Catfish Creek State Preserve

This past Sunday we took a delightful hike in Catfish Creek State Preserve which is located in an isolated area of the Lake Wales Ridge ecosystem of central Florida. This unusual landscape of sand hills and desert-like flora reminded me of the high plateaus of Utah and Arizona. It was so quiet and still that I thought for a moment that we were actually in a remote section of the southwestern U.S. rather than in the 4th most populous state in the nation. Amazingly, we were the only people there on this particular afternoon.

Catfish Creek is a wonderful off-the-beaten-path sort of place located in eastern Polk County that preserves beautiful sections of scrub, sandhill, pine flatwoods and shallow ponds that are home to numerous rare plants such as scrub morning glory, scrub plum, pygmy fringe tree, and cutthroat grass. It is also home to several protected animal species including Florida scrub-jays, bald eagles, gopher tortoises, and Florida scrub lizards. During our brief visit we encountered deer, turkey, assorted waterfowl, swallows, an eagle, scrub-jay and a wide variety of insects.

Isolated and empty road to the park.


Interior backcountry of the preserve


A very busy sand wasp (see the sand flying out behind the abdomen).

Pond


Fall wildflowers

The Lake Wales Ridge ecosystem is a rapidly vanishing Florida landscape that is home to many unique species of flora and fauna. This relatively untouched state park showcases one of the more remote and sublime landscapes you're liable to find on the entire Florida peninsula.

If you don't end up getting terribly lost trying to find the place you'll probably have the whole park to yourself once you arrive. Have fun kids! Send us a postcard.