61 miles. The Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail near Jupiter is one of the more beautiful and difficult backpacking routes in South Florida.
It is a surprising introduction to wild spaces that you wouldn’t expect to still exist on this heavily populated coast of Florida.
Created and maintained by the Loxahatchee chapter of the Florida Trail Association, it is a spur off the Florida Trail.
It is routed through the North Everglades Natural Area, a ribbon of public lands between Lake Okeechobee and Hobe Sound Beach.
As you’re hiking through the wilds of DuPuis Reserve, Corbett WMA, Loxahatchee Slough, and the backcountry of Jonathan Dickinson State Park, it’s hard to imagine over a million people live in the West Palm Beach metro nearby.
The trail touches a few residential areas between its wild spaces, including down the sidewalks of downtown Hobe Sound and behind homes in Jupiter Farms.
But the vast open pine flatwoods, haunting cypress swamps, and open prairies that hikers immerse in – literally, as the hike can be like a mini-Big Cypress in sections – makes this a compelling destination for backpackers.
As a friend has pointed out, the Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail is a fractal of the entire Florida Trail, a microcosm that captures every habitat you otherwise experience along an end-to-end hike of 1,100 miles.
As such, it’s an excellent place to try out backpacking in Florida before setting off to do longer segments of the Florida Trail.
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Trip Planning
CAMPING
Random camping is not permitted. Designated campsites must be used.
Make sure you have your permits in order prior to tackling this section as a backpacking trip. Some of the agencies can only be contacted during weekday business hours.
Free permits are required from several different agencies for camping (South Florida Water Management District, Palm Beach ERM, Jonathan Dickinson State Park). See each trail segment for specifics.
FEES
Day hiking requires no permits, but fees apply for day hikers at Corbett WMA and at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. There is also a small fee for camping at Jonathan Dickinson State Park and it must be paid in advance.
DOGS
Leave your pets at home. Dogs are not permitted on most of these public lands, nor do you need to put them through the extensive wading involved west of Jupiter Farms.
WILDLIFE
Alligators are common in the canals and ponds along the route. Wild hogs roam in DuPuis and Corbett.
WATER
Water sources along this section are primarily ponds, swamps, and canals. Canals do carry agricultural runoff.
Alligators are common in the canals. If you do need to filter water, don’t do so at dawn or dusk, when you might be mistaken for a deer.
Avoid filtering water near culverts as well, since alligators often den inside them. There has been a known alligator in the culvert at Big Gopher Canal.
HUNTING SEASON
Wear a bright orange shirt or vest during hunting seasons in Corbett WMA and DuPuis WMA. Check the FWC website for hunting season dates.
Deer hunting is the big deal here, especially in Corbett where swamp buggies are permitted.
Backpackers may wish to stay away during the deer hunts, given the noise of these large machines in the night.
Swamp buggies are off-road vehicles designed for swamp exploring, oversized trucks with huge wheels that help them to maintain traction in mud and water. Expect deep standing water in their ruts.
RESUPPLY
Pack prepared for the full trip. Minor resupply is just off the trail at Indiantown Road, along with a hardware store and a few restaurants. More restaurants line A1A and Bridge Rd in downtown Hobe Sound.
PARKING & SHUTTLE
If you are backpacking, have a friend shuttle you. The NENA trailhead is not secure. Some hikers have left cars at Hobe Sound Beach, but it’s tougher to arrange a ride back from Lake Okeechobee. The only secure parking along the route is inside Jonathan Dickinson State Park for a nightly fee. You’ll need to arrange for that in advance.
If you need assistance with a shuttle, join the Florida Trail Hikers Facebook group and ask for assistance. There are a number of volunteers in the area who can help. Be sure to compensate them for their gas and time.
SAFETY
The trail crosses the Beeline, a high-speed multi-lane highway with no pedestrian crossing. The walk along the canal in Jupiter Farms runs behind a neighborhood with access to the trail.
The roadwalk from Jonathan Dickinson State Park to Hobe Sound crosses US 1 at a light. Then you walk along the shoulder of A1A to the sidewalks of Hobe Sound and cross a railroad crossing with high speed trains.
Be aware of your surroundings. Motorists don’t expect hikers crossing roads.
Trail Map
Mileages
Major landmarks between NENA trailhead and Hobe Sound Beach. Hike west to east for the best logistics. You can easily Uber/Lyft or call a cab from Hobe Sound to an airport, bus station, or your parked car.
