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Jonathan Dickinson State Park cabins make it easy to explore a great park

Jonathan Dickinson State Park is such a big, varied park with so many natural wonders nearby that you could spend days there and not run out of things to do.

Even if you’re not a camper, it’s easy to stay overnight in the park.

Twelve cabins are available in the park at reasonable prices — $95 a night for up to four six people in winter; $80 a night off-season. With full kitchens, these cabins can make an economical getaway for a couple or small family.

Jonathan Dickinson State Park cabin
Jonathan Dickinson State Park cabins are small modular houses in a beautiful wooded setting. (Photo: David Blasco)

Jonathan Dickinson State Park cabins: Tiny modular homes

It’s a stretch to call them cabins, though. They are actually new, miniature trailers/modular homes. The smallest have less than 300 square feet of space.  They lack that rustic cabin ambiance, but they do have complete kitchens; small bathrooms with tubs, plus heat and air conditioning.

There’s a full-size refrigerator, a small stove and oven and enough pots, pans and dishes to do all your cooking if you so choose.

Jonathan Dickinson State Park cabin kitchen
Kitchen at Jonathan Dickinson State Park cabins. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

In the four-person cabins, there is a tiny bedroom just big enough for a queen-size bed and the living room has a queen-size sleeper sofa.  The dining room table seats four.

Two of the cabins are a bit roomier with large front porches. Cabins 6 and 7 have two queen beds in the bedroom and sleeper sofa in the living room, accommodating six. No matter how many people you have, they’re the top choice if available. We thought the least desirable cabin is #11 because it is squeezed between cabins 10 and 12, each of which have woods on one side. Eleven felt a little like the middle seat on an airplane.

Outside the cabin there’s a picnic table and fire ring for that “comfort camping” experience.

Linens are provided. And, as is apparently the policy, state park cabins have miserably hard mattresses.

Jonathan Dickinson State Park cabin living room
Living room in Jonathan Dickinson State Park cabin.

Jonathan Dickinson State Park cabins reservations

Like cabins in all state parks, these tend to be reserved for weekends in advance but weekdays are easier to book.  There is a two-night minimum.

Your best bet is to plan ahead. According to a park ranger, three out of four weekends, someone shows up and reserves the walk-up cabin. If you plan to give that a try, check on Thursday whether there is already someone in the cabin who will extend their stay. If not, you can show up early Friday morning and hope to be the first to do so.

Jonathan Dickinson’s cabins are beautifully situated in a shady grove of pine trees near the Loxahatchee River and the large well-done Elsa Kimbell Environmental Education and Research Center.

The river, with its kayak and canoe rentals and boat tours, is a football field away. (The Loxahatchee is one of two nationally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers in Florida, and is a favorite paddling destination.)

If the idea of cabins in state parks intrigues you, here’s more about the 19 parks with cabins.

And if you’re a camper, well, Jonathan Dickinson is one of South Florida’s favorite camping destinations, for all the reasons described here!

Jonathan Dickinson State Park hiking trail
Hiking trail lined with wild flowers at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

A weekend getaway in Jupiter/Hobe Sound area

Our recent visit to Jonathan Dickinson State Park illustrates why it makes a great weekend getaway.

We loved our canoe trip, paddling from the park’s boat dock up the Loxahatchee River to Kitching Creek, a magical narrow stream with cypress trees and alligators. We saw a deer so unafraid of us that we drifted close enough to hear it munching on leaves at water’s edge. Our canoe trip was about three hours round-trip, but it would be easy to extend it by going further up river. (There are also other excellent paddling options on the Loxahatchee.)

Early in the morning, we took a long hike on some of the miles of trails and were delighted with the wild flowers and the silence broken only by the sounds of birds.  (On previous visits we brought our bikes and enjoyed the extensive trail system.)

Jupiter Lighthouse, Florida
A guided tour ready to climb Jupiter Lighthouse (Photo: David Blasco)

Another highlight was exploring the immediate area. Within 15 minutes of the park is Jupiter Lighthouse . We climbed the tower and toured  its interesting and impressive local-history museum, housed in a World War II Navy barracks.

In a five minute drive from the lighthouse, we were at one of Florida’s most interesting beaches: Blowing Rocks Preserve, which you reach by walking north on this beach or driving north on A1A.) Coral Cove and Blowing Rock are good places for snorkeling from shore too.

Guanabanas, an outdoor, waterfront restaurant in Jupiter, Florida
Guanabanas, an outdoor, waterfront restaurant in Jupiter. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

We dined at a terrific nearby seafood spot, Guanabanas, an outdoor waterfront restaurant with a huge banyan tree, chickee huts, waterfalls and lush landscaping.  The place would be worth visiting just for its appearance, but its fresh, locally sourced seafood was outstanding as well.

At night, back at the park, we took a walk under a full moon and enjoyed fireflies flickering in the brush.

A deer along Kitching Creek at Jonathan Dickinson State Park
A deer along Kitching Creek at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

If we had had time, we could have done more paddling or hiking or biking or visited nearby Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, a spectacular hidden beach, or bicycled Jupiter Island or paddled the Loxahatchee starting at Riverbend Park.

See what I mean? There’s a lot to do.

Coral Cove Beach, Tequesta, Florida
Coral Cove Beach has water-sculpted rocks emerging from the waves. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

Planning your visit to Jonathan Dickinson State Park cabins:

What’s nearby? Things to do in the Hobe Sound, Jupiter and Tequesta area:


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Ben Smith

Tuesday 26th of December 2023

I read your article about the old missile base in the ENP. Very interesting. I have been a reader of the Rambler for years. FYI Jonathan Dickinson SP was Camp Murphy during WWll that was a radar training and research base. There are some concrete foundations of some of the structures. Maybe an interesting article? Also maybe article on some of the camping/outdoor clubs in Florida. Florida Trail Association and Palm Beach Pack and Paddle have been around a long time. I think P&P coming up on 50 years.

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