Ocean to Lake Trail Hiking and Backpacking Guide
Winter-friendly backpacking trip in southern florida
August 4th, 2024
Home > Trip Reports > Thru Hikes for Working People
The Ocean to Lake Trail connects the Atlantic Ocean as Hobe Beach just north of Jupiter, Florida to the east side of Lake Okeechobee. The 61-mile trail runs through the North Everglades Natural Area, connecting a ribbon of public lands.
It feels like a mini version of the Florida Trail, wading through cypress swamps, traversing oftentimes flooded open prairies, looking up at tall pines one moment and walking along open canals the next.
I hiked it in January of 2024 with a partner as an alternate starting point for the Florida Trail.. The weather was perfect with some chilly mornings. It took us 5 and a half leisurely days, including a zero day because of a stomach bug and adding some extra miles starting at Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
Distance: 61 miles
Days: 3-6 Days
Elevation gain/loss: Approx. 350 feet
Best season: Late fall - early spring
Permits: Free Camping Permits required for certain tent sites
Difficulty: Easy to intermediate for the flooded sections
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Gear list
Quick Facts
The Ocean to lake trail was created and is maintained by the Loxahatchee chapter of the Florida Trail Association and is a spur trail of the Florida Trail. Chartered in 1982, the Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association (FTA) began with a core group of 36 outdoors enthusiasts, some of whom had participated in blazing a new trail through the Corbett Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Over the past decade, members have been instrumental in creating the Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail from Hobe Sound Beach on the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Okeechobee.
The trail is routed through the North Everglades Natural Area, public lands between Lake Okeechobee and Hobe Sound Beach. It passes through DuPuis Reserve, Corbett WMA, Loxahatchee Slough, and the backcountry of Jonathan Dickinson State Park (tribal lands of the Miccosukee, Seminole, Mascogo, Taino, Jeaga, Guacata). It is not far from West Palm Beach but has a surprisingly remote feel to it.
Highlights
The Banyan Tree tunnel near Hobe Beach (which sadly got uprooted by a tornado in June 2024, restoration is undergoing).
The Cypress swamps with clear water and beautiful cypress trees adorned with bromeliads..
Bowman Island tensite, a true island in a lush jungle like setting. You’ll likely have to wade to get to it but it’s worth it.
Solitude. The trail doesn’t see very many thru hikers and we only saw a handful of day hikers.
Challenges
Wading through flooded trails and cypress swamps can take a toll on your feet. Make sure to dry them out during breaks and at night. Wear quick drying shoes or sandals.
Alligators may linger at the canals so be aware when you’re getting your water in those spots..
The water quality may not be the best for drinking. Make sure to treat all your water and get used to the sulfur smell from the pumps.
It may be hard to find a dry spot for a break and some tent sites stay wet. Updated notes in the Farout app were helpful to determine the status of those sites.
Best Season
Late fall through early spring is best for this trail. It gets very hot outside of those months and the trail starts to dry up late March making water sources more scarce. Check in the Ocean to Lake facebook group or FarOut app for water levels. Early fall may be dry if water sources haven’t filled back up from rain. Early winter may have some waist deep wades.
Difficulty and Skills
Navigation
The trail is fairly well marked with orange blazes and it is available in the Farout app.
Rough Terrain/Scrambling/Rock Climbing
The somewhat uneven terrain caused by roots and twigs in some flooded sections and swamp wades can be a tripping hazard but generally you’ll be moving at a slower pace due to the water and occasional sucking mud so worst case you’ll fall in and get muddier.
Elevation Gain/Elevation Loss
Elevation gain and loss is minimal. It’s Florida after all.
Permits
Permits are required for Scrub Jay and Kitchen Creek campsites for a $5 fee. Call 772-546-2271
Free permits are required for the Lucky Hammock and Soggy Socks campsites. Call weekdays 9-4 (561-233-2400) or email at mcanada@pbcgov.org
Route Summary
The trail’s eastern terminus is at Hobe sound beach, there is a very small easy to miss terminus marker on the wooden walkway to the beach. There are picnic tables and water faucets. Take a dip in the water if you can!
