Lake Wales Ridge, Polk County, Central Florida, USA, as seen from the summit of Iron Mountain @ Bok Tower Gardens rising 295 feet (90 m) above sea level

The Lake Wales Ridge, sometimes referred to as the Mid-Florida Ridge, is a sand ridge running for about 100 miles south to north in Central Florida. Clearly viewable from satellite, the white sands of the ridge are located in Highlands County and Polk County, and also extend north into Osceola, Orange, and Lake Counties. It is named for the city of Lake Wales, roughly at the midpoint of the ridge. The highest point of the ridge is Sugarloaf Mountain, which at 312 feet (95 meters) is also the highest natural point in peninsular Florida. (The highest point of land, at 371 ft (113 m), is a manmade mining tank west of Bartow.) Iron Mountain, the location of Bok Tower, marks another well-known high point on the ridge, attaining an elevation of 295 ft (90 m). A northern unconnected extension of the Lake Wales Ridge exists in western Putnam County near the town of Grandin.

Origins
Florida's ancient sand islands stretch for over 100 miles down the middle of central Florida. Glacial changes and the rising and falling of the oceans caused dramatic transformations on the Florida peninsula. Covered almost completely by water two million years ago, only a series of small islands existed. It is the remnants of those islands that make up today's Lake Wales Ridge. Although the waters have receded, the islands continue to support distinctive life forms found nowhere else. Today several communities are located inside the Lake Wales sand ridge, with the glaring white sands visible in many neighborhoods.

Habitat
These relic sand dunes created over thousands of years by the dynamic movements of sea, ice and wind now provide refuge for rare and endangered plants and animals. Although consisting of a variety of habitats from low and wet bayheads to high and dry sandhills, the ridge is most famous for its scrub habitat. Wildlife and plants once isolated on these islands evolved extremely unusual characteristics. This forest in miniature consists of clusters of shrubs scattered between patches of open sand. The lack of canopy cover and very deep porous sands create a hot, dry, desert like habitat. Due primarily to a long period of isolation, plants and animals that live on the Ridge have developed ways to deal with their harsh environment.

One of the scrub's best known residents is Florida's only endemic bird, the Florida scrub-jay. When walking through scrub areas, small scrub lizards often race off in the distance — perhaps an adaptation for crossing the hot sand quickly. Many animals of the scrub spend much of their lives underground to escape the hot Florida sun as well as to avoid predators. The gopher tortoise digs a burrow underground that may be up to ten feet deep and up to 30 feet long. More than 360 species may share the gopher's burrow. Other small animals such as the sand skink leave only "S"-shaped tracks as it "swims" just beneath the surface of the sand. It is the only known sand-swimming skink in North America and occurs in only seven counties in Florida.

Most of the vegetation in the Lake Wales Sand Ridge consists of (or has evolved into) scrub plants with thick waxy coated leaves that are drought tolerant. The leaves of the sand live oak are thick and leathery, rolled in at the edges to help retain as much water as possible during the blazing hot days of summer. Species of Opuntia, Yucca, Scrub plum, and scrub Serenoa repens palm dot the landscape and are well adapted to the hot sun and fast draining soils.

In the early twentieth century parts of the ridge were converted to citrus groves. More recently, some of the citrus groves, particularly in the north of the ridge, have been redeveloped for residential housing. Today several areas of the Ridge are protected National Wildlife Refuges and State Forest.

Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Wales_Ridge
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabal_palmetto

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

Taken in: United States / Florida / Mountain Lake Station (show map)

Taken on: April 9, 2023

Tags:

Lake Wales Ridge

Polk County

USA

nature

scrubs

palm trees

palm tree

Sunshine State

geology

hills

rolling hills

Mid-Florida Ridge

Bok Tower Gardens

Mountain Lake Santuary

phosphate mountain

rural Florida

high elevation

old Florida

sand ridge running for about 100 miles south to north in Central Florida

viewable from satellite

located in Highlands County and Polk County also extend north into Osceola Orange and Lake Counties

highest point of the ridge is Sugarloaf Mountain

which at 312 feet (95 meters) is also the highest natural point in peninsular Florida

