Lake Okeechobee Ridge Park: Rafael Sanchez Trail

This unconventional conservation site is a narrow strip of tropical hardwood hammock with a 6-mile trail sandwiched between expansive sugar cane fields to the east and the cleared area of the Herbert Hoover Dike to the west. This small forested ridge is thought to be the historic shoreline of Lake Okeechobee before the dike’s construction, and contains large, old trees that offer a glimpse of what this area might have looked like 100 years ago. Migrating songbirds find welcome respite from sugar cane and the open water of the “Big Lake” in this long, narrow strip of hammock, and can be concentrated in significant numbers in migratory months. While in the area, keep your eyes peeled in the evenings for Barn Owls common in this region; the port is also worth checking for wintering American White Pelicans and other waterbirds.