Jonathan Dickinson State Park: Hobe Mountain Trail, Jupiter, Florida

South Florida is best known for its sugar cane farms, swamps such as the Everglades, cities like Miami and Naples, and Lake Okeechobee. One of the more secret special places is a relatively little-known "hill" called Hobe Mountain - an ancient sand dune near Jupiter Island that rises to a height of 84 feet above sea level. In this mostly flat land, Hobe Mountain is a unique location, which has an observation tower that is most easily accessed using a short boardwalk in Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Jonathan Dickinson State Park itself is a mecca for outdoor recreation enthusiasts, as it has over two dozen miles of hiking trails, in addition to many other recreational opportunities. On this day, I first hiked the short trail to Hobe Mountain, before embarking on a much longer hike through the park. This hike occurred on Saturday, July 23rd, 2016. My plan was to hike the boardwalk out and back to Hobe Mountain and its observation tower. 

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Summary

R/T Length of Trail: 0.3 Miles
Duration of Hike: 0:20 
Type of Hike: Out and Back 
Difficulty Rating: 1 out of 10 
Total Elevation Gain: Minimal 
Pros: Boardwalk provides an easy passage over terrain with sensitive plants 
Cons: None
Points of Interest: Hobe Mountain Observation Tower and its spectacular panoramic views of Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Hobe Sound, Jupiter Island, and the Atlantic Ocean
Trail Blaze Color(s): None 
Best Season(s) to Hike: Year-round 
Fees: There is a $6 fee for entry to Jonathan Dickinson State Park, if your car has 2-8 passengers. For cars with just one passenger, the fee is $4. 
​Beginning Point: Hobe Mountain Trailhead
Directions from Jupiter, FL: From the intersection of US Route 1 and South Beach Road in Jupiter, simply follow US Route 1 North for 3.7 miles, at which point the park entrance will be to the left. Turn left, enter the park, pay your fee, and then just afterwards, turn right onto the main park road. In another 0.7 miles, turn right into a dead-end side road that leads to the Hobe Mountain Trailhead. Continue for another 0.7 miles to the parking area and trailhead on the right; the road after this is for authorized vehicles only. 

Map

Click ​here for more information and to download this trail map to view in Garmin Basecamp.

Details

Being one of the premier hiking destinations in southeast Florida, Jonathan Dickinson State Park has an extensive trail system that passes through a variety of habitats. Before starting my main hike of the day, however, I wanted to hike the short nature trail to Hobe Mountain. Hobe Mountain is a relatively tall ancient sand dune, rising to a height of 84 feet above sea level just west of Hobe Sound. An observation tower at the top provides a spectacular 360-degree panorama of the surrounding land. 

The entire walk to the observation tower is along a boardwalk. From the parking area, begin walking the boardwalk, which is on the east side of the road. The boardwalk gains elevation as it follows a ridge of sorts that is comprised of the highest dunes. As you approach the top of Hobe Mountain, your views of the surrounding land will gradually increase. The boardwalk ends at 0.15 miles at the base of the observation tower and the summit of Hobe Mountain. I noticed other user-created paths heading down the steep sandy slopes. Please do not use these paths; this is very sensitive terrain. Use only the official boardwalk to get to the top of Hobe Mountain. 

The observation tower has three flights of steps. Climb up these steps to a wide observation deck where there is what might be one of the best long-range views in Florida. The views from the tower are as follows:

• To the west is the vast expanse of Jonathan Dickinson State Park. It is interesting to see how the scrub habitat gradually changes to pine flatwoods and then eventually into wetter forest near the Loxahatachee River and its tributaries. 
• To the east is the best part of the view, in my opinion. You can see rolling sandy hills stretching down to Highway 1, which stays near the shores of Hobe Sound. On the other side of the sound, Jupiter Island acts as a narrow barrier that separates the sound from the vast Atlantic Ocean, which stretches out as far as the eye can see. 
• To the north and south, the west and east views are combined together. To the south, you can also see the West Palm Beach skyline in the distance. 

From the observation tower, return to the trailhead, concluding the hike at just 0.3 miles. 

At the bottom of this post, I included a video of the entire panorama for you to look at. If you're hiking in Jonathan Dickinson State Park, this is a must-do stop, in my opinion. A view as good as this one is difficult to find in mostly flat Florida.

Variations

None

Bonus Stops

• There are many great hiking options throughout Jonathan Dickinson State Park, ranging from short day hikes along Kitching Creek to long overnight hikes along the Ocean-to-Lake Trail. 
• Additionally, if in the area, check out Blowing Rocks Preserve on Jupiter Island. 

Pictures

Videos