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Crooked Lake Prairie
4.2 ★★★★☆ 18 Google reviews · Running trail in Babson Park, Florida · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Boardwalk
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Crooked Lake Prairie's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Crooked Lake Prairie
“A few nice benches by the lake would be beautiful to have and possibly some informational plaques along the way.”
Hiked the park. Trails could be a bit more maintained. Missed our right turn and put in an extra mile. Saw a jacarundi while we were "lost". A few places were still wet. Wear good shoes. Fishing will still be a bit tough. Lots of pads at the boardwalk. The lake shore is pretty grown over. Still a nice day out in nature
I have lived in lake wales for over 20 years and brought my sister here when she visited. This is a hidden gem! Unfortunately the boardwalk by the lake is not being maintained. The view is exceptional and the silica sand trails were walkable in my bare feet in spots.
Crooked Lake Prairie is located on over two miles of shoreline on beautiful Crooked Lake and covers 520 acres. It is part of the Polk County Environmental Lands Program and is comprised of endangered Florida Scrub, wetland and prairie.
Very open enjoyed the option of scrub trail or lake view. Great place to bring your dogs.
Trail conditions & character
“Crooked Lake Prairie is located on over two miles of shoreline on beautiful Crooked Lake and covers 520 acres.”
“Unfortunately the boardwalk by the lake is not being maintained.”
Plan your run at Crooked Lake Prairie
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceBoardwalk — flat and scenic, and slick when wet, so watch your footing
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Websitepolk-county.net
- Phone(863) 534-6911
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 5 AM–10 PM |
| Tuesday | 5 AM–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 5 AM–10 PM |
| Thursday | 5 AM–10 PM |
| Friday | 5 AM–10 PM |
| Saturday | 5 AM–10 PM |
| Sunday | 5 AM–10 PM |
Running trails near Babson Park
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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Lake Wailes Park
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Kiwanis Park
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