Best Equestrian Camping near North Palm Beach, FL

Jonathon Dickinson SP, Jupiter Florida Dickinson SP Large park with miles of paved and off road trails for biking and hiking. Lots to do, horse back riding, boat tours, discovery center, bird watching, off road bike challenge course. We've seen otter, tortoise, birds, eagles so far.Nice sites in two campgrounds. We're in River CG, more shade, a few paved sites but most are dirt/mud. The Pine Grove CG close to entrance, more spacious, not much shade, paved and nice gravel sites. If you get the chance take the river tour. We went on the one that goes to Trapper Nelson's place where you get a ranger guided walk. Totally worth the$25 fee.

Hobe Sound FL Jonathan Dickinson SP This park has two campgrounds. Pine Grove Campground, has 90 sites, it is located near the ranger station. These large sites have more space between and foliage for privacy. Sites have clothes line, fire pit, picnic table and are all level gravel. Very nice clean bathouses with family room. None of the washers and dryers were working. There's a playground and picnic Pavilion. Some road and train noise. Had good downpour today and had a little lake at back of site but within an hour it disappeared! Great place to stargaze. Saw a  great full Wolf Moon.

River Campground is more rustic, it has 52 sites, is about four miles from the park entrance, near the Loxahatchee River. Sites close together, no privacy. The River CG is great if you plan to fish or kayak. Close to boat ramp. Sites are dirt. Also more mosquitoes. There's major utility construction going on next to this camp right now. 

Good things- Miles of paved and off road bike  and hike trails, great bird watching, star gazing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing. Seasonal horse back rides. Fun and informative boat tour to Trapper Nelson's. There's a great learning center. Amazon delivers to Ranger station. Stores and restaurants a couple miles away.

FREE stay, register at the SFWMD site and request a permit. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. Various trees at the camp sites to provide shade. First come first serve. Two cars, two tents, 6 people max per camp site. The sites surround a pond. I didn't use the compost toilet so I don't have an opinion. I couldn't locate the faucet, but supposedly there is one. You need the code for the combination lock to open the gate which is included with the permit. There is a short trail spur maintained by the FTA that connects the family campground to loop 1. Supposedly you are able to take a shower at the equestrian campsite down the road. Will definitely stay again.

Recently took a road trip from New England to Florida with my family and had the pleasure of staying here at the Jonathan Dickinson State Park.

This state park accommodates RVs, tent sites, and cabin rentals with two camping areas -- one (Pine Grove Campground) located close to the entrance, right off of US Hwy 1 and seems to be more geared towards RV sites and the other (River Campground) located about four miles into the park along the Loxahatchee River. We stayed in the River Campground.

Spacious sites offered: water, electricity, a picnic table, & a fire ring… and grounds include two well kept bathhouses with laundry facilities. Trees were sparse in some sections so be prepared to create shade. Our site was visited by a young raccoon who didn't seem fazed by us at all; just wanted what we were cooking.

We only stayed for one night, so we weren't able to take in all the park has to offer, but we did walk some of the nature trails along the river towards the newly built amphitheater and swimming area. Unfortunate for us, the swimming area was closed during our stay -- which would have made the stay twice as nice… but the views were still incredible!

If we ever find our way back to south Florida for camping, we'll definitely come back here.

This park is a haven for bikers and beach going snorkelers! There are 9 miles of mountain biking with trail skill levels ranging from green to black diamond, rated like ski slopes. They are lined with crushed shell and gravel which makes them flowing and fast! There’s also a pump track and skills practice area. There are 2 miles of paved bike trails as well.

Blowing Rocks Preserve beach is about 10 min away on the other side of the intercostal. It is a spectacular site! Limestone cliffs line the beach, and a hard bottom reef lines the shores making for incredible snorkeling! The waters are generally a deep turquoise and crystal clear!

There are two Campground loops. One in the front of the park, mainly for RV as there’s no trees or shade between sites. Because of the lack of trees and the location, these sites get the daily sea breezes! Bath houses and really clean and plenty of them. These lots are huge, with gravel pads.

