In Glades County, Fisheating Creek has always been a favorite for paddlers.
It’s Florida as it once was, winding through ancient cypress as it flows from the end of the Lake Wales Ridge to Lake Okeechobee.
Wild beauty of the creek basinWater levels rise and fall seasonally, exposing sandbars beloved by incredibly massive alligators. The creek can be a challenge to paddle when waters are low, but it’s those low water times that make hiking easier.
Thanks to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Florida Trail Association volunteers, hikers can enjoy the beauty of Fisheating Creek as well.
The Main Street TrailResources
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Overview
Location: Palmdale and Lakeport
Headquarters: 26.950475, -81.136905
Fees: Free except for Fisheating Creek Outpost
Restroom: At Fort Center and campground
Land manager: Florida FWC
Phone: 850-488-4676
Trails are open to off-road cyclists. Seasonal hunting occurs on Fisheating Creek WMA. Check hunting seasons in advance and wear bright orange if hiking during hunts.
Directions
See the map above for access points, all of which are off either US 27 in Palmdale or SR 78 in Lakeport. Both are tiny communities north of Lake Okeechobee near Moore Haven.
About the Preserve
Encompassing 18,272 acres, Fisheating Creek WMA extends from Palmdale to Lakeport along Lake Okeechobee.
Portions of it are in conservation easements across land owned by Lykes Brothers, the largest landowner in Glades County.
Swamp sunflowers bloom each October near Lake OkeechobeeIn our explorations, we’ve found four access points for hiking, paddling and biking. The primary one is Fisheating Creek Outpost in Palmdale along US 27.
Campsites are set under a dense canopy of live oaks near the creek. At the launch, kayaks and canoes are available for rent and a livery service supports shuttles.
Camping at Fisheating Creek OutpostA fee applies for day use entry to explore the Knobby Knee Trail, which loops through the creek basin from the north end of the campground.
Knobby Knee Trail Accessible walkways wind across a floodplain of stately cypress trees to an overlook along scenic Fisheating Creek, with footpaths leading even further along the waterway.A trailhead immediately south of Fisheating Creek in Palmdale on the northbound side of US 27 provides access to extensive trails at Paradise Lake.
These delve most deeply into the scenic cypress swamps the creek is known for, and are best hiked during the dry season.
Showy cypress are a highlight of the hikeA hidden entrance is at the end of Main Street in Palmdale. The old road extends into the floodplain of the creek, and used to go through to Lakeport before US 27 was built.
It’s now both a launch point for paddlers and a place for hikers to soak in the wild beauty of the basin on a largely elevated round-trip hike.
Overlook at the end of the Main Street trailAt Lakeport, the Fort Center Trail is a fascinating walk into the past, interpreting an ancient village uncovered by archaeologists after a 1926 find of a wood carving in a pond.
Fort Center Explore Fort Center, a pre-Colombian village lost in Florida’s past – and uncovered again by archaeologists – by following this trail in Fisheating Creek WMA. 
Dense hardwood hammock at Fort CenterTrail Maps
Download trail maps and guides from FWC
Explore More!
Slideshow
See our photos from Fisheating Creek WMA
Nearby Adventures
Gatorama Started in 1957 as a roadside attraction to show tourists one of the two Florida experiences they wanted - alligators! - Gatorama still has that funky Old Florida feel.
Florida Trail, Moore Haven to Lakeport Leaving the Caloosahatchee River to dip through the Fisheating Creek floodplain, this hike on the western side of Lake Okeechobee is all about the marshes.
Florida Trail, Lakeport to Indian Prairie 11.9 miles. In the sweep of the Herbert Hoover Dike past Lakeport, the Florida Trail overlooks the vast western marshes of Lake Okeechobee.
Ortona Mounds While less than a mile long, the Ortona Mounds Trail in the ranchlands of Glades County takes you back to a time more than 3,000 years ago.
- Michael Crotty Bicentennial Park - November 3, 2026
- A.J. Henry Park - November 1, 2026
- Okeeheelee Nature Center Trails - October 22, 2026