Florida is where I was born, where my family lives and where I went to college. In my mind it’s beaches, palm trees and Disney world. Hiking was never something I associated with the sunshine state. When Alex first brought up the idea of doing a long distance hike there I balked, thinking only of swamps and mosquitoes. After doing some research I came around to the idea and the change of scenery sounded nice. I convinced my 55-year-old father and an inexperienced friend to join us on what we thought would be an easy hike. Just days after Christmas and 30 minutes from our hometown, we set off to thru-hike the Ocean to Lake Trail. 63 miles from Lake Okeechobee to the Atlantic Ocean.
Day 1
Dec 29th | Lake Okeechobee to Powerline Camp | 14.8 miles
Still feeling full from holiday leftovers we arrived at Lake Okeechobee. My mother, nervous about my father joining, asked us to look after him and wished us good luck. We crossed the street, found the start of the Ocean to Lake Trail and proceeded to walk down a gravel farm road. A gloomy overcast morning of farm walking before hitting the proper trail made for a mellow start. Once we hit the woods things didn’t get much harder but did become more interesting. The dry woods of southern Florida feel like the type of savanna you would find in Africa. Tallgrass, shady palm trees and perfectly flat ground made for more relaxed walking. Being winter the bugs were mellow and the temperature mild. This hike was going to be a breeze. Before we knew it we had already crushed 13 miles and it wasn’t even 2 pm. At this rate, Alex and I figured we could finish in just 3 days instead of the planned 4.
Then we hit the water. At first, it seemed like a large puddle that was somewhat passable but soon we realized this entire section was under water. The dry grass turned into a marsh and we had no choice but to charge right through it. Knowing this was only a 4-day hike eased my fears of long-term water damage occurring to my feet. After 2 entire miles of straight water walking, we reached the powerline campsite putting us at 15 miles for the day at only 3 pm. It was strange for Alex and I to stop so early in the day with plenty of sunlight left but the next campsite wasn’t for another 4 miles and we were all pretty beat. Powerline Camp is essentially a small section of dry land between a river and marshland. It did the job and we enjoyed the evening over a fire and the beers we packed in.
Day 2
Powerline Camp to Everglades Youth Camp | 15.9 miles
Attempting to dry out our socks by the fire the night before turned out to be pointless since we were back in the water within the first quarter mile of camp. Again the morning was overcast and muggy making the hike through water feel like being in an eerie swamp. This effect was heightened as the trail began taking us through thin paths that weaved in and out of the trees. If it weren’t for the frequent blazes on the trees I would have had no idea we were on a trail at all.
Every now and then the trail would open up to the width of a road marked with giant tire marks that had dug up the ground and filled with water. This was designated hunting land and apparently, South Florida hunters don’t care much for walking. We learned this when a group of them passed by riding atop a massive tank-like buggy that felt straight out of Mad Max. These vehicles plowed through the swamplands with ease leaving large paths of destruction in their wake. The sounds of their engines mixed with constant gunshots going off in distance had me on edge, to say the least. It was a bad day to wear earth tones. To be fair this section of land was bought and paid for with taxes from hunting licenses but the heavy-footed approach to hunting done here still turned me off.
When the sun finally came out and we were clear of the hunters, the beauty of Florida’s marshland started to really show off. The narrow watery paths between trees dotted with massive air plants was a maze that only nature could create. Near the end of the day, the water started opening up into large lakes that almost looked uncrossable. Surprisingly we never saw any alligators despite this being exactly where I would imagine they might hang out. Whenever we were out of the water the trail was overgrown as it was early in the season and had not yet been maintained. The occasional dune buggy tank tracks created forks in the trail that didn’t help either. We trudged through the water as the sun started to set making for a magical end to the day. Just before dawn we took a side trail to the Everglades Youth Camp to find a spot to camp. Just outside the camp was a site at the Hungryland Trailhead that had a fire pit, benches and some cover. 15 miles of almost nonstop water walking took a toll on all of us and we were happy to be at camp. We all went to bed hoping the next day would have a little less water.
Day 3
Everglades Youth Camp to Just past the Lainheart Cabin | 15.9 miles
The condensation that lined my tent wall every morning was enough to fill a water bottle. Luckily this morning the sun was up allowing us to dry off. The trail started us off on dry land with no water in sight. Instead, it took us down sandy roads for most of the morning. This was ok by us but didn’t make for the most compelling scenery. By midday, we were back in the savannah-like woods and the easy walking continued. Around mile 10 we all thought we would make it to camp without getting our feet wet but of course, this was wishful thinking. Once again the grasses turned to water and we were right back in it. Our pace slowed down dramatically and made the end of this day a tough one.
Our motivation was high though knowing we would hit a gas station before camp where we could stock up on beer. This was new year’s eve and we intended to celebrate. After going a little overboard on beer shopping we got back on the trail not quite knowing where a good campsite would be. After a mile or so we found a tiny clearing just off the trail where someone had obviously camped before and set up a stealth site. Every new year I find myself going out in New York City hoping for a fun night and every time I’m mostly disappointed. Spending the night in a shitty camping spot with two of my best friends, my dad, a fire and plenty of beer was one of the best New Years I’ve had in years.
Day 4
Just past the Lainheart Cabin to Hobe Sound Beach | 13.7 miles
Waking up hungover at our shitty stealth site located directly off the trail was made more embarrassing when the entire Florida Trail Association walked by us as we emerged blurry eyed from our tents. They didn’t seem to mind though and instead happily inquired how the thru-hike was going. After slowly breaking down camp we started off for the final push to the ocean. 15 more miles lay ahead but they looked dry and our spirits were high. The morning was a relaxed dry walk and by lunch we had made it to Jonathan Dickinson Park. JD park is a well maintained sandy savannah that made for a breezy final section. Just before US Highway 1 you do hit some small sand dunes that feel like mountains compared to the rest of the trail.
Once out the park it’s a 2-mile road walk to the ocean. Sadly it was a cold, overcast day so none of us felt like jumping in but still, finishing at the beach was a really cool way to end the hike. Our families were all there to congratulate and call us crazy once again before getting in the car and heading home. The Ocean to Lake Trail gave me a new appreciation for my home state. Flat walking is easier but when you mix in water it becomes as challenging as any elevation. The Floridian wilderness may be lacking in mountains but that does not make it any less beautiful and interesting.
For more details on hiking the Ocean to Lake trail please check out Jupiter Hikes post on it as well.
