Discover a riverside homestead in Jonathan Dickinson State Park, with hand-built cabins, remnants of a once-busy wildlife attraction, and a historic map to bring the story to life.
Where to go
Jonathan Dickinson State Park entrance, 16450 S.E. Federal Highway, Hobe Sound, FL 33455
Nelson settled along the upper Northwest Fork of the Loxahatchee in the early 1930s and made a living trapping and selling furs. Florida State Parks preserves his former homestead upriver. Read the park history to learn how the fur trapper turned his camp into a visitor attraction after World War II.
The address above takes you to the park entrance. To reach the historic site, ask the park about permitted craft, launch points, docking, and current river conditions.
If someone in your party needs assistance with boarding, transfers, or walking on uneven ground, call the park before committing to the water trip.
If river access is impractical, see the park’s other experiences for trails and the Kimbell Education Center. Confirm what is open on the day.
Page 2 of the park’s 2015 interpretive brochure shows how the camp was arranged along the river. Find the boat docks at the water’s edge, then look inland for the guest cabin, Trapper’s last cabin, the water tower and the chickee shelter.
The map marks woodpiles near the cabins and pens from the former wildlife attraction. Its plant key includes citrus, mangoes and pineapple, reminders of what grew around the camp.
The Florida historical marker tells how Nelson built docks, cabins and shelters from pine and introduced visitors to this stretch of the Loxahatchee.
Open the 2015 brochure and site map (PDF)
The brochure shows the historic layout and lists the hours and river tours offered at the time. Use the current access notice above to plan your visit.
Independent outing guide. Check the venue for current hours, tickets, access and closures before you leave.