Water, electric and sewer at every site. Fire rings, picnic tables and posts to hang trash or clothes lines also at each site.

the River Loop is in the back of the park. It has trees and shade but thecsites are a bit more like keyhole lots, very close together and smaller in size. These sites do not get the breezes as they are quite far into the park.

There is river access in the back of the park, with a swimming area, river cruises and canoe rentals. There are hiking trails through the park, and a tower perched atop of the tallest sand dune in the area allows for awesome 360 views. Horse trails and guides horse rides are offered. A playground and historical areas are also there to keep you busy.

We generally stay in the months of May and June as the ocean is quite cold in the spring months.

It gets hot, it’s Florida. There are bugs, it’s camping in nature. Bug spray is a plus, but strong fans seem to be the best way to keep your site cool, and big free.

This park was potentially one of our biggest surprises of any Florida State Park! 

I’ve actually driven past the entrance to this park more times than I can count, but had never ventured in nor made the time for a special trip across the state to visit until this trip. What a surprise with unbelievable biking and BIG OPEN SPACES. I was astonished to learn just how large this park is. I understand not why it is known on Florida’s East Coast for biking. The roads, trails and bike paths are great. 

We brought everything just in case and enjoyed canoeing, paddle boarding, biking, hiking and exploring. 

There are two campgrounds, one near the entrance called Pine Grove and one several miles into the park by the river, named… you guessed it… The River Campground. 

Many people recommend the River Campground as it is where most of the activities are including swimming, boat ramp, water activities etc. The River Campground for sure has a more State Park vibe and intimate feel. We were in spot#112. However when we biked through Pine Grove Campground we really liked the modern look, larger spaces and better air circulation on top of the hill. Next visit we will try this one even though most of the campers were BIG RIGS and we have a small trailer. 

Views from observatory are great and the park has lots of history. What a Gem for the east coast of Florida which is not often on our radar for camping opportunities. 

We will return.

Stayed here during a very HOT weekend May/ June 2020. We stayed in the River Campground, lot 139. This site had a small amount of shade, so it offered some relief from the heat, but compared to other places I have camped this was very exposed. The bugs are pretty bad. Bring your OFF and screened shelters. No-see-ums were bad in the evening, and flies were plenty all day. Lots of ant issues too; we never had a problem with them anywhere else. Once you get past that, there is a ton of stuff to do. A paved and off road bike trail, boat ramps and kayaking, the Florida trail cuts through the park, so there is a lot of hiking. The shower and restroom facilities were kept very clean, and we were very happy with the cleanliness of the park. The off road bike trails are very fun, but just like the rest of the park, very exposed to the sun. This park would be best when the weather cools down in fall and late winter. If you’re a boater, you could get away with it year round, as long as you’re not tent camping.

For hiking, biking(street and mountain), paddling, boating, and a great camping experience, Jonathan Dickinson State Park gives you all of that and more. Located off U.S. 1 in Hobe Sound, this park and campground offer a variety of activities. And depending on which of the 2 camping areas you choose, you can also have a Florida camping experience where the only noise you’ll hear is the rustling of the palm fronds in the breeze.

There are two distinct and very separate campgrounds in the park. The Pine Grove Campground is located along U.S. Route 1 after you go past the ranger station. We looked at the campground from the satellite view on Google Maps. It seemed very open with almost no trees. When we rode through it on our bikes it confirmed what we saw on Google. Immature trees next to flat slabs with no atmosphere. If you want to just experience the rest of the park, or you are just stopping over a night or two on the way to somewhere else, this might be an okay choice. And there are more campsites in this campground that can accommodate Class A motorhomes better than the River Campground.

But if you want to experience the best Jonathan Dickinson State Park camping, pick the River Campground. The River Campground is about 6 miles in from Hwy U.S. 1 and rests on the edge of the Loxahatchee River. These sites are smaller than at the Pine Grove campground. There isn’t a lot of shade here either, but the overall atmosphere is great. Lots of palms trees, pine trees, and saw palmettos. It’s quintessential Florida. And there is no ambient noise at all because you are so far in from the highway.

To see our full review visit https://lifestyleover50.com/jonathan-dickinson-state-park-camping-review/