Polk County
What is the Lake Wales Ridge?
The Lake Wales Ridge is an ancient sand-dune spine running north–south through Polk and Highlands counties. It was once a chain of islands, and it now holds one of the rarest scrub ecosystems in North America.
The ridge gives this part of Florida real elevation change, sand-bottom lakes, and a distinctive scrub habitat with plants found nowhere else.
Public land on the ridge includes Catfish Creek Preserve State Park, Lake Kissimmee State Park, and the Crooked Lake area.
Reviewed 2026-08-07 · Lake Wales Guide