After the banyan tree tunnel you’ll walk through the small town of Hobe Sound, the only on-trail town. You’ll soon pick up the trail and follow the orange blazes for the next several days. Sandy trail brings you to pine woodlands, open prairies, and cypress swamps. This most easterly section can get pretty hot as it is fairly open on sandy trails. Tent sites are scenic but with little shade. There are trash cans, a privy and water pump at the Scrub Jay tent site.
Around 10 miles in you’ll start hearing Interstate 95 but there is an underpass offering safe but possibly wet passage. Approximately 15 miles in you can walk into a small shopping plaza along West Indiantown road. At mile 16.6 westbound there is a picnic area with a large chickee (pavilion) on the hunters loop trail .1 west on a side trail.
After a walk along the canal you enter the Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area, going westbound the trail is likely to be waterlogged. Lucky Hammock campsite is a shady oasis. You’ll most likely arrive soggy at Soggy Socks campsite which is up next.
A shady forest of mixed hardwoods and palms and a series or boardwalks lead to the Loxahatchee Slough tower which offers a nice view and is a great spot for a break high and dry with a roof for shade and benches to sit on.
About half way through you’ll reach The Pond, a long crossing across a wet prairie. It can be up to thigh deep in January but the bottom is solid and it’s a beautiful spot.
Eyeglass ponds are next and become one with high water, stay to the right going westbound and you’ll miss the deepest part.
At mile 36.5 westbound, a short spur leads to Bowman Island. A true island with a lush tensite well worth the probable wade to get to it. The tent site is high and dry and there may even be a chair to sit on.
Soon after, you hit another highlight; the Hole in the Wall section through Corbett WMA. It’s a beautiful cypress strand with bromeliads a plenty. The water is clear and this strand hardly ever runs dry. A cypress strand is a shallow, forested, usually elongated depression or channel situated in a trough within a flat limestone plain, and dominated primarily by bald cypress.
The Cathedral of pine is an area with lots of pines and quite pretty but I wouldn’t necessarily call it a cathedral. We had planned to take a lunch break there and were thinking there would be dry land but the trail was still flooded and no ‘cathedral’ was found.
You might see some alligators in the canal at mile 46.4 westbound. We never saw any alligators in the cypress strands or flooded prairies as they seem to prefer the deep canals. There is a tent site near the buzzing power lines.
At about 50 miles we finally got dry feet again and we rejoiced at the sight of the dry pine needles to camp on at the Loop 4 tentsite. The pitcher pump was working and quite sulfuric but it worked great to rinse the mud off our feet, socks and footwear. There is a whole network of side trails here that could create a loop for a day hike or an overnight.
The last five miles of the trail follow dirt roads and go around a mine. You might see some work trucks here and cows! It can be quite hot on these sunny open sand roads. A sun umbrella would be very helpful on this section.
A last little bit of overgrown trail gets you to the North Everglades Natural Area trailhead and the western terminus of the Ocean to lake trail. Be sure to walk up the dike to check out the lake!
Maps and Guidebooks
FarOut
The Ocean to Lake trail app in Farout Guides is very helpful to gauge water levels and possible issues with wet tent sites. It also lists which tent sites need permits and is helpful in some of the wetter areas where it may be tough to follow the blazes.
Gaia
The Ocean to lake trail is partially shown in the Gaia GPS, which you can download ahead of time and use offline. But you’d want the maps or Far Out app for a complete picture.
Maps
There are maps available to download from the Loxahatchee chapter of the Florida Trail.
Guidebooks
There is a data book available from the Florida Trail Association.
