Named after a nearby body of water atop the Lake Wales Ridge, Crooked Lake Wildlife and Environmental Area serves as a sanctuary for native flora and fauna.
Some of its inhabitants are classified as endangered. Acquired by the state in 2008 for gopher tortoise mitigation, part of the land was once used for cattle ranching and growing oranges.
The trail network consists of the multiuse Cutthroat Trail, a 4.8 mile double loop, and the hiking-only Dunham Ranch Trail, a short 0.2 mile side loop near the entrance.
Hiking at Crooked Lake WEAResources
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Overview
Location: Frostproof
Length: 5 miles
Trailhead: 27.735722, -81.621083
Address: Turtle Run Trail, Fort Meade
Fees: Free
Restrooms: Privy at the trailhead
Land manager: Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission
Phone: 863-648-3200
Open 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, leashed dogs welcome.
Directions
From the intersection of US 98 and US 27 west of Frostproof, head west on US 98 for 3 miles, before turning right onto Turtle Run Trail. In less than a quarter mile, the entrance will be on the right side of the road.
Hike
At the trailhead, a pair of accessible covered tables provide a picnic spot next to an information kiosk with paper maps.
Head towards a stile at the north end of the parking area and follow the fence line, being sure to avoid the sticky burrs of caeserweed bushes crowding the first hundred feet.
Picnic bench at the trailheadFollow an access road eastward to a sign designating the routes of the Dunham Ranch and Cutthroat Grass trails.
Turn right, following blue blazes along a mazy loop through mesic pine flatwoods, returning to this spot in a quarter mile.
Dunham Ranch TrailHeading northward, follow an elevated dirt road as it crosses marshy terrain dotted with pickerelweed.
The trail stretches out into an old cattle pasture before turning back towards the forest.
Continue straight at a fork in 0.7 miles, following a sandy path where nature is slowly overtaking the former agricultural field.
Trees growing in the old pastureNear the one-mile mark, the trail takes a sharp turn to follow another road across a basin swamp, reaching a wide swath of sandhill habitat on the other side.
Regular intervals of prescribed fires are being applied in this area to remove overgrown underbrush and return it to a more natural state.
Sandhill restorationTurn left at 1.5 miles, following a connector trail for a quarter mile to the far loop, staying straight at the next junction as the pathway enters a dense forest of sand live oaks.
Blue blazes indicate the way along a winding transit through trees before leading into an open sandhill community.
Live oak labyrinthAbundant wildflowers sprout from carpets of wispy wiregrass, producing a vibrant array of yellow and purple blooms in the fall.
In late winter, look for the showy inflorescences of lupines scattered alongside turkey oaks and saw palmettos.
Florida paintbrushEventually returning to the forest road, the trail takes a sweeping curve back to the beginning of the loop.
From this point, follow the connector back to the first loop and turn left, entering an expanse of mesic flatwoods.
Patches of cutthroat grass flank the two-track pathway, becoming most prominent at the southeastern corner.
Returning to the approach trail at 4.5 miles, retrace your earlier footsteps for a half mile back to the trailhead.
Cutthroat grassTrail Map
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Hiking Crooked Lake WEA
Nearby Adventures
Crooked Lake Prairie At Crooked Lake Prairie, the dunes of the Lake Wales Ridge meet showy prairie grasslands along the eastern shore of Crooked Lake. 
Crooked Lake Sandhill On surprisingly steep slopes, the 0.8 mile trail at Crooked Lake Sandhill scrambles a forested ridge above Crooked Lake.
Fort Meade Recreation Area Anchoring two linear trails along the Peace River, this wayside park off US 98 in Fort Meade has been a destination for river access for decades.
Hickory Lake Scrub Edging the eastern shore of Hickory Lake south of Frostproof, Hickory Lake Scrub is a showcase of unique plants thriving in the ancient sands of the Lake Wales Ridge.
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