0.0 – NENA trailhead
8.7 – Loop 4 campsite
14.4 – Powerline campsite
18.6 – Little Gopher campsite
24.6 – Bowman Island campsite
29.4 – Big Marsh campsite
30.3 – Hungryland trailhead (0.2W)
31.3 – Hungryland Slough trailhead
37.9 – Loxahatchee Slough tower. Trailhead (1.5E)
40.6 – Soggy Socks campsite
42.0 – Lucky Hammock campsite
45.4 – Riverbend Park (0.4W)
50.0 – Cypress Creek East campsite (0.1W)
52.5 – Kitching Creek campsite $
53.2 – Kitching Creek trailhead (2.0E) $
55.9 – Scrub Jay campsite $
58.3 – Camp Murphy trailhead (2.4E) $
61.0 – Hobe Sound Beach
Trail Segments
Each of the segments below describe a piece of the hike, noting landmarks, water, and campsites along the way. This is the order they are in from Lake Okeechobee to Hobe Sound.
Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake: DuPuis WMA On this western end of the Ocean-to-Lake section of the Florida Trail, this linear hike leads to the heart of DuPuis Reserve, zigzagging through pine forests and cypress domes. 
Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake: DuPuis to Corbett Deep in the heart of the Ocean-to-Lake Greenway, this 9.7 mile segment of the Florida Trail bridging DuPuis Reserve and Corbett WMA is one of the most wild and scenic treks in southeastern Florida.
Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake: Corbett An 11.7 mile linear hike through a vast watery wilderness comparable to Big Cypress and the Everglades, it's hard to believe this woolly adventure is in Palm Beach County.
Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake: Corbett to Luckey Tract On this 12.1 miles of the Florida Trail between campsites at Corbett WMA and Luckey Hammock, discover the natural wonders of Hungryland Slough and Loxahatchee Slough.
Florida Trail, Ocean to Lake: Luckey Tract to Kitching Creek 10.7 miles. A hike of extreme contrasts, this segment of the Florida Trail crossing Riverbend Park and Cypress Creek connects Loxahatchee Slough with Jonathan Dickinson State Park.Side Trails
Trails that interconnect with and sometimes share a portion of the Florida Trail route.
DuPuis Loop Trail Made up of four stacked loops, the DuPuis Loop Trail lets you tailor your length of hike from 5.3 to 16.5 miles.
Sandhill Crane Loop Discover the wild beauty of the Sandhill Crane Tract of Loxahatchee Slough on this soggy loop hike through swamps, prairies, and to a tall observation tower with panoramic views.
Kitching Creek Nature Trail On the Kitching Creek Nature Trail, immerse in a small corner of the vast pine flatwoods communities extending across Jonathan Dickinson State Park. 
Jonathan Dickinson Green Loop Formerly the East Loop, the easternmost hike in the park scrambles up and down scrub-covered ancient dunes and through the ruins of Camp Murphy on its 5 mile circuit. Public Lands
Some of the public lands this section of the Florida Trail crosses.
DuPuis WMA Explore nearly 22,000 acres of public land near Lake Okeechobee on extensive networks of trails for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians.
Ocean to Lake Greenway Also known as NENA, the Ocean to Lake Greenway spans from Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge to Lake Okeechobee.
Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area Escape to a vast watery wilderness where you can hike, bike, or paddle through Northern Everglades habitats on the outskirts of residential Palm Beach County 
Riverbend Park Protecting the headwaters of the Loxahatchee River, Riverbend Park provides nature, tamed.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park One of South Florida's best backpacking destinations, Jonathan Dickinson State Park encompasses a vast mosaic of ecosystems along the wild and scenic Loxahatchee River.Connections
This section of the Florida Trail adjoins the Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail to its west.
Florida Trail, Okeechobee Looping around one of America's largest lakes, the 112-mile Okeechobee section of the Florida Trail provides panoramic views from atop the Herbert Hoover Dike.Articles
Walking the Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail (2/20/2013) This week marks the 9th Annual Ocean to Lake Hike. It was a delight to learn last year that the 61-mile Ocean-to-Lake Trail is finally fully complete and open to the public. Last winter, John and I participated in the final three days of the six day group hike; the year before, I’d done the …
Sweetbay Natural Area (12/15/2008) A quick visit to Sweetbay Natural Area, which has a trailhead along the Beeline north of PGA Boulevard. Wildflowers put on a grand show in the summer months.
Hiking the Ocean to Lake Trail (2/18/2006) Celebrating the annual Ocean to Lake Hike, which got its start when a group of backpackers - Sandra included - scouted the full route from Hobe Sound to Lake Okeechobee to help decide where the trail would go.Expert planning advice from James “Jupiter Hikes” Hoher, who has backpacked the Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail more times than anyone else we know.
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