Glades County
Glades County was named for the Florida Everglades and is located in the Florida Heartland on the western bank of Lake Okeechobee. The county has significant natural resources and recreational activities, including more than 30 miles of Lake Okeechobee shoreline, 60 miles of Caloosahatchee River frontage, and 52 miles of paddling trails on Fisheating Creek. The City of Moore Haven serves as the county seat with dining, lodging, and recreation options near Lake Okeechobee. The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Brighton Reservation, in the northeastern portion of the county, includes visitor sites such as the Seminole Arts and Crafts Center and the Florida Seminole Veteran’s Building.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR A REGIONAL TRAIL NETWORK
Glades County includes a large segment of the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST), a major component of the state’s planned trails system. This trail is part of the Florida National Scenic Trail and is on the Shared-Use Nonmotorized (SUN) Trail Network. The Florida Greenways and Trails System Land Trail Opportunities include the US 27 Trail Corridor extending from the Highlands County line to Moore Haven and the LaBelle to Palmdale Trail corridor connecting Glades County to Hendry County. There is a network of trails in the Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA), including the Fort Center Trail which highlights the rich cultural heritage of the area and is a site on the state’s Native American Heritage Trail. The county also boasts opportunities for recreation on the water, with existing paddling trails like the Okeechobee Waterway Canoe Trail and the Fisheating Creek Paddling Trail. Ortona Indian Mounds Trail, located in Ortona Park, is another important location along the Native American Heritage Trail. Glades County has five Florida Heritage Trail Sites within the Native American Heritage, Seminole Wars Heritage, and Women’s Heritage Trails, as well as two Great Florida Birding Trail sites.
Example Destinations in Glades County
- Lake Okeechobee and the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail
- Moore Haven, Palmdale, Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation
- Okeechobee Waterway Canoe Trail and Fisheating Creek Paddling Trail
- Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area
OUTDOOR RECREATION DEMAND AND IMPACT
Glades County offers a variety of opportunities for outdoor recreation and tourism. Within the study area, it ranks 5th out of 6 counties for total outdoor recreation spending. There is high potential for expansion of outdoor recreation opportunities, in coordination with a focus on connectivity to and between the county’s small towns, Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, and other destinations.
The following summarizes the annual spending by residents and tourists in Glades County for activities that are often associated with a multi-use trail, based on the 2019 Statewide Conservation Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).
The Total Outdoor Recreation Spending is $3.7M in Glades County
