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Sandhill wireweed

Lake Wales Ridge

South of Lake Apopka, the Lake Wales Ridge is a significant landform down the middle of the Florida peninsula, with its highest hills and oldest biological communities

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Contents

  • 1 Resources
  • 2 Exploring the Lake Wales Ridge
  • 3 Featured Destinations
    • 3.1 Bok Tower Gardens
    • 3.2 Catfish Creek Preserve State Park
    • 3.3 Crooked Lake Prairie
    • 3.4 Lake June-in-Winter Scrub State Park
    • 3.5 Lake Kissimmee State Park
    • 3.6 Tiger Creek Preserve
    • 3.7 Lake Wales Ridge State Forest
  • 4 Articles
    • 4.1 The new 50 Hikes in Central Florida
    • 4.2 On Iron Mountain

Resources

South Florida Explorers Guide book cover 50 Hikes in South Florida book cover 50 Hikes in Central Florida Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us continue to provide public information on this website.


Exploring the Lake Wales Ridge

The peninsula of Florida is young, geologically speaking, built on sands of ancient oceans. But before a peninsula formed, a string of islands marked what is now the peninsula’s highest ridge.

The Lake Wales Ridge is a backbone down Central and into South Florida, running nearly 150 miles from Clermont to south of Lake Placid.

Atop these former islands, the oldest land in the Florida peninsula, are some of North America’s most diverse and unusual biological communities.

Most notable are the scrubs, a desert-like habitat with the highest concentration of rare and endangered plants in the continental United States.

Their shining white quartz sands host diminutive species dating back to the Miocene Era.

Sadly, these soft white sands were quickly sought out for agriculture, since citrus grows well along the ridge. At the north end of the ridge, a sea of housing developments uprooted the citrus groves.

However, starting in the 1920s with Edward Bok’s Mountain Lake Sanctuary – now Bok Tower Gardens – protecting a peninsular high point of Iron Mountain (295 feet), efforts have been made to protect portions of the ridge with public lands and private foundations.

US 27 roughly follows the top of the ridge between Clermont and down towards Lake Okeechobee. A more enjoyable drive is to catch Scenic 17 from Haines City south to Sebring.

It parallels US 27, but showcases the region better, with more scenic views and hills as well as access to trailheads.


Featured Destinations

In our opinion, these destinations offer excellent immersion in Lake Wales Ridge habitats and should not be missed. Put them at the top of your list for a visit to the Florida peninsula.

Atop Iron Mountain at Bok Tower Gardens

Bok Tower Gardens

Bok Tower Gardens
Prairie basin with tall orange grasses

Catfish Creek Preserve State Park

Catfish Creek Preserve State Park
Crooked Lake Prairie

Crooked Lake Prairie

Crooked Lake Prairie
Lake June-in-Winter Scrub

Lake June-in-Winter Scrub State Park

Lake June-in-Winter Scrub State Park
View from the observation tower at Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park
Tiger Creek Preserve scrub ridge

Tiger Creek Preserve

Tiger Creek Preserve
 
In addition, Lake Wales Ridge State Forest offers many trails through ridge habitats. Decades ago, the Florida Trail Association built significant loop trails in the forest, with the Lake Arbuckle Loop offering a weekend backpacking trip.

View of prairie beyond trail post

Lake Wales Ridge State Forest

Atop the ancient sands of the Lake Wales Ridge, this massive state forest offers provides hikers and equestrians an expansive network of trails.

 
More Trails and Parks


Articles

50 Hikes Central Florida graphic

The new 50 Hikes in Central Florida

October 5, 2018//  by Sandra Friend

We launched a new full-color edition of 50 Hikes in Central Florida at the National Trails Festival in Deland the first weekend of October. Take a peek inside.

View from Iron Mountain

On Iron Mountain

April 21, 2008//  by Sandra Friend

Atop one of the highest points in Florida stands a monument to an immigrant who lived the American Dream and decided that his legacy would be to preserve this high point: Bok Tower Gardens


INCLUDES: Avon Park, Babson Park, Clermont, Dundee, Frostproof, Haines City, Lake Wales, Lake Placid, Minneola, Monteverde, Sebring | NEARBY: Arcadia, Lakeland, Kissimmee, Okeechobee, Orlando | PART OF: Central Florida, South Florida

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