The highest point of land

at 371 ft (113 m)

is a manmade mining tank west of Bartow

Florida's ancient sand islands stretch for over 100 miles down the middle of central Florida

cabbage palm

Sabal palmetto Palm

scrub plants

Spanish Moss « less

Sets appears in: • Florida's Hill Country • Florida's Beautiful Parks, Beaches, Lakes & Gardens more » • City of Lake Wales, Polk County, Florida, USA • Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Boulevard, Lake Wales, Florida, USA / Architect: Milton B Medary / Completed: 1929 « less

Groups appears in: • Florida • Artistic Photography more » • Wild Florida • Central Florida • Your Favorite Photos - Unlimited! • Geotagged: Travel • Flickritis: over 87,000 waiting for a vaccine. • Central Florida Recreation • Flickr USA • Your photo goes here! no 30/60 • Florida, USA • Central Florida Flickrs • the World Traveller • * Travel Photography for World Nomads * • Old Florida • *Inspirational Travel Photos • Central Florida Photographers • Frequent Traveler • MY FLORIDA • worldwidewandering - a travel atlas • Florida Vaction • I bring my camera everywhere (no 30/60 limit) • Florida Holiday Photos • Florida Sun • Florida's state and local parks • Mystic Travellers • Historic Florida • " MASTER CLASS PHOTOGRAPHY " • The Florida Photographer • flickr in full color [No Black & White !] • Florida Public Beaches, Gardens & Parks [directory] • "Unlimited Photos: No Rules" • Photography in Florida • I am flickr! - No 30/60 Limit • Florida Native Plants • The Travel Experience - Travel photos from around the world • ***FLICKRPEDIA*** House of Knowledge/Please comment on 3 • Florida , its Amazing • Florida - HDR • Florida Habitat (Post 1, Comment 1) • Travel and Escapades • Destinations around the world - The travel group • Florida Explorers • Strictly GeoTagged (no 30/60 limit) • Turismo por todo el mundo • Garden Travel • The Story of Florida's State Parks • FLORIDA'S FAUNA & FLORA • The Real Florida • i love Traveling • * TRAVEL * (Please COMMENT with the CODE !) • The Traveling Camera Projects • ***Flickr Global • Around Central Florida • * Flickr Beautiful Celebration of Diversity • In travel with my Nikon • iTravel: Travel Photography • Geotagged: Florida • Travel - Around the World • Rural Florida History • Florida Travels • All of Florida's Beauty • Hipstamatic - Florida • Flickr Travels Around the World • Beauty of the USA • Florida Free • Light Creations • FLorida Freelance Nature Photographers • Urban Color • Everything Everywhere Travel Photography • FloridaPast • Florida Photo Adventures • Florida - The Sunshine State • FLORIDA • My Florida Page • Florida Landscapes • Florida Colors • Lost in Travel • brilliant flickr • My time behind the lens No 30/60 limits • florida beauty • TOURISM magazine • Photo's passion of the world • Stunning travel photos from around the World • Florida Skies • Today's Flickr • Nature & Geology of Florida • Flickr Explore It • Florida Days & Nights • flickr world wide • flickr 4 all • Group for all users of FLICKR - No 30/60 Groups Limit • The Sunshine State • The Traveler's Bucket List • Flickr Like • Flickr Gallery of Distinction Your Best • !*All Around The World*! • All great photos - No 30/60 • ! Your Flickr Photos ! • Free our Flickr - No 30/60 • !* THE NEW SOUTH ✧ Please, ONLY QUALITY IMAGES!✧ • USA - United States (No 30/60 limit) • FLICKR INTERNATIONAL - No 30/60 Groups Limit • USA - Pictures (No 30/60 limit) • Beautiful Day or Night No 30/60 - No SL • Flickr Photo Unlimited (No People) • No limit - No 30/60 • Buildings are beautiful - no 30/60 limit • TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY (no 30/60 rule) • Florida Nature Photography • Flickr (No 30/60 Group Limit) • No 30/60 Flickr - no SL • flickr 30/60 limit sucks • Flickrology • NO 30/60 Family safe only • Nice Places to Visit - No 30/60 Limit - Photos & Videos Welcome. • Post Anything You Like. No 30/60 • Geotagging the World • Pon color a tu vida (no blanco y negro) • Travel Sights • All Your Photos and Mine (No 30/60 limit - Photos from anywhere) • A group for all type of photos but no porn (No 30 • ! ΙΙ TOURISM magazine ! • Fans of Flickr « less

Stats: 3,621 views / 6 comments

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: