{"id":81513,"date":"2023-06-19T08:08:19","date_gmt":"2023-06-19T08:08:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/?p=81513"},"modified":"2023-06-27T22:19:56","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T22:19:56","slug":"visit-lake-okeechobee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/visit-lake-okeechobee\/","title":{"rendered":"Wonders of Lake Okeechobee: Is it Worth Your Visit?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today I am talking about the place that is simply impossible not to notice from the window of an airplane preparing to land at Miami International Airport… Yes, this is Lake Okeechobee!<\/a><\/p>\n

Today I take you on a little ride through the Florida wilderness along the Okeechobee River.<\/p>\n


Okeechobee, “big water” in the Seminole language, is the largest freshwater lake in Florida and the second largest freshwater lake in the United States (after Michigan Lake<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Okeechobee covers an area of 733.5 square miles, but on average, its depth does not exceed 9 feet.<\/p>\n


The lake attracts primarily fishermen, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

Visiting Lake Okeechobee<\/h2>\n

The first time we decided to stop by to see Okeechobee on the way home from Fort Myers<\/a>, on the east coast,<\/p>\n

The road goes through small, unremarkable towns, fields, and swamps.<\/p>\n

In the south of Okeechobee, there is a small town called Cluiston, which is a starting point for tourists to get acquainted with the lake.
We drove by in the dead of the off-season, and the streets were deserted; tourists did not go anywhere.<\/p>\n

We found the way to the lake, left the car, climbed the hill, and there we saw the canal! Hey, where are the endless waters of Okeechobee?<\/p>\n

It turned out that the lake itself is right behind the canal; you just need to know how to swim into it.<\/p>\n

The second attempt to see the lake was successful. We stopped by it spontaneously and decided to make a circle through West Palm Beach<\/a> and Port St. Lucie.<\/p>\n

We arrived at Okeechobee from the 500-person village of Kenel Point.<\/p>\n

In general, I can\u2019t call these places especially touristy, but it was all the more interesting to see the unusual and not ordinary Florida.<\/p>\n

\"
Visit Lake Okeechobee<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is the Best Way to see Lake Okeechobee?<\/h2>\n

While you are driving around the lake in search of it, you cannot see it.<\/p>\n

You need to follow the signs, which will say that the observation deck is on the right. Then slow down, look for a turn, and turn at the sign.<\/p>\n

After climbing up the mountain, a stunning picture appears before the eye: a huge lake, like the sea, stretches out its arms to you.<\/p>\n

And it seems that the depth here is not at all 9 feet, but all 30, if not 300.<\/p>\n

It definitely looks like a seacoast.<\/p>\n

Each observation deck has a separate parking lot and a check-in for cars that brought boats with them.<\/p>\n

Actually, this is the culminating point: it is strictly forbidden to swim in the lake.<\/p>\n

And not at all because it is somehow dirty, beating with cold springs, or simply infected. No. The fact is that it is literally teeming with alligators<\/a> and a huge amount of fish.<\/p>\n

Well, you also have a great opportunity there to ride a motorboat across the lake on a fairly modest budget.<\/p>\n

Travel time from Miami to Fort Lauderdale<\/a> is one and a half to two hours.<\/p>\n

Is Lake Okeechobee Worth Visiting?<\/h2>\n

In general, I think it’s a good place to walk around if you’re in the area, but I wouldn’t go to this area just because of the lake.<\/p>\n

In general, for a weekend tour and relaxation from the everyday bustle of Miami, Lake Okeechobee<\/a> is perfect, and if you are also a horse rider, then it\u2019s completely ideal because the number of horses there is greater than or equal to the number of people living there.<\/p>\n

From the houses around you, you can immediately understand the standard of living of the local population. Mostly, these are inconspicuous, peeling shacks or even trailers.<\/p>\n

Near many houses, there are trucks.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, each shed has a boat and at least one car.<\/p>\n

It doesn’t matter which house you live in; there is no way in this area without a car or watercraft.<\/p>\n

In general, I can\u2019t call these places especially touristy, but it was all the more interesting to see such a kind of Florida.<\/p>\n

\"
Visit Lake Okeechobee<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is Special About Lake Okeechobee?<\/h2>\n

Okeechobee is special because of fishing, watching alligators, and a riot of colors at sunset\u2014things that you can look for in all of Florida.<\/p>\n

And it’s calm and quiet there. In the evenings, campers sing songs, roast meat, and chat vigorously, discussing who saw which alligator today.<\/p>\n

So if you are a lover of camping life in its best temperature traditions with palm-pine flavor, then this is the place for you; there will definitely be something to tell and remember later.<\/p>\n

