Great Florida Vacation Ideas

Posts Tagged ‘canoeing Loxahatchee River’

If you’d like to take a Florida kayak day trip, I’ve got an idea for you.  It’s in Southeast Florida and it’s called the Loxahatchee River.  It’s one of the few rivers in Florida that have been designated as wild and scenic.

What’s interesting is that the river is smack-dab in the heavily populated Southeast Florida. The kayak / canoe trail start is in Riverbend Park in Jupiter, and ends in Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Stuart.

A friend of mine, Elaine, took the photos you see on this page a few months ago.  At the time, the river was down as far as the water level goes.  After all, it was the end of our dry season.  But as you can tell, it’s still pretty green and the water level is sufficient for a great paddle.

As you float down the river, you’ll pass under bridges and over a “waterfall”.  Well, that waterfall isn’t exactly high, but most people will portage around it.  I did go over it once, but you may well get stuck on it if you try (like my friend Linda and I almost did).

Trapper Nelson’s Landing and Cabin

About half-way down the river is a place to stop called Trapper Nelson’s.  It’s a popular spot since it’s a nice break from the paddle (not to mention it has restrooms).  A lot of people decide to stop for lunch here.  Be warned, though — the “parking” area gets crowded (meaning the area where you leave your kayak or canoe).

There’s a tour boat that also makes a stop here at Trapper Nelson’s, so there is a little extra foot traffic because of that.  The tour boat starts and ends in Johnathan Dickinson.

Trapper Nelson lived here in the 1930′s and was rumored to be both a trapper and also wealthy (or so say some folks).  It’s a look at the primitive side of SE Florida last century. Crowded or not, it’s worth a stop here.

Wildlife on the Loxahatchee River

If you have a waterproof camera, you may want to bring it along on your Florida kayak day trip down the Loxahatchee.  The most common wildlife are birds and turtles, but there is no telling what might cross your path!

Herons of all kinds hang out around the river, and you’re also likely to see some osprey (or at the very least you’ll hear them).  If you’re extremely lucky, you’ll come across some river otters, deer or bobcats.  Racoons are a little more common, so you might see one or two on your trip.

River Put In

You can put your boat in at Riverbend Park in Jupiter, but be aware that a pickup at Jonathan Disckinson by an outfitter is only available at certain times of the year.  So if you plan to put in at Riverbend and end at Jonathan Dickinson, your best bet is two cars.

You can also begin and end your paddle at Jonathan Dickinson.  If you put in here, a good paddle is up to Trapper Nelson’s and back.

So there you go, a Florida kayak day trip idea for you.  Enjoy your paddle!