Crooked Lake Wildlife Management & Environmental Area
156-232 Turtle Run Trail, Fort Meade, FL 33841
https://myfwc.com/recreation/lead/crooked-lake/
Things to know:
- Hours of operation: Sunrise to sunset every day
- Unstaffed; free for users
- A restroom is in the parking area.
- Parking isn’t spacious, but there’s enough room for several rigs if all use consideration.
- Almost 1,150 acres with about 6 miles of trails on the map. However, there appear to be more trails that are unmarked. Trails range from sunny to partly shaded through pine flatwoods, basin swamp, baygall, sandhill, depression marsh, hardwood forest and scrub.
- A water faucet (no hose or bucket) is located against the fence west of the horses’ trail entrance.
- No maps were available at the kiosk at a recent visit; consider printing & bringing your own.
- No hunting is allowed on the property.
- A picnic table is in the parking area.
- Once through the horse gate, turn right and follow the fence until you reach the shell road. The trail begins there.
Cautions:
- Not a good ride for the hot summer months due to the lack of shade.
- Much of the trail follows the road, which has rocks. Equestrians usually have room on the mowed side to ride safely.
- Designated trails are not well marked. A GPS or compass is a good idea for the directionally challenged.
- Turtle Run Trail doesn’t show up on some GPS gadgets; on a recent visit, the road sign was twisted and unreadable from Hwy 98.
Florida Sport Horse Club 