Florida Hikes

Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

Tunnel through trees

Lake Wales Ridge Scrub Jay Loop

An easy loop trail traverses scattered prairie ponds within a dry ecosystem suitable for one of the state’s most endangered birds, the Florida scrub-jay.

Frostproof (27.762533, -81.453035)   2.5 miles   Lake Wales Ridge State Forest

Situated atop some of the highest points in peninsular Florida, the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest protects over 26,000 acres of unique ecosystems.

The ancient scrub habitats house species found nowhere else, shaped by millions of years of sea level changes.

The Scrub Jay Loop allows access to the primordial landscapes within the Walk-in-the-Water tract, one of several tracts within the forest.

blue post near view View into a prairie

Resources

Resources for exploring the area
50 Hikes in Central Florida Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover Hikers Guide to the Sunshine State book cover Paddlers Guide Florida
 
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Overview

Location: Frostproof
Length: 2.5 mile loop
Trailhead: 27.762533, -81.453035
Address: 2067 Hwy 630 E, Frostproof
Fees: $2 per person
Restroom: None
Land manager: Florida Forestry Service
Phone: 863-589-0545

Open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs welcome.

Trails are off-limits to cyclists. Check hunting season dates before you hike.

A 0.8-mile linear connector trail leads to Walk-in-Water Campground, largely used by equestrians. Campsites must be reserved online.

Directions


 
From US 27 south of Lake Wales, head east on CR 630A for 1.4 miles through Frostproof, continuing forward onto CR 630. In 6.9 miles, the trailhead will be located to the left side of the road.

Hike

Starting at the trailhead, be sure to stop at the informational kiosk to view a map of the property and pay the entrance fee.

Brochures are available in the attached bin, including maps and information regarding the Florida State Forest’s Trailwalker program. This trail is part of the program.

Trail sign Forest sign and kiosk

Following blue blazes into the woods, turn right in a hundred feet to begin a counterclockwise trek on the loop.

Initially, a sandy pathway carves through dense walls of scrub oaks before opening to an expansive dry scrub habitat.

double light blue blaze to path in woods Scrub Jay Loop sign

Clusters of saw palmettos line the trail, interspersed with wire grasses, reindeer moss, and occasional turkey oaks.

Because this habitat is mostly canopy free, shade is limited to scattered spots under sand pines and live oaks.

Soft needles of sand pine over trail Trailside sand pine

The thick shrubby characteristics of scrub oaks combined with a lack of taller trees create a critical environment for this trail’s namesake bird, the Florida scrub-jay.

To maintain this habitat, the forest service regularly uses prescribed burns and mechanical means to keep the trees at a low height.

Open scrub Maintained scrub habitat

Prairie clovers sport lavender-tinted blossoms alongside the pathway as the trail turns westward at the one-mile mark.

In a quarter mile, the forest opens to a panoramic view along the edge of a prairie pond.

pink blossoms of Prairie clovers Prairie clovers

Golden grasses border the seasonal body of water, swaying in the breeze.

Blue-blazed posts mark the trail as it traces the northern end of the pond before crossing a sandy service road and heading back into the woods.

Descent towards a pond Prairie pond through the trees

Spanish moss adorns the arched branches of large oak trees overhead as the trail enters a small oak hammock.

Benches offer a spot to rest in shady spots alongside the trail, often alongside a particularly scenic spot.

Under the shade of an oak Oak hammock

At 1.5 miles, a post marked with three different colors marks the junction where the Red and Blue equestrian trails meet this trail. Dark blue leads northeast to the campground.

Continue following the appropriately colored light blue blazes southward to remain on the Scrub Jay Trail.

post with blue, red, light blue blazes Trail junction

Heading southward, the trail weaves between alternating prairie, scrub, and oak hammocks, completing the loop in a mile.

Passing a sign for the west loop, the path winds through dense shrubs for a tenth of a mile, concluding the hike at the trailhead.

Sign for west side of loop Scrub Jay Loop sign

Trail Map

Lake Wales Ridge Walk in Water Trail Map
Scrub Jay Loop in red, Big Bay Trail in Yellow, Equestrian Trails in blue.

Explore More!

Learn more about Lake Wales Ridge State Forest

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.

Nearby Adventures

Tiger Creek Preserve scrub ridge Tiger Creek Preserve Edward Bok's "Jungle," a deeply folded landscape between Tiger Creek and Patrick Creek south of Lake Wales, is protected by The Nature Conservancy as Tiger Creek Preserve.
Wet prairie at SUMICA SUMICA With up to 6.2 miles of trails - many of them a bit wet - SUMICA is one of the natural lands in Polk County where birding is especially superb.
View from the observation tower at Lake Kissimmee State Park Lake Kissimmee State Park Discover the beauty of the land between the lakes east of Lake Wales while exploring the vast prairies and fern-laden hammocks of Lake Kissimmee State Park.
Expanse of lake with grass foreground and ridge on far shore 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.

Trail Map (PDF) Reserve Campsite Official Website

Chris Stevens
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