I expected a flat stroll through palmettos, not a climb to the highest natural ground in South Florida. The sandy path turned upward, the wind picked up, and suddenly the ocean was shimmering on the horizon.
What I did not expect was the quiet rustle in the scrub beside the boardwalk, a reminder that this hilltop belongs to more than hikers. Lace up, watch your step, and keep your eyes on both the view and the ground.
A Sand Dune Posing as a Mountain
Mountains in South Florida sound like a punchline, and I laughed when I first saw the sign. Then the boardwalk started climbing, and the joke got a little less funny for my calves.
The hill is Hobe Mountain, an ancient sand dune inside Jonathan Dickinson State Park. It rises roughly 84 to 86 feet above sea level, which makes it the highest natural point south of Lake Okeechobee…