Best For Hiking: Lake Kissimmee State Park (Lake Wales)

The Best Parks & Trails In Polk County, Florida

You want REAL hiking?

This is it.

Lake Kissimmee State Park sits 15 miles east of Lake Wales, and it's the closest thing Polk County has to backcountry. The Buster Island Loop runs almost 7 miles through oak hammocks and prairie, rated 4.6 stars across hundreds of reviews.

Deer, turkey, bald eagles, and sandhill cranes are regulars.

But here's what makes it different from every other park on this list...

The 1876 Cow Camp.

On weekends from October through April, a living-history "cow hunter" works the camp like it's still the 1870s. Scrub cattle and all.

There's nothing else like it in the county.

And stay for the stars. The skies out there are some of the darkest in Central Florida.

Quick Information:

• Location: 14248 Camp Mack Rd, Lake Wales
• Cost: $5 per vehicle
• Hours: 8am to sunset
• Trails: 13+ miles hiking, 6 miles equestrian
• Dogs: Welcome on leash
• Amenities: Full campground, marina, kayak rentals in season

Know Before You Go: It's remote. The nearest grocery store is 30 minutes away and cell service is spotty. Campers also say the airboats on the lake get loud at night. Pack earplugs.

Best For Biking: Van Fleet State Trail (Polk City)

The Best Parks & Trails In Polk County, Florida

How does 29 miles of flat, straight pavement with almost zero cars sound?

Because that's exactly what you're getting here.

The Van Fleet Trail runs from Polk City through the Green Swamp on an old railroad bed, and cyclists consider it one of the best rail trails in the entire state.

How devoted are the locals?

One reviewer said they literally moved to Polk City because of this trail.

The pavement is smooth, the trail is wide, and for long stretches the only traffic is gopher tortoises.

And make sure you ride out to the Withlacoochee River bridges around miles 10-12. Look down.

You'll see gators down there pretty much every time.

Quick Information:

• Location: Polk City Trailhead, 7683 Berkley Rd
• Cost: FREE
• Hours: 8am to sunset
• Trail: 29.2 miles, paved
• Dogs: Welcome on leash
• Amenities: Restrooms and water every ~10 miles, bike repair stations

 Know Before You Go: There are NO stores anywhere on this trail. Bring every drop of water you need. And it connects to the Auburndale TECO Trail, so if you're feeling crazy you can stretch it to 35 miles.

Best Lakefront Walk: Lake Hollingsworth (Lakeland)

The Best Parks & Trails In Polk County, Florida

In Lakeland, "the lake" means one thing.

And no, it's not Lake Parker or Lake Mirror.

If someone tells you they're walking the lake, there's a 0.1% chance they mean anywhere but Hollingsworth (and I'd assume that 0.1% would be Lake Mirror because of all the awesome things around it now, but even then I think they'd specify).

The 2.9-mile paved loop is the social heart of Lakeland fitness culture. Runners, walkers, cyclists, rollerbladers, hammock people.

This is where Katie and I go running in the mornings, and we LOVE it, but if you read my "Know Before You Go" below, I do run into this issue sometimes. 😂

Here's what you pass along the way:

1. Florida Southern College and its Frank Lloyd Wright architecture
2. Some of the grandest old homes in the city
3. Gators, otters, cranes, and ducks

Walk it a few times and you'll start seeing the same faces. 

 Quick Information:

• Location: Lake Hollingsworth Dr, Lakeland (park near the boat ramp)
• Cost: FREE
• Trail: 2.9-mile paved loop, flat, stroller-friendly
• Dogs: Welcome on leash

 Know Before You Go: There are NO public restrooms on the loop. None. Plan around it. And use the crosswalks carefully, because drivers don't always stop.

Best Hidden Gem: Marshall Hampton Reserve (Winter Haven)

The Best Parks & Trails In Polk County, Florida

Here's the local secret.

Marshall Hampton sits on the opposite shore of Lake Hancock from Circle B.

So you're getting the same eagles and the same gators, but with a fraction of the people.

And unlike Circle B...

You can bring your dog.

The Osprey Overlook Loop gets you to the water in 2.5 miles. One visitor counted three bald eagles in their first five minutes.

It's not polished. There's one picnic table and a porta-potty.

But that's the trade. You give up amenities and get the lake almost to yourself.

 Quick Information:

• Location: 3115 Thornhill Rd, Winter Haven
• Cost: FREE
• Hours: Roughly sunrise to sunset
• Trails: 15+ miles (Panther Point runs 7.4 miles toward Bartow)
• Dogs: Welcome on leash
• Amenities: Minimal

 Know Before You Go: The entrance turn off Thornhill Road sneaks up on you. Trails flood in rainy season. And you might share the path with actual cattle, so watch your step (literally).

The Honorable Mentions

Six winners never tell the whole story in a county this big.

Here's the rest of the list...

Bok Tower Gardens (Lake Wales)

A National Historic Landmark with a 205-foot Singing Tower that plays live carillon concerts at 1pm and 3pm daily. Locals call it underrated and worth every dollar of the ~$17 admission. Best in the cooler months. Leashed dogs welcome.

Colt Creek State Park (Lakeland)

5,000+ acres at the edge of the Green Swamp with 15 miles of immaculate trails, three fishing lakes, and a campground regulars call a hidden gem. $4 per vehicle. Limited shade, muddy after rain. Go in winter.

Saddle Creek Park & Tenoroc (Lakeland)

Real talk on this one. Saddle Creek is one of the best birding spots in interior Florida (35+ warbler species!) with the most bank fishing access in the county. But locals are split. The wildlife reviews glow. The facility reviews don't. Go for the birds and the fishing, go in daylight, and manage your expectations on everything else.

Hollis Garden & Lake Mirror (Lakeland)

A FREE, immaculate botanical garden with 10,000+ flowers and a koi pond right on Lake Mirror downtown. Pair it with the 0.7-mile lake loop and dinner downtown. Closed Mondays.

Fort Fraser Trail (Lakeland to Bartow)

7.75 paved miles connecting Lakeland to Bartow, with three trestle bridges and a spur straight into Circle B. The catch? It runs alongside US-98, so you trade quiet for convenience.

Auburndale TECO Trail (Auburndale to Polk City)

This is the connector I mentioned in my author's note above. It's about 7 paved miles linking Auburndale to the Van Fleet Trail for that combined 35-mile system. Much of it has zero shade, so this is an early morning ride in summer.

Gator Creek Reserve (Lakeland)

2,700 quiet acres with well-marked loops, gopher tortoises, owls, and almost no crowds. The paved Cypress Loop is wheelchair accessible, which is rare for a preserve like this. FREE, dogs welcome.

When To Go

One last thing, because timing matters more here than almost anywhere.

Summer (June-September): Mornings only. The heat is real and the afternoon storms are reliable. Stick to the paved trails or Bonnet Springs.

Fall through spring: THIS is the season. Peak bird migration at Circle B. The Cow Camp running at Lake Kissimmee. Bok Tower in full color.

Any time of year: Go early. The wildlife is out, the parking is open, and the heat hasn't shown up yet.

THANKS!

We put real time into this list.

But you all know this county better than any algorithm does.

If there's a park or trail we missed, one that's gotten better (or worse) recently, or a hidden gem we should know about, reply and tell us.

We'll update this list and give credit where it's due.

Polk County packs more outdoor variety into one county than most people realize.

We're talking world-class wildlife, a national award-winning park, and 35 miles of connected bike trail (all within a 40-minute drive of each other).

Now you know where the locals go.

Get out there.

- Mike Romaine