Getting There
By Plane, Bus, Uber
The nearest airport is West Palm Beach, from there you can use a combination of Tri rail and buses to get within 25 minutes walking of the eastern terminus but it will take about 3-4 hours. Your best bet is to take an Uber or lyft which will take about 45 min to the terminus for about $50. We continued on to hike the Florida Trail once we finished the trail and got to the lake but if you’re just doing the Ocean to lake trail it might be smart to take an Uber/Lyft to the western terminus at the NENA trailhead as it will be easier to pick up a ride from Hobe Beach then it would be from Lake Okeechobee. From the West Palm Beach airport to the NENA trailhead should take about an hour and cost about $60-$70.
By Car
The best option is to leave your car inside the Jonathan Dickinson State park then take an Uber or Lyft to the western terminus at Lake Okeechobee and start hiking east back to your car. Leaving your car overnight at the NENA trailhead near the lake is not recommended due to safety issues. You may be able to find a shuttle through the Florida Trail hikers Facebook group.
Post Trip Favorite Cafe
Hobe Sound Social Coffee is getting rave reviews for their iced coffee and air conditioning. In a pinch there is also the Island Beverage convenience store for a celebratory cold one.
Regulations
Follow Leave No Trace Ethics
Pets are not permitted on the Ocean to Lake trail as they are banned by several of the land management agencies.
There are no regulations for food storage but some sites have mention of raccoons and wild pigs. You might want to bring an Ursack and hang it securely in a tree.
Permits are needed for camping at certain campsites. See above.
I don’t think there is a limit on group size on this trail but be aware that most sites are fairly small with room for 2-3 tents at most.
Resupply
Except for the small shopping plaza about 15 miles from the eastern terminus there is no resupply along the trail.
Camping
As mentioned above, camping permits are required for Scrub Jay and Kitchen Creek campsites for a $5 fee. Call 772-546-2271
Free permits are required for the Lucky Hammock and Soggy Socks campsites. Call weekdays 9-4 (561-233-2400) or email at mcanada@pbcgov.org
Water Planning
In January and February there is water everywhere, starting around late March some areas start to dry up and you be left with mud. There are several pitcher pumps along the way, check in the Farout app or Loxahatchee website to see if they are functioning. There is also a Facebook group where one could ask about current conditions. Be sure to bring a filter since you will at some point be filtering out of a swamp. It may be smart to pre-filter using a bandanna or coffee filter to prevent your filter from clogging up prematurely.
Bears and Food Storage
While bears are extremely rare in southern Florida they do exist. I wouldn’t be worried about them along the Ocean to Lake trail but the raccoons and wild pigs may be a reason to use an Ursack and secure it to a tree and away from your tent.
Side Trips
If you don’t have the time to do the whole trail, you could make a loop hike or shorter overnight by starting from the DuPuis trailhead on SW Kanner highway near Port Mayaca near the western end. There are several trails to make for shorter loops but the one actually getting you on the Ocean to Lake trail is a 16 mile loop with camping possible halfway at Loop 4 camp. This gives you about 3.5 miles on the OTL.
On the eastern end you can get to and from the Jonathan Dickinson State Park campground by adding about 4 miles one way. There are several trails shown on the Gaia app. We used this option as we had a later arrival time at the airport and couldn’t make the first legal campsite with daylight.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park Campground has first come first served campsites available for those of us who fail to plan ahead and if you’re lucky you may be able to get the ranger to hold it for you if you call one to two days ahead. We had an Uber driver drop us at the entrance of the campground, set up camp and walked north to the trail. If you pick this option, be sure to walk to the Hobe Mountain lookout tower. The view from above gives you an unique preview of what you’re about to hike. This option does have you repeat the first 2.7 miles of the OTL but we didn’t mind.
Variations
As far as hiking goes it doesn’t matter much if you go east or west bound. Logistically when it comes to Uber rides it would be smart to go eastbound since there would be more chance of a quick pick up in Hobe Sound. Also, if you finish in Hobe Sound, you’ll be at the beach which is a bit more fun than in the middle of nowhere on the dike. And Hobe Sound has places where you could find some food and drink to celebrate.
