Named after Jonathan Dickinson, a Quaker merchant whose ship wrecked off the Florida coast in 1696, Jonathan Dickinson State Park covers roughly 10,500–11,500 acres of pine flatwoods, scrub habitat, river swamps, and coastal ecosystems. The park offers all kinds of activities – fishing, boating, kayaking, 25 miles of hiking and bike trails including sections of Florida’s famous Ocean-to-Lake Trail. And of course, there was a lot of wildlife to entertain us.

Site #42 would be our home base for five nights.

It was neat watching a  gopher tortoise dining on a section of grass next to our site on a daily basis!

It’s especially well known for the beautiful Loxahatchee River, the first river in Florida to receive federal “Wild and Scenic River” designation. The river winds through the park beneath cypress trees and mangroves, creating one of the most scenic paddling areas in South Florida.

First time visitors should check out the Elsa Kimbell Environmental Education and Research Center which serves as a hub for environmental education, research, and outdoor exploration. Here interpretive programs, guided hikes, and hands-on activities are offered to allow visitors the opportunity to explore the park’s unique ecosystems, wildlife, and conservation efforts.

During World War II, the area became Camp Murphy, a secret Army radar training base. More than 6,000 soldiers and over 1,000 buildings occupied the site during the war. The camp operated only from 1942–1944 before being deactivated. In 1950, the land officially became a Florida state park.

Within the park is Hobe Mountain, an ancient sand dune that stands 86 feet above sea level, making it the highest natural point south of Lake Okeechobee. There is a wooden observation tower which provides panoramic views over the park and surrounding wilderness. In 2014, we were able to climb to the top (see our post Doin’s at Dickinson State Park) but unfortunately during this visit, the observation tower was closed.We have stayed at hundreds of campgrounds over the years, but this state park wins the honor of being on our short list of the best nationwide (note that our rating criteria is focused more on nature and privacy, and not on amenities like pools and pickleball courts). There are two campground loops here, Pine Grove with 90 sites, and River with 52 sites. Pine Grove is newer and most suited to larger rigs, offering long, wide and well spaced sites with full hookups.

The park was heavily damaged in 2004 by Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne and the Pine Grove loop was completely rebuilt in 2008. That explains why the last time we were here in 2014, the Pine Grove campground was almost completely open with little privacy between sites. Boy has it changed! Virtually every site is now ensconced in thick vegetation adding some shade and significantly more privacy.

For those that do not own an RV, some sites have now been converted to “glamping” rentals with fully equipped (except for bathroom) Safari tents.

One of the park’s most legendary figures was Trapper Nelson, often called the “Wildman of the Loxahatchee.” He lived deep along the river in the 1930s and later turned his remote homestead into a rustic tourist attraction with animals, cabins, and guided tours.

His mysterious death in 1968 only added to the legend surrounding him. Today, visitors can still tour his preserved homestead site by boat or kayak. We did take the boat tour but more about that in a later post.

During our five days here we took several rides along the Palm coast and revisited some eating establishments from our prior visits. The Lighthouse Diner is still one of our favorites and close to the campground.

Speaking of restaurants in the area, on another morning, we went to the Cypress Cafe in Tequesta, FL for just an okay breakfast.

In terms of sightseeing, a visit to Jupiter Inlet was a must do.

Like Sebastian Inlet, this is another dangerous “local knowledge” inlet. It looked even more tricky to us than Sebastian. It was rough the day we went and walking out on the inlet jetty required dodging the heavy spray, but a couple of relatively large boats came thru while we watched. A 70 foot Pershing on the way out almost went vertical when it hit the standing wave. Yikes!

On another somewhat murky and drizzly day we took a ride to Palm Beach to the Flagler Museum so we could get a look at the famous Kapok tree.

Kapok was once used as a flotation material in life vests. The tree, planted by Flagler, is reportedly nearly 200 years old and located on the scenic Palm Beach Lake Trail next to the Museum and also adjacent to the “Sea Gull Cottage – Oldest House in Palm Beach”, built in 1886.

Even in the not so great weather, seeing the tree was very cool! It was humongous!  We had been to the fascinating Flagler Museum in St. Augustine several years ago so we didn’t take the time to visit the Flagler Museum here. Perhaps we will during another visit!

After an exhausting day of sightseeing, it was soooo relaxing to set by the campfire!

Stay tuned to learn about our visit with Trapper Nelson!