Phone: 863-983-8101

An overlay on the Florida Trail around Lake Okeechobee, 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.

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.

Mainly atop the 35-foot-tall Herbert Hoover Dike, built for flood control between the 1930s and 1960s, it offers unmatched perspectives on the lake for photographers and birders.

While there are numerous access points with parking, there are few convenience stores along the trail, and you can go long distances before finding a restroom, so be prepared. Bring water and sunscreen, there is no shade – better as a cool weather ride – and it can get windy on the dike. Watch the weather and get off the dike to avoid lightning strikes. Views from the dike can include broad vistas and excellent sunrises and sunsets, but again it is wide open, so much depends on the weather. The best biking lake views are on the north and east sides, while the west is mostly marshland. Many waterfowl are seen, plus sugar fields, wetlands, and surrounding agricultural communities. In sum, long distances with often unchanging views.

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