Park Summary for Print - Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park

Welcome to Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park

This park protects one of the state's most endangered natural communities-sand scrub-which is sometimes called "Florida's desert." Some of Florida's rarest plants and animals, including the Florida scrub-jay, Florida scrub lizard, Florida mouse, deer, gopher tortoise, and bobcat are found in the scrub. Ospreys and bald eagles are frequently sighted along the three miles of lakefront. This relatively new park is still in development and best suited to those seeking a remote wilderness experience and nature study. Visitors can hike along the white sand firelanes, walk a half-mile nature trail, fish from the lakeshore, or launch a canoe or kayak onto the lake. A picnic area has tables and a shelter, but no grills. Located about 12 miles south of Sebring off U.S. 27. Travel U.S. 27 to County Road 621 and go west for four miles to Daffodil Road. Travel two miles south on Daffodil Road to the park entrance.

Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
For Information about Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park, please call 863-386-6099.

Hours of Operation

Lake June in Winter Scrub State park is open 8:00 a.m. to sundown 365 days per year.

Driving Directions

Take US Highway 27 to the town of Lake Placid, turn west on County Road 621, travel approximately five miles on County Road 621 (Lake June Road) to Daffodil Road (621 merges into Poplar, then into Miller as you travel towards Daffodil). Turn south onto Daffodil road (Spur Mini Mart at this intersection), travel approximately two miles to the end of Daffodil Road, the park entrance is on your left. Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park is approximately 15 minutes from the historic downtown of Lake Placid.

Park Fees

Park entrance fees are just $2.00 per vehicle and collected on the honor system.

Activities at Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park

	Fishing Fishing is allowed in designated areas Do you need a Fishing License?
	Nature Trails Hiking trails are available
	Picnic Area Picnic tables are available
	Wildlife Viewing Wildlife viewing is possible at this park

Special Events for Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park

There are no events listed at this time. Please call our park for more details on possible future events.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park

Question: Is there a boat ramp within the park?
Answer: Visitors may launch non-motorized boats (canoes/kayaks) from the park’s currently unimproved shoreline. Canoes may need to be carried/pulled for several hundred feet to access the water’s edge. All other watercraft should utilize the public boat ramp at H.L. Bishop Park, located on CR 621 about 2 miles west of US Highway 27.

Question: Can I drive my boat, Jet Ski, etc. up to the park boundary from Lake June?
Answer: The lake depth is quite shallow along the park’s nearly 3 miles of shoreline, necessitating boats to anchor off shore. For the protection of the park’s wetland habitats, all watercraft (including wave runners/jet skis) should remain off shore as well.

Question: Do I have to pay the honor fee if I access the park by boat?
Answer: All park visitors, regardless of access, must pay the honor fee upon arriving at the park. Please retain your stub in the event that entry surveys are conducted by park staff.

Question: May I hike off of designated trails and/or firelanes?
Answer: Due to the fragile nature of this ecosystem, all visitors are requested to remain on trails and/or firebreaks. Many of these rare species can be destroyed by trampling and/or off road vehicle traffic.

Question: Are there BBQ grills available?
Answer: Due to the arid nature of this ecosystem, BBQ grills are not provided. As wildfires are a concern here due to the pyrogenic nature of the plant life, all fires are prohibited.

Question: May I ride my all terrain vehicle (ATV) or dirt bike within the park?
Answer: ATV’s, dirt bikes, or other off road-type vehicles are prohibited within the park due to the fragility of this ecosystem. As the park is accessed by county roads, all local traffic rules apply to these types of vehicles.

Question: Is there anywhere to ride my bike or ride horses within the park?
Answer: Due to the nature of the deep sands in this habitat, and the fragility of the many rare plant species, these types of recreational use are not suited to this park environment.

Question: Are there campsites available at this park?
Answer: There are no campsites, running water, or flush toilets at this park. Please bring drinking water with you-a composting toilet and hand sanitizer is provided. Highlands Hammock State Park, located just 20 minutes away in Sebring, has 159 campsites with water and electric hookups and a sanitary dump station. Contact www.ReserveAmerica.com to inquire on availability or make reservations.

Question: Is there anywhere nearby to purchase drinking water, snacks, etc?
Answer: The town of Lake Placid, located about 15 minutes from Lake June Scrub, offers grocery, restaurants, and shopping. A "Spur mini mart/gas station” is located at the intersection of CR 621 (Miller Road) and Daffodil road, just 2 miles from the park entrance.

Question: Is there lodging nearby this park?
Answer: The historic town of Lake Placid is located just minutes from Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park and several hotels/motels are available. Contact the Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce for more information at (863) 465-4331 or www.lpfla.com.

