While slogging through a Florida swamp in shin-deep water might not be everyone’s idea of a good time, that was precisely how I chose to spend a long November weekend on a bucket-list backpacking trip through Sunshine State wilderness. The remote, rugged and wet Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail , a spur of the Florida Trail , has been on my list almost as long as I’ve lived in Florida. I finally had a chance to embark on the challenging expedition at the invitation of my friend Hattie Spring, an avid outdoorswoman and active member of the Florida Trail Association.
We were joined by Spring’s fiance, Matt Stevens, friends Kaley Deal and Cody Peacock, and my girlfriend, Karissa Bellile. Other than Karissa and I, our fellow hikers were OTL veterans, each having hiked the trail at least once. Our plan was to spend four days and three nights getting from the eastern shore of Lake Okeechobee to the Atlantic Coast at Hobe Sound.
Our packs loaded down with water, food and the necessary gear, we felt well-supplied but unsure of exactly what to expect on the trail as we relied on the experience of our companions. I knew the trail would involve getting our feet wet, but I underestimated how much water we’d encounter while trudging through wild public lands. Though a lot of hiking in flat Florida feels like a walk in the park, we were humbled time and time again by the trials of this trail.
Some miles were painful, but the suffering was worth it for a four-day immersion in wild Florida.
