Patrick Connolly: Paddle the Loxahatchee River, one of two National Wild and Scenic Rivers in Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. — In a state as developed as Florida, finding wild areas unmarred by human hands is becoming seemingly impossible — but it’s possible if one knows where to look.

The Loxahatchee River is a pristine gem, tucked just out of sight of South Florida’s sprawling coastal development. Beginning at Riverbend Park in Jupiter, the paddling trail portion of the river runs for 8.5 miles with a take-out option at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. The river eventually widens and winds past waterfront homes before meeting the Atlantic Ocean at Jupiter Inlet.

In 1985, this outstanding Florida river earned its status as a National Wild and Scenic River, which is a federal designation that recognizes outstanding natural, cultural and recreational values — and it’s the nation’s strongest form of protection for free-flowing rivers and streams.

The only other waterway in Florida with such a designation is the Wekiva River.

On a sunny and mild Tuesday in November, a group of fellow paddlers launched their kayaks while I hopped on my paddleboard at Riverbend Park, eager to explore the scenery ahead.

We started out from the Riverbend Park launch and meandered under small bridges. After passing underneath State Road 706, we found ourselves fully immersed in wild Floridian flora and fauna, with turtles sunning themselves on logs and cypress trees towering above our heads. This would also explain the river’s name, “Loxahatchee,” which the Seminole people used to describe the “river of turtles.”

Plenty of bird species, including blue herons, wood storks, egrets, osprey, ibis and sandhill cranes, also call the river home.

It wasn’t long before we reached the first of two dams on the river. While it was possible for the kayakers to paddle over the Lainhart Dam, I dared not attempt it...