Jonathon Dickinson State Park

Jonathon Dickinson State Park is found just north of the Palm Beach County border. At one time it had the farthest south resident Scrub-Jays in Florida but those birds haven't been seen in years. What is left is a park full of history and beauty. In the late 1600's a Quaker merchant by the name of Jonathon Dickinson became shipwrecked in this area and the park bears his name. During World War II the U.S. Army operated a top-secret radar training school year that had over 6,000 soldiers and officers and 1,000 buildings. Some of these buildings still stand today and seem very eerie as they are swamped in vegetation.


On my last visit to the park I decided to have a closer inspection of one of these buildings. Once inside you can see the work of local vandals carving their names in the cement. I didn't spend much time in this old room for fear of rattlesnakes but the place was cool and dry inside. If I'm ever homeless in need a place, this would make a wonderful shelter from any storm. Though they may have been hastily built, they seem solid in construction. If you hike up the lookout mountain (an old relic sand dune) you will see these buildings sprinkled across the terrain.

J.D.S.P. boasts sandy pinelands and cypress swamps. The Loxahatchee River, a National Wild and Scenic River, runs through the park and provides ample space for kayaking and canoeing. I've canoed the upper parts of the Loxahatchee but I should really explore this part of the river as well. Usually when I come to J.D.S.P. I hike the trails. The Florida Trail's Ocean to Lake trail runs east to west through the park, ending at Lake Okeechobee. There's also a nice loop trail near the river.

There's always something new to see at this park. I found this dead Wolf Spider in the middle of the path. I'm not sure the cause of death but the ants were just beginning to find it when I picked it up for a closer look. There were also many wildflowers in bloom while I trekked through the loop trail. Zebra Longwings and many other butterflies and moths skitted about the shrubs. The bird of the day was a solitary Downy Woodpecker that flew over the path and into a snag.

For more information about the Ocean to Lake trail you can read about my hike last August here. Also, you should check out the Florida Trail Association webpage for interesting hikes while you're visiting the state. Just remember, bring shoes you don't mind getting wet because in my experience, at least part of the trail is always flooded.