Lake Okeechobee in Florida is the second largest freshwater lake in the contiguous United States, the first largest being Lake Michigan. Fed by the Kissimmee River and rainfall, it is approximately 730 square miles in size and ranges in depth from about 9 feet to about 17 feet depending on rain conditions. Originally the waters of Lake Okeechobee flowed into the Everglades, but dikes and canals and channels were built for agricultural purposes which shut off that flow. In the 1920s a 35 foot tall dike was built around the entire lake after hurricanes in 1926 and 1928 breeched the dike and the resulting floods killed over 2500 people. Named after Herbert Hoover, the large earthern barrier has a wide trail known as the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST) which circles the lake and is approximately 110 miles long.
An annual Big O hike occurs each year in November and the participants claim to have spotted wild hogs, deer, bobcats, alligators, manatees and many types of birds while on the walk. There are many campgrounds of all types and sizes around the lake and you can fish in the lake or the channels surrounding the lake itself. The towns around the lake are small and friendly and the pace is slow.
Just don't come in May and September; that's when the love bugs are out in full force.
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I went to Lake Okeechobee and stayed at a KOA RV park. To see a very silly flash presentations about Florida, RVing and other spots in Florida, click here: The Dacrons flash travel blog WARNING: can get very silly at times. :-)
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