The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST) is a 109-mile multi-use path around

Lake Okeechobee Lake Okeechobee (), also known as Florida's Inland Sea, is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. state of Florida. It is the tenth largest natural freshwater lake among the 50 states of the United States and the second-largest natural freshwa ...

, the seventh largest lake in the United States and the largest in the state of

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. The trail began as the Okeechobee Segment of the

Florida National Scenic Trail The Florida Trail is one of eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States. It currently runs , from Big Cypress National Preserve (between Miami and Naples, Florida along the Tamiami Trail) to Fort Pickens at Gulf Islands National Seashore, ...

(FNST), a 1,000 mile trail that runs from

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

Pensacola Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal ci ...

. The

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

and National Forest Service dedicated the Okeechobee Segment as part of the FNST in 1993. Most of the trail is atop the 35-feet tall Herbert Hoover Dike. The trail crosses five counties, Hendry, Glades, Okeechobee,

Martin Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austr ...

and Palm Beach. Many stretches run along state and county highways, including Florida State Road 78.

Facilities

There are 13 camping areas around the trail, most of which have no water or sanitation facilities. While the trail circumnavigates the entire lake, there are portions in which the traveler must come down from the levee. In these areas, they may encounter heavy traffic and/or alligators. Because most of the trail runs atop a levee, there is very little shelter from the Florida sun, and running off the edge may result in a dangerous, rapid descent.

Restrictions

Because the trail is administered by the federal government, firearms are prohibited. Groundfires are prohibited, pets must be kept on a leash, and all trash must be carried out.

Closures

Because of the age of the dike and the instability of the terrain, there are frequent partial closures of the trail. A thirty-mile section from Mayaca to Canal Point is currently closed for renovation of the levee. Additionally, the portion of the trail running from Taylor Creek to Nubbin Slough section, the portion from Pahokee to Torry Island section, South Bay to Clewiston and Liberty Point to Lakeport section of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail as well as a portion of the Florida National Scenic Trail are closed for extensive dike rehabilitation work. The US Army Corps of Engineers maintains the trail and posts information about trail conditions on their website.

Access points

According to the Corps of Engineers, the following access points are available: *Nubbin Slough * Belle Glade * Fisheating Creek South *Henry Creek * South Bay *Fisheating Creek North *Chancy Bay * John Stretch Park *Bare Beach * Port Mayaca North *

Clewiston Clewiston is a city in Hendry County, Florida, United States. Its location is northwest of Fort Lauderdale on the Atlantic coastal plain. The population was 7,327 at the 2020 census, up from 7,155 at the 2010 census. The estimated population in 2 ...

East *Harney Pond Canal * Port Mayaca South *Clewiston West *Indian Prairie Canal * Canal Point *Liberty Point *

Kissimmee River The Kissimmee River is a river in south-central Florida, United States that forms the north part of the Everglades wetlands area. The river begins at East Lake Tohopekaliga south of Orlando, flowing south through Lake Kissimmee into the large, s ...

* Pahokee * Moore Haven East * Okeechobee *Rardin Park *Moore Haven West

References

{{Reflist

External links

Corps of Engineers Map

Army Corps' list of current closures

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100 Florida Trails
Hiking trails in Florida Bike paths in Florida 1993 establishments in Florida Lake Okeechobee