Named for a Quaker merchant who shipwrecked nearby in 1696, Jonathan Dickinson State Park’s 10,000 acres include two campgrounds, cabins, a very nice nature center, globally imperiled ecosystems, a number of historical sites, and several miles of the Loxahatchee River.

Designated as Florida’s first National Wild and Scenic River in 1985, this beautiful waterway winds through the park at a lazy pace. A dense canopy of centuries-old cypress trees covers almost 2/3 of the stretch we paddled. More than 150 species of birds have been identified here—and we saw quite a few—but it’s difficult to compete with an intimate alligator encounter.

We talked for DAYS about our previous XL reptile sighting, which took place along the Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area interpretive drive and from the safety of our vehicle. Even with layers of sheet metal, glass and framing between myself and the prehistoric beastie, plenty of adrenaline made its way into my bloodstream—posthaste.

But the Loxahatchee just below the Riverbend put-in is no wider than our vehicle is long at some points. So even as my fight-or-flight response was kicking into high gear, there was no place to run. There’s nothing quite like the sound of an alligator whipping around and launching itself off the nearby river bank to remind you of your position on the food chain.

As thrilling as that was, it pales in comparison to the awe I felt as I watched a manatee munch serenely on a clump of vegetation no more than a foot from my kayak. In the confined space of the tiny mangrove-lined eddy that we shared, its scale made me dumb. I mean, I knew that they were big animals, but this was a BIG ANIMAL. And absolutely placid. We just sat there for 10 minutes or so—me, slack-jawed; she, breathing noisily and chewing contentedly.

Just another day on the road.

Stay: Try as I might, I could not secure a site at Jonathan Dickinson State Park’s lovely River Campground. Located along the Loxahatchee, its 45 wooded sites are close to the visitor center, boat ramp, and river store—and offer a level of privacy missing at the more level and open Pine Grove Campground, where we enjoyed 4 days. I have no complaints, but would still choose the River Campground, given the opportunity.

Play: You can explore the Wild and Scenic Loxahatchee by paddling upriver from Jonathan Dickinson State Park or downriver from Riverbend Park. The section from Riverbend to the Trapper Nelson homestead site is much more narrow and intimate, but you’ll need a solid 5 hours to get to the state park take out. If you’re pressed for time, there’s a motorized tour as well. Those wishing to minimize their chances of a reptilian encounter can stick to the many miles of off-road bike trails, named for a top secret radar training school.

Gear: Yet another shout out to our fabulous Advanced Elements Lagoon 2, which continues to exceed expectations. We did not, ultimately, need it to withstand the alligator-tooth-puncture-test, but it did survive a number of scrapes and jabs on the Loxahatchee with almost no sign of wear on its durable hull.