Gear Strategy
You can find my detailed Gear List for the Ocean to Lake Trail above. Here, I get into the strategy and why of what I carried, as well as tips on what hikers should consider when choosing gear for this trail.
Tent
I used the Gossamer the Two. It’s a lightweight tent with plenty of room for two people. And the rainfly on both sides is easily rolled up for more airflow. Having a fully enclosed tent versus a tarp is key in high mosquito areas. While we didn’t have any issues on our hike with the colder nights, when temperatures rise, combined with standing water I can imagine there would be plenty of buzzing friends around. Our first night along Lake Okeechobee continuing on the Florida Trail was mosquito mayhem and there were many nights on the Florida Trail proper where we didn’t dare open a door for fear of getting attacked by the mosquitos. The ground was easy enough to get stakes in so a non-free standing tent posed no issues. See our Best Backpacking Tents guide for more recommendations.
Backpack
I used the Gossamer Gear Mariposa for this trip. I like the extra pockets on the side for space and organization but probably could have fit my stuff in the Gorilla just as well.
See our Best Backpacking Backpacks guide for more recommendations.
Sleeping Bag
I used a Montbell Down Hugger 20 degree sleeping bag. Temperatures can drop significantly in January. And yes, even in Florida you may experience freezing temperatures sometimes!
See our Best Sleeping Bags story for more recommendations.
Sleeping Pad
I prefer to sleep on an inflatable mattress and often use the Gossamer Gear Thinlite foam pad underneath. My inflatable is the small size Therma rest pro lite plus. It leaves my feet with a little less cushion but I don’t care. It gives me a bit more room in the tent. Unfortunately I had some delamination issues and had to get something else in the next town. Thermarest replaced my pad as quickly as they could but in the meantime I made do with an uncomfortable knock off foam pad (looks like a Z-rest, does not feel like a Z-rest) from Walmart. It was cheap and indestructible but I would not recommend it.
See our Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads story for more recommendations.
Trekking Poles
I used the Gossamer Gear LT5 trekking poles for this trip. I knew I had a lot of road walking ahead of me on the Florida Trail and wouldn’t use my poles for those sections. These lightweight poles don’t add much weight to my pack when they’re stashed away and not being used.
For more recommendations, see our Best Trekking poles story.
Cooking System
I used my small Soto Windmaster canister stove. It's lightweight and easy to stash when not in use.
See our Best Backpacking Stoves story for more recommendations and our Best Cooking Pot section for our recommendations.
Headlamp
I used the Petzl Tikka headlamp. See our recommendations in our Best Headlamps story.
Satellite Messenger
This is one trail where you’re sure to have cell service most of the time. We did carry a now-discontinued InReach communicator but really didn't need it. Still, cell reception is not always guaranteed on this trail.
See our Best Personal Locator Beacon and Satellite Messenger guide.
Food Storage
I carried an Ursack but mostly to keep small critters out, there aren’t any wildlife issues on this trail except the occasional alligator, snake or raccoon and hog.
Water Filter
I used the Sawyer Squeeze filter. It’s easy to use and you can backflush in the field which is great for the muckier water sources.
Check out our guide to the Best Water Filters and Purifiers for Backpacking.
What to wear
Shoes or Boots
I used my Keen Newport sandals because they allowed water to flow freely out of them and still protect my toes. The annoying part was that little twigs would get stuck underneath my arches. I switched to Astral Mesh shoes later along the Florida Trail and loved those in the swamp sections there. I would recommend using an older pair of shoes and not sacrificing a new pair. The mud and water will do a number on your shoes. My partner had actual water shoes which were great for the wet sections but proved to have too little support for the dry sections. And switching in and out of wet shoes was a pain since we never knew when it would get wet again. I would recommend a light shoe with lots of mesh. You can read more in our Best Hiking Sandals guide.
