 Chartered in 1982, the Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association 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. Members soon after took on the task of blazing the Florida Trail around Lake Okeechobee and took over care of the major hiking trail in Jonathan Dickinson State Park to create a loop trail for backpackers and day hikers.
The chapter has many well established activities, including the Mothers Day wildflower walk and the first weekend walks in John Prince Park and at Jonathan Dickinson State Park, but is best known for its annual “Big O” Hike around Lake Okeechobee each Thanksgiving week, a major event held every year since 1992. Over the past decade, members have been instrumental in creating the Ocean to Lake Trail from Hobe Sound Beach on the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Okeechobee. CHAPTER WEBSITE: lox.floridatrail.org
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 CHAPTER MEETINGS are on the first Monday of each month at 7 PM at the Okeeheelee Nature Center in West Palm Beach off Forest Hill Boulevard.
DIRECTIONS: The entrance to Okeeheelee Park is on the north side of Forest Hill Boulevard between Jog Road and Florida’s Turnpike. Follow the signs through the park to the nature center. CONTACTS: |
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Trails Maintained by this Chapter |
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 The Loxahatchee Chapter maintains the Florida Trail around Lake Okeechobee, and the Ocean to Lake Trail from Hobe Sound to Port Mayaca.
The Loxahatchee Chapter also takes care of loop trails in Jonathan Dickinson State Park and DuPuis Reserve, and the linear portion of the Ocean to Lake Trail through Corbett WMA. |
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 AT JONATHAN DICKINSON STATE PARK, the two loops of the Florida Trail System (East Loop and Kitching Creek Loop) provide great day hikes for exploring a range of habitats from open sand pine scrub to wet prairies, pine flatwoods, cypress domes, and dense hardwood hammocks. Backpackers can put the two loops together for nearly 18 miles of hiking, an excellent weekend outing. Access the East Loop at the front parking area along US-1 next to the ranger station, north of Jupiter.
THE CORBETT HIKING TRAIL across Corbett WMA in western Palm Beach County is lesser known but a true gateway to the wild. This 17-mile linear trail is now part of the Ocean to Lake Trail and connects the Everglades Youth Camp with DuPuis Reserve, passing through vast wet prairies, cypress strands, open pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks. Access is from Northlake Blvd at Seminole-Pratt-Whitney Road into Corbett WMA with the trailhead at Everglades Youth Camp. |
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Chapters 
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Florida Trail Map Brochure