Exploring Lakeland
As Polk County continues to add to its array of natural lands, recreation opportunities are on the rise throughout the region. Lakeland is a hub for recreation along the central Lake Wales Ridge and into the Green Swamp as well as the Alafia River valley.
Historic parks and loop trails around its major lakes provide green space in the urban downtown as well as family destinations like the splash pad at Barnett Family Park and the garden rooms at Hollis Garden, both along Lake Mirror. And, of course, Lakeland would not be what it is without its swans, which have a direct connection to the royal family in England. They are primarily seen along Lake Morton.
Bike paths connect both communities and parks and natural lands in the region. Stretching from the county seat of Bartow to Lakeland, the Fort Fraser Trail provides access to one of Florida’s best wildlife watching destinations, Circle B Bar Reserve.
Resources
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Articles
The new 50 Hikes in Central Florida
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.
Holloway Park
With day hiking and cross country trails, Holloway Park & Nature Preserve is a slice of nature inside the city limits of Lakeland, just off the Polk Parkway.
Hiking Tampa’s Oak Ridge
It was the lack of blazes that caught my eye. Especially at intersections. Here and there, we’d find a diamond marking the route that the equestrian trails followed. But with Lenny leading the way, we simply followed. The Oak Ridge Tract of Lower Hillsborough River Wilderness Area is another in a vast patchwork of lands …
Videos
NEARBY: Brandon, Clermont, Dade City, Kissimmee, Lake Wales, Orlando, Plant City, Tampa, Walt Disney World, Zephyrhills | PART OF: Central Florida