Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Cattle Egret

Cooter

Armadillo
Gopher Tortoise

Alligator
Osprey

Great Blue Heron
Woodpecker

We are really enjoying our time at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. The wildlife has been fantastic. We took a tour six miles up the river aboard the Loxahatchee Queen to the camp of Trapper Nelson on whose land much of the park is located. Nelson lived here from the 1930's until his death in 1968. He ran a business called Trapper's Zoo and Jungle Garden where people visited to see the alligators, snakes and other local animals he had captured to sell and display. He was somewhat of a recluse and so there were many stories about how much money he had and what went on in the camp. To add to the lore there are still questions as to whether his death was murder or suicide. Also, when his cabin was being repaired by the park personnel in 1986 over 5000 coins were found hidden in the chimney.