Discover Jonathan Dickinson State Park 

                           - Written and Contributed by Nevin D. Sitler 

For those Atlantic-side hikers, bikers, and paddlers, set your sights on Jonathan Dickinson State Park and discover the unique and vanishing habitats of "Real Florida."

Although thousands of visitors each year explore more than a dozen natural communities within the 11,000-acre park, many are unaware of Jonathan Dickinson's daring journey through eastern Florida more than 300 years ago.

On September 23, 1696, Jonathan Dickinson and 23 surviving Quakers -including his wife and their six-month old son - were shipwrecked off Jupiter Island, Florida. Their journey back to "civilization," which took several months, covered hundreds of miles in the vast unwelcoming wilderness at the cost of many lives.

After suffering substantial financial loses to severe weather four years prior, Dickinson, a planter and Pennsylvanian merchant, chartered the aptly named Reformation to carry cargo from Port Royal, Jamaica, to Philadelphia. What he hadn't planned for was the surprise storm that tossed the British barkentine onto the coral edge of eastern Florida. Dickinson's tale of survival and subsequent battles with Native Americans and Spanish settlers was recorded in his works commonly referred as "Jonathan Dickinson's Journal." However, many may enjoy the complete and rather verbose title: "God's Protecting Providence: Being the Narrative of a Journey from Port Royal in Jamaica to Philadelphia between August 23, 1696 to April 1, 1697."

Today, park visitors can retrace the footsteps of the Dickinson party as well as their indigenous captors. The natives of Hobe Sound, who had harbored great hatred towards the English, were led to believe the castaways were Spaniards, thanks to a bi-lingual captive. After three days of tormenting and starving their prisoners, the Indians eventually set Dickinson's group free to attempt the march north up the Florida coast some 230 miles to St. Augustine, but not before leaving them nearly naked.

As the survivors encountered other hostile tribes along the slow journey northward, they were clubbed, stoned, and stripped of the rest of their clothing. Along this perilous journey, several lives were lost to yellow fever, exhaustion, and extreme conditions. The group's luck changed as they neared northern Florida. In canoes sent ahead by the Spanish Governor of St. Augustine, Timucuan Indians and Spanish soldiers, willing to navigate the maze of waterways, guided the survivors north to St. Augustine – " the oldest continually occupied city in America."

After more than two months since the shipwreck, their passage through the gates of St. Augustine surely must have been like entering heaven. Rejuvenated and rejoicing, they left for Charleston, South Carolina, where passage to Philadelphia awaited. Reaching Charleston on December 26th, 1696, Jonathan Dickinson's daring odyssey was nearly over.

Unknowingly, Dickinson's detailed diary provides modern scholars with some of the earliest accounts of Florida, its native inhabitants and their customs. His inspirational "journal" of faith and survival went on to become a bestseller in England, and has since been translated into several languages and reprinted dozens of times. Today, the 11,500-acre Jonathan Dickinson State Park stands in tribute to those that perished and prevailed in the Florida wilderness nearly 300 years ago.

Getting There....

Jonathan Dickinson State Park, located 13 miles south of Stuart just off I-95 and US 1, activities include horseback, hiking, biking, or boating. Several full-facility and primitive campgrounds are also available. The park offers Ranger-guided tours of a 1930s pioneer homestead as well as convenient, modern cabins for rent. Click here for printer-friendly map and description (PDF 382 kb) or Call 772-546-2771 for more information.

Within the park, 14 miles of Nature trails twist their way through pine scrub, flatwoods and cypress sloughs. The East Loop Trail, a Florida Natural Scenic Trail, offers hikers and birdwatchers over nine miles of unpaved Florida frontier. For mountain bikers searching for a challenge, the Camp Murphy Off-Road Bicycle Trail is a must. Prior to the trail-head take a few moments to explore the 'Skills Park' located just east of the trail gazebo. Here, bikers can familiarize themselves with various obstacles configured to mimic situations encountered while using the Camp Murphy trail system. Set up so that novice or rusty riders can practice in an open grassy area free from injury, obstacles include log piles, a balance beam, and even a pit with ramps for the daring!

Many visitors also enjoy exploring the park by water. The Loxahatchee River, which means "river of turtles," runs through the southwest portion of the park. Located just east of Lake Okeechobee, and flowing north into Jonathan Dickinson State Park, this river meanders through palm and pine forests, muddy bogs and mangroves, all in a leisurely four to six hour drift. Canoes, motorboats, and kayaks can be launched at nearby Riverbend Park or through one of the many rental offices/outfitters along the way. Federally designated as Florida's first Wild and Scenic River, the Loxahatchee is a wonderful way to experience the park. But whatever your method of exploration, come discover Jonathan Dickinson State Park.