Question: Are there other areas of interest near this park?
Answer: The Archbold Biological Station, located south of Lake Placid, is a private research facility that conducts studies on this rare ecosystem in central Florida. Visitors are encouraged to view their webpage, which will offer information on their projects, activities, and opportunities available for visitors. www.archbold-station.org/abs/visitorinfo/visitor.htm

The town of Lake Placid is known internationally due to the nearly 40 building-sized murals found in the historic district. Each depicts a natural ecosystem, historic event, or cultural theme of this quaint central Florida town. Mural tours are offered at the town’s Chamber of Commerce, as are self-guiding mural tour books. You can reach the Lake Placid Mural Society at www.htn.net/lplacid/murals/murals.htm. Contact the Lake Placid Chamber at (863) 465-4331 or www.lpfla.com. Additional highlights in this town are the Tower Restaurant, which includes a 270-foot tower, offering 7-mile panoramic views of 27 freshwater lakes, citrus-covered hillsides, colorful caladiums, the lower portion of the Lake Wales Ridge, and the Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park. A variety of businesses operate from the Tower Plaza and the most delightful gift shop, the Goodness Gracious, is located next to the Tower itself. The tower is visible from the park’s lakefront, east of the parking area, and views of the park are seen from the heights of the tower. The Caladium Cooperative, located downtown on Main Street, offers hand-crafted work by local artisans and is well worth a visit.

Lake Placid is known as the Caladium Capitol of the World, as 95% of the world’s caladiums are grown here. These beautiful leaf plants, first imported from the Amazon River Valley of South America, are an important and thriving local industry. Annual festivals delight thousands with bulb sales and guided tours through the colorful caladium fields and packing houses. Bulbs currently occupy more than 1,300 acres and are shipped nationwide, as well as overseas to South Africa, Turkey, Spain, Pakistan and Europe. To view these colorful plants and more history on this interesting local industry see www.happinessfarms.com.

Question: Where can I get more information on birding at this park?
Answer: Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park is just one of many state properties that are included on the Great Florida Birding Trail. Birding guides for the Great Florida Birding Trail are available from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission at www.floridabirdingtrail.com.

Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park History

The Lake

Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park is named for the lake on it's eastern boundary. It may have been called Lake Stearns Scrub SP if an intriguing chain of events had not occurred many years ago.

It all started with Dr. Melvil Dewey. Dewey was an educator, librarian, developer and visionary. Most remember him as the inventor of the "Dewey Decimal System" for cataloging books in libraries. In 1895, Dewey had built a summer resort for his wealthy friends at a place known as Lake Placid, N.Y. About 35 years later, he discovered a place he thought well suited for a winter resort for these same wealthy friends. In 1927, he convinced Florida state legislature to change the name of this town from Lake Stearns to Lake Placid, after his northern summer resort. He built a sprawling lodge on Lake Childs and had the lake's name changed to Lake Placid to remind his friends of their northern homes. He then had the name of Lake Stearns changed to Lake-June-in-Winter, so that they might think of this as their winter home, reminiscent of their summer homes on Lake June in New York State. Soon after this, he convinced the railroad to build a new depot, he added another hotel in town, and built a water tower. For more information on Dewey, visit the Atlantic Coastline Railroad Depot during your next visit to the Lake Placid area. It is on the National Registry of Historic Places, and is also the location of the Lake Placid Historical Society.

The Park

Lake June in Winter Scrub State Park opened to the public in 1999. Compared to many new acquisitions, the park has a relatively unaltered flora and fauna, being in pristine condition. Prior to being purchased by the state of Florida, the property was owned by Consolidated Tomoka, and some areas have historically been used for both cattle grazing and the turpentine industry. If you hike the firelanes from the park entrance to the south boundary, you will see evidence of "cat faces" on some of the larger pines. These scars are all that remains of the booming turpentine industry of the past. Long before any of these more recent uses, this land was actually ancient seashore. As a small part of the Lake Wales Ridge, which is an ancient sand dune that stretches down the center portion of the Florida peninsula, this property is part of a string of islands that once broke the ancient sea's surface. As the ocean levels rose and fell, this string of islands isolated these unusual plants and animals on ancient sand dunes. As these plants and animals evolved, periodic fire would result from lightning strikes fueled by the clashing of seabreezes over the state's interior. Fires would burn the vegetation to the ground, beginning a long, slow cycle of regrowth. Commonly referred to as "scrub", due to the stunted appearance of most of the understory trees, this community is a lesson in adaptation. Despite the abundant annual rainfall, here is a dry habitat. Rainfall quickly percolates through the coarse sands, beyond the reach of the plant root. Many plants have shallow, expansive roots, thick leaf coatings, or even a covering of tiny hairs-all to conserve precious water. Observe the leaves on many of the stunted trees. Most are tiny, furled, and waxy to the touch. Under these sands is another mystery to unfold, as many of the wildlife species in this habitat actually live underground in burrows. The Gopher tortoise is one species you will find here that excavates long burrows that are "shared" with many other species. Here survival is a cooperative effort.