Trapper Nelson’s Zoo and Jungle Gardens

If you’ve been following along with our adventures, you know that many of them take us off the beaten path. Well, recently that changed. Instead of a path, it was a river. The destination?  An old tourist attraction even Tarzan would appreciate.

Trapper Nelson Interpretive Site

Three miles down the Loxahatchee River, where it meanders through the Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound, is Trapper Nelson’s Zoo and Jungle Garden, or what is left of it. The site is accessible only by canoe, boat or by tour boat.  On the day of our visit, we chose the tour boat, the Loxahatchee Queen III, piloted that day by Captain Dan.  The slow excursion offered views of tropical vegetation and wildlife – manatees lazily gliding through the water, an eagle soaring above, an osprey perched in a dead tree and an alligator hiding along the shore line.    

As our tour boat turned around near Trapper’s camp, we were dropped off near the original boat dock built by Nelson. Stepping off the boat, a park staff member greeted us and took us on a walking tour of Nelson’s camp. The hand-built Chickee hut, a water tower and Trapper’s cabin still stand. Inside the cabin, a museum of sorts is set up to portray Trapper’s life and his eccentricities. Photos of his early life on the river, his military career, and other memorabilia are on display for present-day visitors to see. A framed photo of coins found by park rangers during restoration supports the tales that Trapper was known for hiding money around his property. In 1984, more than 5,000 coins worth about $1,800 were discovered when mortar was pulled away near his fireplace.

Woodpiles still stand, a testament to the amount of wood Trapper would chop for himself.  A guest cabin that once welcomed visitors to the camp, is relatively bare, stripped clean by vandals following Nelson’s death. Many of the cages Nelson built to house the animals are still on the property.  Signs on the cages indicate what was once there – alligators, wildcats, and raccoons.

History of Trapper Nelson’s Zoo and Jungle Garden 

Trapper Nelson (aka Vincent Natulkiewicz) made his way to the area from New Jersey, accompanied by his brother Charlie and a friend, first heading west to Colorado by way of boxcars, and then to Mexico. It was there where Trapper was detained by Mexican officials on suspicion of gun-running.  His brother and friend were not captured.  Several weeks later, and with no real evidence against him, Nelson was released.  His next venture west to California proved to be unsuccessful and after a few weeks, he decided to return to New Jersey to meet up with his brother and friend.  It didn’t take long for the trio to decide to head south, eventually ending up in Jupiter.

Upon his arrival in 1931, he settled into a temporary hunting camp near the Jupiter Inlet, where he lived off the land, trapping animals and selling their hides. However, development meant less game, so in 1933 Nelson traveled up the Loxahatchee in a rowboat and set up his homestead where it is today.  Nelson continued to live off the land and would row nine miles to Jupiter to pick up his mail, buy supplies and sell his wares.  Although Nelson was considered a loner, as people learned of his camp, he became known as the “Wildman of the Loxahatchee.” It is said he could be seen jumping from a rope swing into the river.

In the mid-1940s, Nelson turned his property into a wildlife zoo.  For the next 15 years or so, visitors from around the world came to see him wrestle alligators and wrap himself up in snakes. Folks who visited the site could stay in one of his cabins, buy souvenirs or rent rowboats, and of course, get a close up look at the many animals he had trapped.  Nelson used a lot of his profits buying up land at tax sales.  In all, he purchased nearly 1,000 acres along the river. 

Trapper chose to close his attraction to tourists in the early 1960s, citing his distrust of people, and ongoing rules and regulations by the state to keep it open.  A sign still hangs on one of the trees over the river warning people to keep out.  It is rumored that he would take shots at people who ventured too close.

Little was heard from Trapper Nelson from the time he closed his zoo until he was found shot to death in 1968, his shotgun beside him.  Authorities ruled his death a suicide, although there are still some folks who believe he was a victim of foul play.

During his life, Nelson was actively engaged in efforts to preserve the Loxahatchee River and protect his land. After his death, his estate was sold to a developer, but a land swap with the Florida Park Service made it part of Jonathan Dickinson State Park, where it has been preserved and protected.

Hours 

Trapper’s is open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 7 days a week,although the schedule may vary throughout the year.  If you are going specifically for the tour,call at 561-746-1466 or visit their website.  In addition to the cost of park admission, the ride on the Loxahatchee Queen III is $24 for adults, $14 for children 3 – 12, and free for children under 3.

FM Notes:  While researching for this article, I came across the book “Life and Death on the Loxahatchee: The Story of Trapper Nelson” by James D. Snyder.  The book includes interviews with Nelson’s surviving family members, along with photos from Nelson’s scrapbook found at the bottom of a file cabinet in the Park Service, and transcribed letters from Trapper Nelson to his family from 1951-1968. The latest printing was 2007 and is a must-read for those interested in Trapper Nelson’s story.