Hickory Lake Preserve - 57 acres

Located on the Lake Wales Ridge, this unique site features several distinct ecosystems; ancient scrub, lakeshore, small stream, cutthroat seep and oak hammock. Wildlife on the preserve includes gopher tortoises, Florida scrub lizards and wading birds.

The Hickory Lake Preserve is an excellent example of ancient Florida scrub habitat containing 13 rare plant and three threatened animal species. The site features a cutthroat grass seep, a plant so rare that it exits only in southern Polk and in northern Highlands County -- and no where else in the world.

The site is managed by Polk County under its environmental lands program and is open to the public.  There are two parking areas, informational kiosks, and marked trails for the public.