dump station in each campground. For reservations call ReserveAmerica at 1-800-326-3521.
Primitive Camping
Two backpack camps are available on segments of the Florida Trail. One is nine miles out along the trail, and the other is 12 miles out. A pitcher pump is located near each camp; WATER MUST BE TREATED. Overnight trips to these sites must begin by certain specified times of the day; call the ranger station at 772-546-2771 for information and reservations.
Youth Camping
The park has three youth group sites, for up to 30 persons each. Each site is equipped with tables and a fire circle, and a composting toilet. There is no water in this area; the closest potable water is about a mile away at the picnic area. |
| Trails: |
| Horse Trails
Eight miles of horse trail start at the Eaglesview area, for those trailering their own horses into the park. Trail maps are available at the ranger station.
Nature Trails
Four, scenic nature trails wind through the park, allowing visitors to explore the park?s various habitats. The Kitching Creek-Wilson Creek Trails start in the picnic area parking lot, and lead the visitor through pine flatwoods and along the creeks. The Kitching Creek portion is a self-guiding trail, with a brochure available. The Hobe Mountain Trail is a short, beautiful boardwalk that climbs up through the sand pine scrub to the observation tower, from which commanding views of the entire park and surrounding area may be had. The Sand Pine Scrub Nature Trail is actually the beginning ? mile of our portion of the Florida Trail. A self-guiding leaflet is available at the ranger station for this trail.
|
| Picnicking: |
| A large picnic area is found on the shores of the Loxahatchee, with dozens of picnic tables and grills. Four picnic pavilions are found here, and three are reservable for a fee. The "Loxahatchee" and "Wilson Creek" pavilions are $60.00 plus tax (10 tables - 60 persons) and the larger "Kitching Creek" pavilion is $90.00 plus tax (20 tables - 120 persons). Call the ranger station at 772-546-2771 for reservations. One pavilion is left for first-come, first-served, and the other three may be similarly used if they have not been reserved. The concession store is located here, with drinks, snacks, tour boat tickets, and canoe rentals. Two nature trails start here, and a children's playground is centrally located. |
| Boating: |
| Boat Ramp
A newly rebuilt boat launch ramp is available on the Loxahatchee River. The Loxahatchee eventually leads to the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Please observe the "idle speed" limit on the river within the park.
Boat Tours
The 44-passenger Loxahatchee Queen II takes visitors on a two-hour tour of the river, with a stop at the restored camp of Trapper Nelson, the "Wildman of the Loxahatchee." At the site, park staff lead visitors around the grounds and buildings of a true Florida original, who made his living off the land as a trapper and fur trader. Once fame caught up with Trapper however, he evolved himself and his home into one of the area's first tourist attractions, "Trapper's Zoo and Jungle Gardens." Trapper's unsolved death in 1968 gives a fitting sense of mystery to the site. Trapper's is open Wednesday through Sunday, and is accessible only by private canoe or boat or by the concession's tour boat. Call the park concession at 561-746-1466 for information on times and prices for the Loxahatchee Queen II.
Boating
The Loxahatchee is famous throughout the state for canoeing and kayaking. The upper river winds its way under a canopy of centuries-old cypress trees, giving a real back-in-time experience. On the lower section, the river becomes a mangrove-lined estuary, with ample bird life along its shores. In 1985, the Loxahatchee was designated as Florida's first "National Wild & Scenic River." The park concession offers rental canoes, kayaks, and motorboats. Please observe the "idle speed" limit on the river within the park.
|
| Swimming: |
| A beautiful sandy swimming beach is available on the shores of the Loxahatchee River. No lifeguards are present, so please exercise due caution. It is adjacent to the reservable Loxahatchee picnic pavilion, and a new, modern bathhouse with outdoor shower. |
| Fishing and Hunting: |
| Fishing in the Loxahatchee River varies from freshwater fishing in the upper river to saltwater angling as you approach the picnic area and boat ramp. There can be some overlap of species; it is possible to catch snook and snapper far upriver near Trapper?s, and largemouth bass as far down as the mouth of Kitching Creek. Be sure you have the appropriate license (or licenses) for the area and species you are fishing. Check with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for more information. Freshwater fishing is also available in several of the ponds and lakes, mainly in the eastern and southeastern areas of the park. |
| History of the Area: |
| The Loxahatchee River, named a National Wild and Scenic River in 1985, winds its way through the park, passing under a canopy of centuries-old cypress trees. The river has a timeless beauty all its own, "possessing remarkable ecological and recreational values which are unique in the United States."
Legends are nothing new to the east coast of Florida. In 1696, a Quaker merchant named Jonathan Dickinson shipwrecked off the coast in the area of Hobe Sound. Dickinson, his family and other survivors, made an arduous journey along the coast to St. Augustine. His journal, describing encounters with Native Americans and Spanish settlers, gives valuable information about life in early Florida.
The 44-passenger Loxahatchee Queen II takes visitors up the Loxahatchee River to the pioneer homesite of Trapper Nelson. Nelson came to the area in the 1930s and lived off the land by trapping and selling furs. He quickly became famous as the "Wildman of the Loxahatchee." After his death in 1968, the state acquired his land, preserving his home and grounds for future generations to enjoy. |
| |
|
| |
| | Note to Park related businesses:
List your vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental or any other park related activity, park related attraction or park related service on Google or StateParks.com. (more).... |
|
| Related Links: |
| Jonathan Dickinson State Park - Jonathan Dickinson State Park Overview | | Florida Park Tours: Canoeing In Florida, Boat Rentals, Kayaking, Eco Tours Rental Cabins- - Florida: canoeing in Florida, boat rentals, kayaking, eco tours rental cabins. Nature tour camping in Florida state parks. Jonathan Dickinson State Park info Loxahatchee River guided boat tours. | | Florida Park Tours- Park Information, Loxahatchee River Adventures at Jonathan Dickinson S - Florida: canoeing in Florida, boat rentals, kayaking, eco tours rental cabins. Nature tour camping in Florida state parks. Jonathan Dickinson State Park info Loxahatchee River guided boat tours. | | Club Scrub - Jonathan Dickinson State Park Bike Trails - ... a special committee of the CSO (Friends of Jonathan Dickinson State Park). Support the Camp Murphy Off Road Bicycle Trail by ... work days or events. Jonathan Dickinson State Park If rattlesnakes ... | | Jonathan Dickinson State Park - Click here to see more pictures Jonathan Dickinson State Park is one of the larger parks in south Florida. This 11,300-acre ... as are canoe rentals. Jonathan Dickinson State Park is located 12 ... | | SOFIA Virtual Tour - Jonathan Dickinson State Park - This virtual tour takes you along the Sand Pine Nature Trail at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. ... Map showing location of Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Jonathan Dickinson State Park is ... |
| Directions: |
| Jonathan Dickinson State Park is located 12 miles south of Stuart on U.S.1. Just follow the signs from I-95 (Exit 87A) or the Florida Turnpike (Exit 116). |
|
|
| |
|
USA
