Loxahatchee Kayaking – “Best Kayak Trips” Says Florida Rambler

04/14/2022

Loxahatchee Kayaking

Thanks to Florida Rambler, a popular tourist website, for its informative review of all the fun things to do in Jupiter and the Loxahatchee River.

Here’s some highlights:

KAYAKING

JUPITER OUTDOOR CENTER rents kayaks and canoes for hour-long or daylong paddling adventures along the Loxahatchee River.

Connect with nature on one of the only 2 federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers in Florida. Towering cypress trees, some 60 feet tall, provide shade and homes for everything from Spanish moss to nests for birds. Yellow-bellied turtles laze on the shore. Soaring egrets, herons and owls search for food — some silently, some with a screech. Sweet-smelling flowers sparkle on the shore.

For an up-close-and-personal view, take a tour with one of JUPITER OUTDOOR CENTER’S expert guides. They’ll show you the watery nooks and crannies, help with photos and explain the fun stuff of the waterway.

Or head out on your own tour and make your own adventure. Either way, your Loxahatchee kayaking adventure will be a fun experience for all ages.

Register for a tour here.

JUPITER INLET LIGHTHOUSE 

Paddling past the historic red brick lighthouse atop the clear waters of the Jupiter Inlet, you won’t believe you are still in Jupiter.

Below, manatees, sea turtles and tropical fish are regular visitors. Above, egrets, pelicans and herons keep out a sharp eye for a meal. The steady swish of the waves and soothing sound of your paddle is a welcome relief from the world you just left behind.

Drifting under Cato’s bridge — a popular Loxahatchee kayaking spot for divers and snorkelers — your next stop is the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area. As you drift through the narrow paddling path, keep on the lookout for tarpon, snook, pompano and other juvenile fish in the thick mangrove roots. Inside the lagoon, you’re in the center of a natural theater, surrounded by trees, fish and wildlife.

Click here to sign up for your adventure.

TAKE THE TRAPPER NELSON CHALLENGE

Explore the Wild and Scenic Loxahatchee River by kayak from Riverbend Park to Trapper Nelson’s Zoo and Gardens Interpretive site in Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Experience the solitude and majesty of the river and discover how the Wild Man of the Loxahatchee lived and thrived for over 3 decades.

Paddling just past Trapper Nelson’s interpretive site you will meet up with our mother ship and motor back to The Jupiter Inlet while experiencing the unique transition from the wilderness of a freshwater cypress swamp with alligators to an urban saltwater coastal estuary with manatees.

Click here to register for Trapper Nelson adventure.

RATHER PEDAL THAN PADDLE?

Be prepared to see birds, butterflies, deer, otters, native flowers and an occasional gator during your pedaling adventure along the Loxahatchee River at Riverbend Park. Beach cruisers with fat tires almost five inches wide are for rent from Jupiter Outdoor Center on the more than a dozen miles on the crushed stone trails.

Shade trees provide coolness for much of the ride. Don’t forget your backpack with a hat, bug spray, binoculars, sun protection and sunglasses for your Loxahatchee kayaking and biking trip.

Covered pavilions are along the trails if you want to bring your lunch. The bicycles for children and adults are under JOC’s chickee hut just inside the entrance to Riverbend Park, a mile west of Florida’s Turnpike on the south side of Indiantown Road.

Click here for Pedal & Paddle Tour.

MANGROVE MYSTERY TOUR

Beautiful mangrove islands perfect for bird watching. Hangouts for manatees and sea turtles. Mangrove sanctuaries for tropical fish. Those are your paddling Destinations along the Indian River Lagoon, one of the most bio-diverse estuaries in the United States.

Paddle a one-person kayak, two-person-kayak, or stand-up paddle board.

All skill levels and ages are welcome. Your guide will provide basic Loxahatchee kayaking paddle and safety instruction.

To sign up for a Mangrove Mystery Tour, click here.

GET THE GANG OUT THERE!

Get out of the office, celebrate a birthday or simply enjoy the company of up to 15 people on a guided Loxahatchee kayaking experience you will never forget.  Jupiter Lighthouse, Fullerton Island, Mangrove Island adventures on the Jupiter River and Lower Loxahatchee are some options.

How about a picnic at Burt Reynolds Park? Breakfast on the local sandbars? Stand-up paddling and kayaking to the local sandbars?

Got your own party plan?

Tell us. JUPITER OUTDOOR CENTER will make it happen.

Click here for group tours.