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 Jonathan Dickinson State Park
N 26° 59.283 W 080° 08.564
17R E 585064 N 2985400
This is a nice boat/canoe/kayak launching point into the Loxahatchee River which eventually leads to the Intracoastal Waterway and then the Atlantic Ocean.
Waymark Code: WM2R6A
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 12/12/2007
Published By: nfa
Views: 141
We took our canoe out on this river and it winds around a lot and there is a 25-passenger Loxahatchee Queen II which takes visitors on a two-hour tour of the river that passed us a few times, but luckily they did slow as they passed us so it didn't swamp us. We saw several types of birds and pretty flowers. We were doing some geocaching along the river since they have a few caches after the local geoevent. A really nice run but you have to be careful of the tides and the headwind at times.
Per the website:
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."
And there is rentals via the park if needed:
The park's Visitor Services Provider offers canoe and kayak rentals. Please call (561) 746-1466 for current rates and rental information.
Parking/put-in/launching information:
There is a small parking lot just 50 feet from the launching point, and easy way to offload and go.
Paddling conditions to be expected:
The tide drops 2 to 3 feet for the tide, but kayaks and canoes shouldn't have too much trouble except for along the edges. There was a bit of a head/tail wind from time to time.
Difficulty of the trip:
This was a fairly easy paddle out and back, we did run into a little headwin a few times and had to cut back and forth to dodge it.
Length of trip: We went for a few miles and back, but you could go all the way to the Atlantic if you wanted to.
Portages:
No portages from our experience on the river.
Permits required:
There is a $4.00 charge to get into the park, but no charge for the launching of canoe/kayak.
Type of trip:
You have to go and come back, no shuttle service since this is a State Park.
Other information:
There is so many other things to do in this area, biking, hiking, boating, fishing and exploring 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, 9 am to 5 pm, and is accessible only by private canoe or boat or by the concession's tour boat. (Information from the website)
Take-out Coordinates: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:Logging waymarks in this category requires a picture of your boat and your GPS at the given parking/launching coordinates,and a brief description of your canoe/kayak trip.
Additional photos and information and/or suggestions for future waymarkers will be appreciated, but is not necessary.
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