Many hikers may prefer using trail running shoes. See our Best Women's Trail Running Shoes or Best Men's Trail Running Shoes guides for more recommendations.
If you’d feel more comfortable in boots, check out our Best Hiking Boots story or our Best Lightweight Hiking Boots story. But steer clear from waterproof ones, they’ll never dry and will keep the water inside.
Rain Jacket
I used a lightweight rain jacket from Lightheartgear. I liked it because it has large pit zips for more ventilation and day time temperatures were mostly pleasant so I didn't need it for warmth.
For more recommendations, see our Best Rain Jackets article.
Rain Pants
I used a rain kilt from ULA. It’s easy to layer over my hiking dress and gives me enough warmth even if it’s not super water proof.
You can read more in our Best Rain Pants guide.
Fleece or Midlayer
I used an Alpaca sweater from App Gear. I could have probably gone a little lighter but the alpaca is so comfortable to wear. You can read more about midlayers in our Best Fleece Jackets guide.
Sun Shirt
I used a very lightweight blouse which was given to me and is not an outdoor brand. I believe it was hemp or linen. It is very light and floaty. It probably does not have as much UPF protection as an actual sunshirt, but worked great for me.
See our Best Sunshirts guide for more recommendations.
Hiking Shorts or Skirt
I used little under armor bike shorts with a dress over it. I started with a Lightheart gear dress (the no pocket one) and bought something lighter and floaty at a discount store along the way. I stayed with friends with a sewing machine and cut it down to tunic length.
Many people may prefer using shorts on this trail. For more recommendations, see our Best Men's Trail Running Shorts guide, Best Women's Trail Running Shorts guide, Best Men's Hiking Shorts guide, or Best Thru-hiking Shorts guide.
Base Layer
I carried an Ibex long sleeve shirt and might have used it for sleeping once or twice.
For more recommendations, see our Best Base Layers guide.
Hiking Socks
I used low cut AONJIE toe socks because they had fun colors and were slightly cheaper than the Injinji toe socks. I don’t think there is too much difference in quality and comfort.
Check our Best Hiking Socks guide for more recommendations.
Warm Hat
I had a lightweight alpaca wool hat from Appalachian Gear company, which unfortunately, has gone out of business.
Sun Hat
I use a visor from Sunday Afternoons. I like that it’s foldable and easy to stash. And it slots to put your sunglasses in.
Check out our Best Sun Hats guide for more recommendations.
Gloves or Mittens
No gloves were needed on this trip but you could pack a thin liner glove to be sure.
For more recommendations on lightweight but warm gloves, see our Best Winter Gloves guide.
Miscellaneous Gear Items
Map and Compass
There were maps available to print from the website. My compass lives in my first aid kit but wasn’t needed.
First Aid Kit
I added some extra wet wipes to my kit to wipe off all the mud at the end of the day. Then I made sure to dry my feet completely.
Sun Protection
Good sunscreen is a must. And don’t forget your sunglasses. See our guide to the Best Body Sunscreen and the Best Running Sunglasses for more recommendations.
Other items
I like to carry an umbrella and pack cover hoodie. The combination of both is enough in light rain to need to wear a rain jacket. My umbrella is by Gossamer Gear and the pack cover hoodie by Lightheart gear.
About the Author
Arlette Laan has hiked all 11 National Scenic Trails in the US through all seasons and all weather types–including two completions of the Florida Trail, the second one as a thru hike starting with the Ocean to Lake trail.
She’s hiked in exposed mountain ranges during summer storms along the Colorado trail and faced many bad weather days in the mountains of New Hampshire. She is extremely familiar with heat and humidity, with changing temperatures around Mount Washington and she is no stranger to turning around when the weather is posing too much of a threat to safely continue. She's also a mountain guide with Redline guiding in New Hampshire.
