Lake Okeechobee is a freshwater lake in the state of Florida, United States. It is the second largest freshwater lake wholly within the continental United States and the largest in the southern United States.
The lake is divided between Glades, Okeechobee, Martin, Palm Beach, and Hendry counties. Maps of Florida show that all five of these counties meet at a point near the center of the lake, making this point a tertiary quintipoint.
Okeechobee is thought to have been formed out of the ocean about 6,000 years ago when the waters receded. At its capacity, the lake holds 1 trillion gallons of water and is the headwaters of the Everglades.
The 100 foot (30 m) wide dike surrounding Lake Okeechobee is a part of the Florida Trail, a 1,400 mile long trail that is a National Scenic Trail. There is a well-maintained paved pathway along the majority of the perimeter which is used by hikers and bicyclists and is wide enough to accommodate authorized vehicles.
