Since June 30, 2026, Jonathan Dickinson State Park has had no concessions at all. There are no boat tours on the Loxahatchee and no canoe, kayak or bicycle rentals. The park also has no food, drinks, ice or souvenirs for sale. The park is still open. It just sells nothing now.
That change affects more than one park. The big public places around Jupiter Island still have their trails and water, but the gear and food now come from Bridge Road. This fall, the morning grocery stop decides how good the afternoon on the river will be.
What changed at Jonathan Dickinson
The old concessionaire, BF Jonathan Dickinson, announced that it had permanently stopped providing services at the park as of June 30. Its farewell message didn't say why. By then, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection had already started looking for a new concession partner. It held a mandatory meeting on June 18, took questions until June 25, and set the deadline for business plans at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 10, 2026. CBS12 reported on July 14 that the Friends of Jonathan Dickinson described the services as "in transition." DEP had not yet answered the station's questions about a new vendor or a timeline. As of late September, no new vendor or return date has been announced.
The river is still open to anyone who brings their own boat. Starting in July 2026, the park opened Trapper Nelson's Interpretive Site to personal watercraft Wednesday through Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed on Tuesdays. Since the park no longer rents boats or runs concession boat tours, getting to the old homestead on your own schedule means paddling or motoring there yourself. The state park page still lists ranger-guided tours of Trapper Nelson's 1930s pioneer homestead as available year-round, so ask the park about those before you go.
The campground has its own limits. The park lists the south men's and women's bathhouses at the River Campground as closed for renovation. The south family/ADA bathroom with a shower and the north bathhouse are open. That notice is dated October 2025, so it's worth checking with the park before a weekend trip.
Packing a bring-your-own day at the park
With no store in the park, everything for the day has to come from somewhere else. A short list for this season:
- Boat or board. You need your own kayak, canoe or paddleboard for the river and for Trapper Nelson's. There are no rentals in the park.
- Ice and cold drinks. Bring them. The park no longer sells them.
- Lunch. Bring it. The park has no food truck or café.
- The right day. For Trapper Nelson's, skip Tuesday.
ALDI opened at 8867 SE Bridge Road on July 9, 2026, with a ribbon-cutting as the first customers walked in. It opened nine days after the park's concessions closed, so Hobe Sound got a new grocery stop just as the park stopped selling food and ice.
Further along the same road, the Hobe Sound Farms farmers market runs every Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 1425 SE Bridge Road, all year. Its hours match a weekend paddle well. Stop early, then head to the river.
The place on the corner isn't going anywhere
Harry and the Natives was the subject of rumors over the summer. TCPalm reported on September 24, 2026 that the restaurant is not sold, not closed and not being turned into condos. It opened in Hobe Sound in 1941, and Harry MacArthur's family has owned it for 85 years. The family said it "remains steadfast on that Hobe Sound corner." The park ended its food service this year, but the 85-year-old restaurant on the corner is staying.
Smaller preserves, simpler rules
Jupiter Island's other public outdoor spaces never relied on rentals in the first place. That makes them the easy option this fall.
The Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge has a 0.5-mile self-guided nature trail on its mainland side. Refuge trails are open from sunrise to sunset. The refuge has three fee-free days this fall: October 11, October 27 and November 11.
Blowing Rocks Preserve is harder to plan around right now. The Nature Conservancy's page for the preserve opens with a hurricane closure notice saying the preserve "is currently closed to ensure the safety of our staff and guests." Lower on the same page, access is listed as open to the public, with regular hours. The notice doesn't name a storm, and we found no public damage reports. Before driving down South Beach Road, it's best to check with The Nature Conservancy directly.
On the beach, the water decides your timing
Hobe Sound Beach is one of Martin County's guarded beaches. The county lists its lifeguard tower hours as 10:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. That matters this week. On Sunday, September 27, Martin County Fire Rescue pulled two people out of a rip current there. Water quality isn't a concern right now. The September 28 test at Hobe Sound Public Beach came back "Good," with no advisory.
The tides matter too. Martin County has posted four King Tide windows for the rest of 2026 and warns of higher water and coastal flooding during each one. The first window is already underway.
| King Tide window | What overlaps |
|---|---|
| September 24 to October 15 | Pumpkin patch opens October 3; refuge fee-free day October 11 |
| October 22 to November 12 | Refuge fee-free days October 27 and November 11 |
| November 22 to 29 | Thanksgiving week |
| December 22 to 27 | Christmas week |
So a paddle to Trapper Nelson's or a walk on the beach may look quite different depending on which week you go. Two of the three refuge fee-free days fall inside King Tide windows.
The fall calendar, in one place
The biggest event of the season is at the park that just lost its concessions. Jonathan Dickinson's FireFest is Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 1 to 9 p.m. The state calls it the event's 20th anniversary. It includes live-burn demonstrations, wildlife, music, children's activities and food. That evening may be the easiest time all season to buy a meal inside the park.
Hobe Sound Farms holds its Saturday Night Line Dancing the same night, October 17, and again on December 12. Its seventh annual Fall Pumpkin Patch runs October 3 through November 1, with activities every day. This year it stays open until 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Hobe Sound Public Library, at 10595 SE Federal Highway, has a full October schedule.
- October 2, 10:30 a.m. Story Time for ages 0 to 4
- October 7, 1 p.m. Tech Time appointments
- October 8, 2:30 p.m. Libby Intermediate: Tips and Tricks
- October 10, 10 a.m. Teen foam-pumpkin take-and-make craft
- October 21, 2 p.m. In-person Cricut tutorial, registration required
The season ends back on the main road. The Hobe Sound Chamber of Commerce lists its 40th annual Hobe Sound Christmas Parade for Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 1 p.m.
Where things stand
The park's lack of concessions could change as soon as DEP picks a new partner. The Florida State Parks page is the place to watch for that news. Until then, the river, the refuge trail and the beach are all open. Boats, ice and lunch come from Bridge Road. ALDI opened there in July, the weekend market sets up at 1425 SE Bridge Road, and Harry and the Natives is staying on its corner.
If you're thinking about getting a boat for those self-guided trips to Trapper Nelson's, or wondering which parts of Jupiter Island and Hobe Sound are closest to the river launches, The Kelly Team is happy to talk it through with you. Let's Connect.
