An overlay on the route of the Florida Trail around Lake Okeechobee (Okeechobee East and Okeechobee West), the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail provides a mostly paved cycling and walking route around the second largest lake entirely within the borders of the United States.
Resources
Overview
Location: Okeechobee, Glades, Hendry, Palm Beach, and Martin Counties
Length: 109 miles
Fees / Permits: free, with designated campsites along the route
Difficulty: easy to moderate
Bug factor: low to high, depending on time of day and breezes
Restrooms: at community parks along the route
Location
Details
First hiked in the 1960s and developed as a loop in the Florida National Scenic Trail in the 1980s, the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail offers spectacular views from the top of the 35-foot-tall Herbert Hoover Dike, built for flood control between the 1930s and 1960s. Sunrises and sunsets are especially gorgeous across the marshes and open waters. On the east side of the lake, views are primarily of islands and vast open waters. The west side of the lake is shallow and marshy.
The route has been popularized for more than 20 years by the Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association and their annual Big O Hike around Lake Okeechobee, as well as by more recent century rides around the lake by bicycle clubs.
Managed by the Army Corps of Engineers – which is actively reconstructing portions of the dike – the route is presently more than half closed to recreational users due to construction projects. See current closure details on their website.
Explore the trail
Florida Trail, Henry Creek to Okeechobee - 8.6 miles. Along the north shoreline of Lake Okeechobee, this paved segment of the Florida Trail is one of its prettiest, offering sweeping views of the lake.
Florida Trail, Indian Prairie to Okee-Tantie - 10.4 miles. Along the vast marshes that buffer Buckhead Ridge, the sweep of the Florida Trail past Indian Prairie leads up to the mouth of the Kissimmee River
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
Florida Trail, Moore Haven to Clewiston - 11.8 miles. On a southbound hike between Moore Haven and Clewiston, arrive at sunrise for the best light show on Lake Okeechobee.
Florida Trail, Okeechobee - 112.8 miles. Looping around one of America's largest lakes, the Okeechobee section of the Florida Trail provides panoramic views from atop the Herbert Hoover Dike.
Florida Trail, Okeechobee to Okee-Tantie - 3.8 miles. On the sweep of Lake Okeechobee shoreline between Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, expect some of the best birding along the lake as you walk along the dike
Florida Trail, Pahokee to Port Mayaca - 11.7 miles. An ocean-like expanse, Lake Okeechobee is open water to the horizon along the long arc between Pahokee and Port Mayaca
Florida Trail, Port Mayaca to Henry Creek - 14 miles. In an arc between ancient natural shoreline and expansive waters, this hike along Lake Okeechobee's eastern shore offers unparalleled vistas
Harney Pond Canal Recreation Area - Discover uniquely wild panoramas along Lake Okeechobee with a walk on this paved trail in Lakeport
Okee-Tantie Recreation Area - Where the Kissimmee River pours its waters into Lake Okeechobee, Okee-Tantie Recreation Area offers access to the river and a wild marshy stretch of lakeshore
Download a map Visit their website
I tried hiking it 3 years ago and large portions were under construction then, even though the map did not show the construction. I’m disappointed to hear it is STILL under construction and the maps are STILL not up to date. I was planning a trip for January 2021
Oh, it’s very frustrating. They first closed portions of the dike in 2005. We’ve never seen a project proceed at such a glacial pace. It’s ruined the point of the annual Big O Hike, which was finally cancelled last year after 26 years. And it’s ruined backpacking around the lake. We’d feel more confident about their project if they weren’t doing parts of it over and over again. That’s why their timeline keeps slipping.
I am very disappointed at all your comments about the loss of Lake O as a potential hike. I was going to make it my my 1st training hike this winter to test out all my new backpacking gear. I am planning a potential thru hike of the AT in 4 years and having that available in my backyard would’ve been nice.
We miss that continuous route too! It will be several years still before the Army Corps of Engineers contractors finish their work around the lake. Every time we check, the date gets pushed out another year.
As for organized hikes, no one stepped up to lead the Big O last year, so it quietly faded away. It may return once it’s possible to walk around the entire lake again without the construction zones being a hassle.
Yesterday I tried to hike the sections from Canal Point to Pahokee and Belle Glade to South Bay which are shown as open on the COE closure map, but they are actually closed with active construction at Belle Glade.
We contacted them through FTA back in January after assessing the route ourselves – which we do annually – to tell them their maps are wrong. Sorry to hear they still haven’t updated them.
We stayed in Okeechobee to bike on LOST. Heading east, the trail ends at Taylor Creek lock. Private condos and a private road block denies access further. Army Corps of Engineers put up fencing. What a disappointment. Our tourist $ are leaving this area!
Definitely contact both the Okeechobee tourism bureau and South Florida Water Management District. The fact that a private road and condo block the trail is due to a slip-up on a government agency’s part and they still need to fix that. It was not an issue until about 5 years ago, when an unfriendly landowner blocked access off. More people need to complain to the powers that be about this so they work it out.
Hello. I’ve been messing with the idea of a hike around lake O and see that the arm Corp has almost half the lake closed off. Are there areas to hike around these and come back or is it more of a “find your own way around ” type of thing? I’m just worried about bring able to stop either for water or sleep at night during certain sections. I’ve read plenty of reviews and it seems like the majority of the hikers are having issues even asking the workers present simple questions and getting vague answers or snippy remarks. Is there any documentation or updated maps for this? Thank you!
We just drove around the lake this week. Closures are exactly the same as a year ago and there is no way around them other than to walk along paralleling roads, many of which have high-speed truck traffic. Don’t even think of entering construction zones. Sadly, backpacking around the lake isn’t a pleasant experience anymore. Better to day hike, or focus on a backpacking trip on the northern side from Fisheating Creek to Okeechobee or vice-versa.