Okeechobee KOA Campground
Lake Okeechobee
Okeechobee, Florida
Florida's largest lake at 730 square miles.
Marc- Although we started our day with a walk around the campground, next came a bike ride on the Herbert Hoover Dike that surrounds Lake Okeechobee (110 miles). We only biked a small fraction of the bike trail but we did have to deal with 25-30 knot wind gusts in one direction. We turned around at one of the 11 locks that penetrate the Dike. The only boats going through today were bass boats. Lake Okeechobee is higher in elevation than the surrounding land and waterways during most of the year (15 feet above sea level). The principle purpose of the Dike is flood control.
Lake Okeechobee is the second largest lake in the U.S. Only Lake Michigan is larger. The other 4 Great Lakes are partly in Ontario, so we are not counting them.
The Dike is 30 feet high and capped by a paved bike path.
Bike trail rest area.
Flying pelicans staying low to spot fish.
Bass boat coming in from the Lake.
South Florida Water Management District Lock at Okeechobee (security is an issue here).
Another bass boat headed for the Lock.
In the afternoon we scouted out a recommended walking path several miles away. We found the trail winding its way between a small river and several ponds. Unfortunately the air quality was quite poor as the trail is downwind of a water treatment plant. The highlight of the afternoon was going over to the Agricultural Exposition Grounds to see a horse barrel racing competition.
Both men and women do barrel racing but the women do it bareback.
Only kidding, women ride with western saddles too.
Meanwhile back at the campground a red-bellied woodpecker is working.
(Those are pickleball courts in the background.)
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