Diverse Natural Communities
Polk County is larger than Rhode Island, which means we are large enough to have many different ecosystems and landscapes. Polk County is a place where in the span of only a few miles you can go from a freshwater marsh on the shores of a lake, to a desert-like scrub habitat complete with prickly pear cactus.
Some of the more distinct natural features to explore in Polk County include Lake Wales Ridge, Floodplain Swamps, Wet Prairie, and Scrubby Flatwoods.
State Parks in Central Florida
Follow blazed trails through our unique landscape at Colt Creek State Park, Lake Kissimmee State Park, or Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park. All together, these three state parks in Central Florida have over 31-miles of hiking and equestrian trails to explore. Arbuckle WMA and Walk-in-the-Water WMA in the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest has 12.2-miles of equestrian trails and more than 50-miles of hiking trails combined.
County Parks & Reserves
Whether you are interested in seeing ancient beach sand dunes, unique plants and animals, or looking to explore the Green Swamp with its majestic cypress domes, Polk County’s Environmental Lands Program offers visitors many ways to discover Florida’s true nature. The County’s nine parks and reserves include SUMICA, Lakeland Highlands Scrub and Crooked Lake Prairie.
Polk County’s most popular outdoor area is Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland. In 2011, USA Today named Circle B Bar Reserve on of “51 Great Places to See Wildlife.” Circle B, a 1,267-acre reserve, is popular for birding and alligator watching.
Lakeland Highlands Scrub
Lakeland Highlands Scrub protects the largest remaining contiguous tract of the historic Lakeland Ridge and…
Address: 6998 Lakeland Highlands Rd.
Lakeland, FL 33813
Phone: 863-534-7377
Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park
State Park in Haines City featuring long, sugar sand trails along the Lake Wales Ridge.
Address: 4335 Firetower Rd
Haines City, FL 33884
Phone: 863-696-1112
Avon Park Air Force Range
106,000 acre active military training facility and recreation area south of Lake Wales. The Air…
Address: 29 S. Blvd
Avon Park , FL 33825
Phone: 863-452-4254
East Tract at Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve
East Tract in North Lakeland offers 33 miles of trails for hiking, cycling and birding.…
Address: Entrance at intersection of Rock Ridge Rd. and Dean Still Rd
Lakeland, FL 33809
Phone: 863-648-3200
Colt Creek State Park
No matter the season, Colt Creek State Park in Lakeland offers activities such as hiking,…
Address: 16000 FL-471
Lakeland, FL 33809
Phone: 863-815-6761
Circle B Bar Reserve
A prime destination for hiking, bird watching and cycling. Visit the Polk Nature Discovery Center…
Address: 4399 Winter Lake Rd.
Lakeland, FL 33803
Phone: 863-668-4673
Walk-In-The-Water Wildlife Management Area
6,000 acre property in Frostproof offers opportunities for long hiking excursions, equestrian trails and camping.
Address: State Hwy. 630 E., 6 Miles east of U.S. Hwy 27
Frostproof, FL 33843
Phone: 863-635-8589
Tiger Creek Preserve
8 miles of well-marked trails through scrubby flatwoods, hardwood swamp and pine flatwoods.
Address: 674 Pfundstein Rd.
Babson Park, FL 33827
Phone: 863-635-7506
Lake Kissimmee State Park
Lake Kissimmee State Park is located on the shores of lakes Kissimmee, Tiger and Rosalie,…
Address: 14248 Camp Mack Rd
Lake Wales, FL 33898
Phone: 407-624-5640