Close to Lake Okeechobee<\/a>, there is a wonderful rehabilitation center for wild animals in Florida: Arnold‘s Wildlife Rehabilitation.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

This is a pretty nice place run by volunteers who are true fans of their work. Entrance to the territory is absolutely free. There is a donation box in front of the gate.<\/p>\n

The price is modestly indicated on it: 10 USD. But this is more of a wish, since no one will keep track of exactly how much you put in.<\/p>\n

However, as soon as you step into the territory of the zoo, it immediately becomes clear that no amount of money is a pity for the return of pets to their habitats.<\/p>\n

Can I Drive Around Lake Okeechobee?<\/h2>\n

Yes, you can drive around Lake Okeechobee<\/a>; for example, drive by the 7-mile-long Martin Grade Scenic Highway, which runs from western Palm City to the lake’s edge.<\/p>\n

If you take a different route, then it will take an impressive amount of time to go around it, or, let’s say, the whole day.<\/p>\n

How Deep is Lake Okeechobee?<\/h2>\n

Although Lake Okeechobee is very large, its average depth is only about 9 feet.<\/p>\n

Water levels in Lake Okeechobee<\/a> are highest from October to March and lowest from June to August.<\/p>\n

The water temperature in the lake is usually the lowest in January, at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and the highest in August, when it reaches almost 90 degrees Fahrenheit.<\/p>\n

The lake can hold 1 trillion gallons of water.<\/p>\n

\"
Visit Lake Okeechobee<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lake Okeechobee’s Deepest Point<\/h2>\n

The bottom of the lake consists of a limestone depression, and the deepest point of the lake is 13 feet.<\/p>\n

Is Lake Okeechobee Polluted?<\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, yes.<\/p>\n

There are high concentrations of harmful algae and agricultural runoff in the lake.<\/p>\n

Now the lake is gradually shrinking. The reservoir feeds several rivers, including the Kissimmee River. However, the “red tide”<\/a>, long periods of drought, and erosion are gradually destroying this natural wonder.<\/p>\n

It is possible that, over time, the area of the reservoir will greatly decrease. There are plenty of lakes in Florida that are gradually disappearing, for example, Jackson (Jackson) in Tallahassee (Tallahassee)<\/a>. This will not happen soon, but such a scenario is quite real.<\/p>\n

Of course, the state authorities are working to preserve the “insipid cradle” of the state, but certain signs are already visible.<\/p>\n

During the seasonal drought, the waves recede further and further into the <\/a>Everglades, creating\u00a0more and more wetlands that were once bodies of water.<\/p>\n

How Was Lake Okeechobee Formed?<\/h2>\n

The lake was formed about 6,000 years ago as a result of the departure of the ocean.<\/p>\n

In general, it should be noted that the very name of the lake indicates that this area belongs to a certain ethnic group. Today, it has only a small piece in the southwest corner of the lake and is even marked on the map as Seminole Recreation.<\/p>\n

The indigenous inhabitants of the lake, the Indians, live here.<\/p>\n

On their side, there are much fewer residential communities than, for example, in the north, near the city of Okeechobee.<\/p>\n

This is where most of the campsites are located. By the way, each of them is equipped with electricity and sewerage.<\/p>\n

Are There Sharks in Lake Okeechobee?<\/h2>\n

No, sharks do not live in Lake Okeechobee.<\/a><\/p>\n

Everyone knows that sharks live in the seas and oceans. But not many people know that they are found in lakes or rivers.<\/p>\n

I will surprise you, but there are sharks even in a fresh lake, namely in the Latin American Lake Nicaragua.<\/p>\n

These species of sharks reach 10 feet in length and are one of the most dangerous for humans.
This species of shark, to this day, causes a lot of controversy among scientists.<\/p>\n

It is authentically known that they have adapted to fresh water.<\/p>\n

Is Lake Okeechobee Fresh Water?<\/h2>\n

Yes,<\/p>\n

Lake Okeechobee is the largest freshwater<\/a> lake and the second-largest, located entirely within the 48 contiguous states.<\/p>\n

It is the seventh-largest freshwater lake<\/a> in the United States. This is a great lake for fishing, and the fish in this lake are highly special: baked trout, crappie, and bluegill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today I am talking about the place that is simply impossible not to notice from the window of an airplane preparing to land at Miami International Airport… Yes, this is Lake Okeechobee! Today I take you on a little ride through the Florida wilderness along the Okeechobee River. Okeechobee, “big water” in the Seminole language, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":81517,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[134],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-florida"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81513","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81513"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81513\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81513"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81513"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelmagma.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81513"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}