Park OVERVIEW

How do you even begin to immerse yourself in Jonathan Dickinson State Park?

At 10,500 acres, the largest park in Southeast Florida, this park percolates the playfulness and profoundness of nature’s glory with 16 distinct natural communities. There are a variety of activities to enjoy as you get acquainted and relinquish to the vastness of this park.

Park History

Explore by land or sea, with the proximity of the Loxahatchee River. This park’s historical presence draws many park-goers, such as the WWII training Camp Murphy site, the legendary tales of Trapper Nelson, “Wild Man of the Loxahatchee,” and even Jonathan Dickinson himself, a Quaker merchant who was shipwrecked nearby in 1696.

Our Adventure

Pedaling down the winding, paved, multi-use path amongst sand pine scrub, my bike chains squeak, and the rusty wheels make the pedaling intense but still an ideal way to explore the length of the park. The paths are flat and wide with room for maneuvering around each bend. Along our journey through the park, we spot the Florida scrub-jay, raccoons, a wide array of birds, and even an alligator. We bike across the entire length of the park from one end to another, reaching the railroad tracks. Pedaling alongside the tracks, we take on the heat of the afternoon and the diverse environment that surrounds.

Hobe Mountain Observation Tower

We stop at a fantastic place to encapsulate the space, atop the Hobe Mountain Observation Tower, the highest natural point of land in South Florida. A ten-minute walk up the wooden stairs leads to a platform with blue-sky views of the Atlantic Ocean Intracoastal Waterways. The Intracoastal parallels with the Atlantic Ocean for a layered portrait of water activities. Catch a glimpse of sailors floating by and fishermen casting their bait. Mansions sitting along the shoreline, undisturbed. Magnificent yachts drifting out on the sea, and birds flocking out into the distant horizon. Looking down at the sand pine scrub and ancient sand dunes, the feeling of immense nature surrounds my soul. I stand 86 feet above sea level admiring this endangered landscape. Lush green bounties of trees poke out along the roads that seemingly lead nowhere, and the wooden fence barrier is the only mechanism that separates me from the feeling of flying amongst the puffy white clouds.

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