SE Paulson Avenue
Stuart, Martin County
Website
This place is about as bare bones as it gets. In a good way. Once you're into the park, there's nothing but nature and the trail you're walking on. It's large, nearly 5,000 acres, and far enough away from the main roads that the only noise you'll hear is the wind and a few birds. Odds of running into another human being are slight.
Atlantic Ridge operates on an honor system. There's no ranger's station at the entrance, and to get inside you have to know the code for padlock on the gate. Call Jonathan Dickinson State Park ((772) 546-2771) for the number. Once inside, there's a self-pay station with envelopes for your fee. There are also maps showing the several miles of trails. Farther along is the parking lot, with a portable toilet and picnic tables. There is no potable water. The trails are wide and easy to walk and open for bicycle and horseback riding. There are no accessible trails. Atlantic Ridge is at the terminus of SE Paulson Avenue in Stuart, Martin County.
The park has some water, including a small creek we encountered, and some marsh, but it's mainly flatwoods and hammock. Slash pines and saw palmetto are among the dominant species. We saw a few birds, a cardinal and black and white warbler among them and heard a few others. Wildflowers are abundant.
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