Lakes are one of Highlands County’s most attractive natural features. The greater Lake Placid area includes 29 named lakes with over 11,000 acres of surface water, as well as Lake Istokpoga, Florida’s fifth largest lake at 27,692 acres. There is an incredible diversity of lakes in the area that ranges from large deep, clear lakes such as Placid and June-in-Winter to shallower, highly productive lakes such as Apthorpe, Crews and Carrie that support excellent fish populations. Lake Istokpoga, world renowned for its fishing, also supports resident populations of osprey and bald eagles, as well as many other forms of wild life.

Water quality in Lake Placid’s lakes is generally excellent, but as with any other natural system, it must be protected. Activities such as rain water from roadways and parking lots and overzealous fertilizing are just a couple of activities that add nutrients and contaminants to the lakes, threatening our enjoyment of these lakes. Public awareness of these threats is the first step to their control. Monthly sampling by local Florida LAKEWATCH volunteers provides invaluable information about the condition of our lakes. The bulk of the lake management information used by the Highlands County Lakes Management Program is collected by LAKEWATCH volunteers.

Lake Placid’s lakes will be a main attraction for generations to come only if we take care of them. If you would like further information about Lake Placid area lakes, contact the Highlands County Lakes Manager, Clell Ford, at 863-402-6545.

 

Greater Lake Placid Area Lakes

Lake Name Size (Acres) Public Boat Ramp Mean Depth Maximum Depth
Annie 86      
Apthorpe 219 Y   33
August 66     14
Blue 14      
Buck 7      
Carrie 65   6.9 13
Clay 367 Y (2) 6.3 29
Crews 62 Y 6.5 17
Diane 14      
Francis 539 Y 9.9 19
Grassy 517      
Henry 64 Y    
Hill 70 Y 6.3 19
Huntley 680 Y 6.5 17
Istokpoga 27,692 Y (4) 3.5 8
Josephine 1,304 Y (3) 3.3 7
June-in-Winter 3,504 Y (2)   40
Little Redwater 21 Y    
McCoy 56   22 61
Mirror 97   14.8 41
Nellie 93      
Pearl 66   20.7 47
Persimmon 44 Y 4.4 11
Placid 3,320 Y (2) 22.7 57
Rachard 15      
Red Water 66 Y 5.5 16
Saddlebags 23   13 27
Simmons 22      
Sirena 153   17.4 58

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18 North Oak Avenue  •  Lake Placid, Florida 33852 •  (863) 465-4331
A special thanks to Victor & Jan Larson for taking many of the wonderful photos on this web site