Lake Wales Ridge
Encyclopedia
The Lake Wales Ridge is a low ridge
running for about 150 miles south to north in Central Florida
. The greater part of the ridge is in Highlands County
and Polk County
, but it extends north into Osceola
, Orange
and Lake Counties
. It is named for the city of Lake Wales
, roughly at the mid point of the ridge. The highest point of the ridge is Sugarloaf Mountain, which at 312 feet (95 meters) is also the highest point in peninsular Florida. Iron Mountain
, the location of Bok Tower
, marks another well known high point on the ridge, attaining an elevation of 295 feet (90 meters).
s, formed at a time more than a million years ago during the Pleistocene
epoch. It was once believed that these sand islands formed when sea level was higher than today, but new research has revealed that the Lake Wales Ridge has probably been uplifted
due to isostatic rebound of the crust
beneath the Florida Platform
. The uplift is attributed to the karstification
/erosion of the platform, which is reducing the weight on the underlying basement rock
, triggering a process similar to post glacial rebound
.
During the last ice age
the ridge was connected to what is now the southwestern United States by an extension of land which today is submerged beneath the waters of the Gulf of Mexico
and is referred to as the Florida Shelf. The now sunken land enabled many southwestern species to migrate to Florida.
, which shelters animals such as the gopher tortoise, sand skink and scrub jay
. In the early twentieth century large 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 developed for residential housing.
, and provides hiking trails and other recreational facilities.
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
running for about 150 miles south to north in Central Florida
Central Florida
Central Florida is a regional designation for the area surrounding Orlando in east central Florida, United States. The area represents the third largest population concentration in Florida, after the South Florida and Tampa Bay regions, respectively....
. The greater part of the ridge is in Highlands County
Highlands County, Florida
Highlands County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the population was 97,346. Its county seat is Sebring, Florida. The county comprises the Sebring, Florida, Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and Polk County
Polk County, Florida
Polk County is located in central Florida between the Tampa Bay and Greater Orlando metropolitan areas. The county was established by the state government in 1861 on the eve of the American Civil War and named after former United States president James K. Polk. The county seat is Bartow and its...
, but it extends north into Osceola
Osceola County, Florida
Osceola County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 172,493. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 244,045, making it the 17th fastest-growing county in the United States. Its county seat is Kissimmee.- History :Osceola County was...
, Orange
Orange County, Florida
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....
and Lake Counties
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...
. It is named for the city of Lake Wales
Lake Wales, Florida
Lake Wales is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,194 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 11,802 . It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, roughly at the mid point of the ridge. The highest point of the ridge is Sugarloaf Mountain, which at 312 feet (95 meters) is also the highest point in peninsular Florida. Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain (Florida)
Iron Mountain is one of the highest points in peninsular Florida, USA and a prominent point of the Lake Wales Ridge. The mountain contains citronelle, a hematite-containing rock that oxidizes when exposed to air and is responsible for the red-brown color of the earth. The ridge is located just...
, the location of Bok Tower
Bok Tower Gardens
Bok Tower Gardens is a botanical garden and bird sanctuary, located north of Lake Wales, Florida, United States. It consists of a 250-acre garden, the tall Singing Tower with its carillon bells, Pine Ridge Trail, Pinewood Estate, and a visitor center...
, marks another well known high point on the ridge, attaining an elevation of 295 feet (90 meters).
Origins
The ridge originated as a series of sand islandSand island
A sand island is an island that is largely or completely made of sand. The largest sand island in the world is Fraser Island. Other examples of large sand islands are Moreton and North Stradbroke Islands which lie south of Fraser Island off the east coast of Australia....
s, formed at a time more than a million years ago during the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
epoch. It was once believed that these sand islands formed when sea level was higher than today, but new research has revealed that the Lake Wales Ridge has probably been uplifted
Tectonic uplift
Tectonic uplift is a geological process most often caused by plate tectonics which increases elevation. The opposite of uplift is subsidence, which results in a decrease in elevation. Uplift may be orogenic or isostatic.-Orogenic uplift:...
due to isostatic rebound of the crust
Crust (geology)
In geology, the crust is the outermost solid shell of a rocky planet or natural satellite, which is chemically distinct from the underlying mantle...
beneath the Florida Platform
Florida Platform
The Florida Platform is a flat geological feature with the emergent portion being the Florida peninsula.-Structure:The platform forms a rampart between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The platform's western edge, or Florida Escarpment, is normally defined with water depths at 300 feet...
. The uplift is attributed to the karstification
Karst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
/erosion of the platform, which is reducing the weight on the underlying basement rock
Basement (geology)
In geology, the terms basement and crystalline basement are used to define the rocks below a sedimentary platform or cover, or more generally any rock below sedimentary rocks or sedimentary basins that are metamorphic or igneous in origin...
, triggering a process similar to post glacial rebound
Post-glacial rebound
Post-glacial rebound is the rise of land masses that were depressed by the huge weight of ice sheets during the last glacial period, through a process known as isostasy...
.
During the last ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
the ridge was connected to what is now the southwestern United States by an extension of land which today is submerged beneath the waters of the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and is referred to as the Florida Shelf. The now sunken land enabled many southwestern species to migrate to Florida.
Habitat
The ridge in its natural state is mostly composed of scrubFlorida scrub
Florida scrub is an endangered temperate coniferous forest ecoregion of the state of Florida in the United States. It is found on coastal and inland sand ridges and is characterized by a xeromorphic plant community dominated by shrubs and dwarf oaks. Scrub soils, a type of entisol, are derived...
, which shelters animals such as the gopher tortoise, sand skink and scrub jay
Florida Scrub Jay
The Florida Scrub-Jay is one of the species of scrub-jay native to North America. It is the only species of bird endemic to the U.S. state of Florida. Because of this, it is heavily sought by birders who travel from across the country to observe this unique species...
. In the early twentieth century large parts of the ridge were converted to citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
groves. More recently, some of the citrus groves, particularly in the north of the ridge, have been developed for residential housing.
Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge
The refuge preserves natural habitat in four separated areas of the ridge. The refuge is not open to the public.Lake Wales Ridge State Forest
The state forest is located east of FrostproofFrostproof, Florida
Frostproof is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The city is located in southern Polk County on the Lake Wales Ridge. The population was 2,975 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 2,954...
, and provides hiking trails and other recreational facilities.