"Without those services, a spontaneous afternoon on the water takes considerably more planning," Jupiter Brief wrote on Oct. 18, after checking on the park four months into the closure.
The gate at 16450 S.E. Federal Highway in Hobe Sound is open from 8 a.m. to sunset every day of the year, and entry is still $6 per vehicle. The trails, the river and Trapper Nelson's homestead are all still there, but rentals, the tour boat and the store are not. In November and December, a good day at the park depends on two things: what you bring in your car and which ranger program falls on the day you go.
What Left on June 30
The park's own notice lays it out. Effective June 30, 2026, every concession at Jonathan Dickinson stopped. That includes canoe, kayak and bicycle rentals, boat tours, and the general store's food, drinks, ice and souvenirs. The operator was BF Jonathan Dickinson, Inc. Under its state concession agreement it could run equipment rentals, food and beverage, merchandise, guided eco-tours and boat tours. CBS12 reported that the company announced it had closed permanently. The store and food truck shut down, and the boat tours and kayak rentals ended along with them.
The boat tour is the biggest loss. Florida State Parks' documents for the replacement search say the previous operator ran two vessels and offered four tours a day. That was four chances a day to reach Trapper Nelson's without paddling, and now there are none. WPTV reported that park officials blamed the closure on the vendor's contract expiring, and that approving a new vendor could take months.
Everything Still Open Comes Down to What You Carry In
Almost everything at the park still runs. The difference is that the gear has to come from home. Here's how each activity stands, according to the park's experiences and amenities page:
| Activity | Status this season | What you bring |
|---|---|---|
| Paddling the Loxahatchee | Open, launch from the park boat ramp | Your own canoe, kayak or paddleboard |
| Camp Murphy Off-Road Bicycle Trail System | 9-mile network, beginner loops up to expert-only | Your own bike and an approved helmet |
| Paved multiuse trail | 2 miles from the main picnic and river area | Your own bike, or walk it |
| Kitching Creek Nature Trail | 1.5 miles, trail open, overlook closed | Water and snacks, since the store is closed |
| Hobe Mountain Trail | Boardwalk open, observation tower closed | Nothing extra |
| Picnic and river area | Open | Food, drinks and ice from home |
Two closures aren't related to the concession at all. The Hobe Mountain tower and the Kitching Creek overlook are both closed, even though the boardwalk and trail leading to them are open. If you're taking guests to Hobe Mountain for the view from the top, the boardwalk through the scrub is as far as you'll get this season. Friends of Jonathan Dickinson State Park is currently raising support to rebuild the tower.
The cooler matters more than it used to. Ice was one of the things the concession sold, and it went with everything else. If you're planning a picnic by the river, pack it fully at home.
The Ranger Calendar Fills the Gap
With no rentals and no tour boat, the park's guided ranger programs are now the easiest way to see Jonathan Dickinson without your own equipment. The park publishes a recurring schedule, and it falls on these dates through mid-December:
- Friday, Nov. 13: Guided Nature Walk, 2 to 3 p.m., through scrubby flatwoods and river floodplain. Osprey, pileated woodpeckers and barred owls are among the wildlife you might see. This walk runs every Friday, so it also falls on Nov. 20, Nov. 27, Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18.
- Saturday, Nov. 14: Nature Explorers, starting at 10 a.m. and aimed at ages 5 to 14, though all ages are welcome. Topics change monthly and include indoor and outdoor activities.
- Wednesday, Nov. 18: Scrub Jay Walk, 9 to 10 a.m. It's a slow walk through sand pine scrub looking for Florida scrub-jays, a bird found only in Florida.
- Saturday, Nov. 28: Audubon Everglades leads "Take a Walk on the Wild Side – Fall Wildflowers and Bird Calls" on the Kitching Creek Nature Trail, 9:30 a.m. to noon. Registration is required and park entry fees apply.
- Wednesday, Dec. 2: Scrub Jay Walk, 9 to 10 a.m.
- Saturday, Dec. 12: Nature Explorers, 10 a.m.
- Wednesday, Dec. 16: Scrub Jay Walk, 9 to 10 a.m.
The Scrub Jay Walks run October through May, so they continue through the busiest visitor months. The park notes that programs can change or be canceled because of weather. Meeting spots for the Scrub Jay Walk come from the Kimbell Education and Visitor Center. The Elsa Kimbell Environmental Education and Research Center also has interpretive displays and shows films on request. You can reach it at 561-745-5551.
If you have family visiting the first weekend of December, two Hobe Sound events land on the same Saturday. The Hobe Sound Farmers Market at Hobe Sound Farms, 1425 SE Bridge Road, runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 5. The Hobe Sound Chamber's 40th Annual Christmas Parade starts at 1 p.m. the same day, according to the Chamber's parade page. That leaves time for a morning on the Hobe Mountain boardwalk, a stop at the market, and the parade in the afternoon.
Reaching Trapper Nelson's Takes Your Own Boat
The Trapper Nelson Interpretive Site is the stop people miss most when the tour boat isn't running. Trapper Nelson settled on the Loxahatchee in the 1930s, made his living trapping and selling furs, and became known as the "Wildman of the Loxahatchee." He later opened his Jungle Gardens and Wildlife Zoo to the public, and his former home is now preserved by the park. In 1985 the Loxahatchee became Florida's first federally designated Wild and Scenic River.
Since July, the site has been open to visitors who arrive in their own watercraft, Wednesday through Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It's closed Tuesdays. That makes it a weekday or weekend paddle for anyone with a kayak or canoe, launched from the park's boat ramp. If Tuesday is your free day, choose a trail instead. Jupiter Brief made the point that losing the Loxahatchee Queen hits families and anyone who can't paddle the trip hardest. For them, Trapper Nelson's is out of reach for now.
When There's No Kayak in the Garage
The nearest rental counter on the same river is now in Jupiter. Jupiter Outdoor Center rents single and tandem kayaks, canoes and bikes at Riverbend Park on the Wild and Scenic Loxahatchee. It also runs a guided kayak tour of about two hours that starts and ends at Riverbend Park. That's the closest substitute for the kind of trip you could once start from the Jonathan Dickinson dock with rented gear.
If you have your own boat but want a longer day, Palm Beach County lets private canoes and kayaks launch from Riverbend's Picnic Island. The county's full-river itinerary covers about eight miles and takes five to seven hours. You'll need a ride back, or you'll have to paddle back upstream. Booking pages change with the season and river conditions, so confirm availability before you load the car.
Where the Replacement Stands
The state started looking for a new operator before the old one left. Florida State Parks issued a call for business plans, SUP-BP #02-26, for a concession covering boat tours, event management, food and beverage, and recreational equipment rental. It held a mandatory on-site meeting on June 18, 2026, and set the proposal deadline at July 10, 2026. The call proposed a 10-year term. CBS12 reported that Friends of Jonathan Dickinson State Park described concession services as "in transition."
As of Jupiter Brief's Oct. 18 report, the park's website still showed the closure notice. For holiday planning, assume your own gear and the ranger calendar are what's available. Check the alerts at the top of the park's official page before any trip that depends on renting a boat or buying lunch on site. The ranger station is at 772-546-2771.
At Erin Duke-Warren and The Benchmark Group, we keep up with the details that shape everyday life in Hobe Sound, including which trails are open and when the scrub-jay walks run. If you have family coming this season and want help planning their time on the Loxahatchee, or you're weighing a move closer to the park, let's connect.
