Jupiter Outdoor Center Blog

We are SO EXCITED about our 2019 summer camp at Jupiter Outdoor Center! Registration is open, and if you sign up by May 1st, you get 10% off with the code earlybird! Our camp runs from June 3rd-August 9th.  If you have a kid 6-14 who wants to have an exciting and adventurous summer, sign up now!  This camp has been a blast for so many years, and we’re proud to offer it again We’ve been running since 1997 and are accredited by the American Camp Association. Our camp has the goal of getting kids outdoors to act as stewards to our Jupiter environment. Our activities include kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, fishing, and more! You can either sign up for the full week or for individual days. Half days are 9-2 and full days are 9-5. A week of camp…

ADVENTURE CAMP IN SPRING SEASON We are SO EXCITED about our 2019 spring break camp at Jupiter Outdoor Center! Our camp runs from March 18-22, the week of Palm Beach County school system’s spring break. If you have a kid 6-14 who wants to have an exciting and adventurous spring break, sign up now!  This camp has been a blast for so many years, and we’re proud to offer it again. We’ve been running since 1997 and are accredited by the American Camp Association. Our camp has the goal of getting kids outdoors to act as stewards to our Jupiter environment. Our activities include kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, surfing, fishing, and more! On Friday, March 22 we will run a fun paddling adventure day with a Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse climb, hike through the woods, and Indian River paddle. You…

MATT DAWSON For a man who was awarded Purple Heart for his military service in Afghanistan, you might think leading paddle board and bicycle tours is a little tame. But Matt Dawson says paddling on the waters around the Loxahatchee River and Jupiter Inlet is just the way he likes it. “The other day I found a better bicycle path to Trapper Nelson’s from Riverbend Park. I love going out there trailblazing. I get to show other people how to enjoy the outdoors,” said the 27-year-old resident of Hobe Sound. Outdoor activities were part of growing up in West Palm Beach, Dawson said. He continued those water and hiking activities when his family moved to Cumming, Georgia when he was a teenager. Dawson enlisted the Army in 2008 when he was 17. After training in Fort Benning and Fort Stewart…

HOLLY HARDY   At the Jupiter Outdoor Center, we call Holly Hardy – politely – Mighty Mouse. That’s because the slight mother of three has no problem keeping up with the other JOC employees hauling those kayaks and lifting those stand up paddle boards. And like the other JOC tour guides, Hardy brings a passion for sharing the history, beauty and preservation of the waterways around the Jupiter Inlet. “When I take people out on a tour, I share with them the history of the inlet, the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, Jonathan Dickinson State Park and Dubois Park. And I want them to understand the importance of protecting our local environment,” says Holly. Holly grew up like Tom Sawyer, living in Jupiter Farms on the banks of Loxahatchee River. “The Loxahatchee River was my back yard. My playground. We would paddle from…

Owner: Rick Clegg  Rick Clegg started Jupiter Outdoor Center in 1997 to share his enthusiasm for the outdoors. Rick’s interests are varied. He formerly owned Guanabanas, the popular waterfront tourist destination. He still owns a real estate brokerage, Weichert Realtors Sunshine Properties. He also owns a unique rental home made of two shipping containers along the river. He plans to add more containers to the home, dubbed headwatersjupiter.com, so it can accommodate small groups. Rick’s Jupiter Outdoor Center now has two locations and continues to evolve to offer the best and most interesting ways to get out and enjoy the best of nature of South Florida. While he still keeps busy with multiple businesses, he  remains committed to his core passion: “My goal,” he said, “is to get people outdoors.”   Operations Manager: Rob Hofmann Rob might be one of the…

Starting Jan. 10, you can take a guided tour of the waterways along the Jupiter Inlet and climb to the top of the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse – all for one price! Visitors start the Climb & Paddle tour on the property at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. The highlight is the breathtaking view from the top of the red brick lighthouse overlooking the Loxahatchee River, Atlantic Ocean and Indian River. Jupiter Outdoor Center guides will then take visitors on kayaks or stand up paddle boards on the clear waters on and around the Jupiter Inlet. Manatees, sea turtles, egrets and other wildlife are regularly spotted. “Combining a guided paddling adventure of the Jupiter Inlet Aquatic Preserve and Indian River Lagoon with an immersive historical experience like climbing the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse to enjoy the best view in South Florida is an event not to be…

Hit the water at Canoe Rentals. You’ll have a great time paddling the wild and scenic Loxahatchee River. Do you enjoy paddling kayaks and canoes but don’t like the hassle of hauling the boats on your car and cleaning them afterward? Rent a kayak or canoe from Canoe Rentals! With each boat rental you get life vests for each person, paddles, a whistle and a map to help you find the way. Be sure to bring the items you need for a river trip. We know you’ll enjoy paddling the Loxahatchee River. It’s unlike many other Florida rivers in that little has changed in the last hundred years. Sure there are some modern conveniences at the Park, such as picnic shelters, restrooms and trails but the river itself is relatively unchanged. The Loxahatchee starts out narrow and twisty as it meanders…

Can you guess why this is our most popular trip? How about a canopied river, an incredible array of wildlife, tropical plants and even some South Florida “whitewater” action! The Cypress Canopy trip covers the upper section of the Loxahatchee River. It’s one trip you don’t want to miss! Your adventure starts at the launch near Canoe Rentals at the Park. You can rent a canoe or kayak. If you need to keep your electronic items dry, we carry several types of dry bags in the shop. As you leave the canoe launch you’ll head downstream on the tea-colored Loxahatchee River and into the cypress swamp. The swamp gets it name from a type of tree that’s commonly found here – yup, it’s a cypress. A “Bald Cypress” to be exact. Not only is it bald, but it has bony…

Canoe Rentals is happy to work with you to create the perfect outdoor adventure for your corporate event or family reunion. We provide canoes and kayaks at our the Park rental center that will take you down the beautiful Loxahatchee, Florida’s first Wild and Scenic River. Your group will paddle cypress-lined waterways, past heron, egrets, turtles, deer and all manner of birds and four-legged wildlife. Everyone will have a blast! It’s easy to get started with Canoe Rentals. Call 561-746-7053 and we’ll help you decide on a trip that is appropriate for your group. From easy paddling at the Park to the challenging “whitewater” thrills of Masten Dam, it’s up to you. Just show up and get on the water! Our well-trained staff will not only get your boats ready but we can provide basic paddling orientation to make sure everyone…

Amidst the quiet surrender of the old cypress and historic swamps, hear the haunting song of a story not often told. Masked in history and covered with time, the voices of the Black Seminole Indian Tribe calls out to you. Their remarkable story in large part was hidden beneath the earth until 1989. Now, you have the opportunity to paddle the waters, walk the land and listen to the battle rage as you experience the past Seminole Wars at Riverbend Park. The Black Seminoles came seeking freedom from slavery in the 1700s. Florida, under the control of Spain, gave the Black Seminoles refuge. By agreeing to fight with the Spanish military, they were assured citizenship. Confident and while the land was still at peace, the Black Seminoles gained valuable skills such as writing and speaking Spanish. In the days to come,…