THE LOXAHATCHEE RIVER

The Loxahatchee River has been an important waterway for thousands of years. In 2023 the river’s watershed covered 260 square miles. Historically an outflow of the Everglades, its three main forks flow into the Atlantic Ocean through Jupiter Inlet. Native Floridians, such as the Jaega people, used the Loxahatchee River for transportation and subsistence. In 1513, Juan Ponce de Leon became the first known European to visit the area. The strategic location of the river contributed to the construction of the nearby Fort Jupiter and lighthouse by the US government during the Seminole Wars. Pioneers relied on the river as their primary transportation route. Many of their children took a boat to school. The river’s abundant wildlife and beautiful scenery attracted tourists starting as early as the 1870s. By the mid-20th century, excursion boats like the Jungle Queen took visitors upriver to Trapper Nelson’s Zoo & Jungle Garden. Much of the upper river and headwaters are now protected as part of Jonathan Dickinson State Park and other public lands. Recognizing its environmental importance, Congress designated the Loxahatchee River Northwest Fork as Florida’s first National Wild and Scenic River in 1985.