Hillsborough County is located in the west-central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. In the 2020 census, the population was 1,459,762, making it the fourth-most populous county in Florida and the most populous county outside the Miami metropolitan area. A 2021 estimate has the population of Hillsborough County at 1,512,070 people with a yearly growth rate of 1.34%, which itself is greater than the populations of 12 states according to their 2019 population estimates. Its county seat and largest city is Tampa. Hillsborough County is part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Lake Weaver is a natural freshwater lake located in Lake Wales, Florida. The lake is also much of the time called Lake Weader. By looking at maps and websites, it appears both names are used as often as the other. The lake is on the north side of Central Avenue and just east of US Highway 27. Across the street on Central are businesses and to the lake's southeast are businesses. On the northeast shore is a residential area. To the north is a wooded area.
Lake Roy is a natural freshwater lake inside the city of Winter Haven, Florida. It has a 74.17-acre (300,200 m2) surface area and is located on the south side of Cypress Gardens Boulevard. The lake once had a larger surface area, but when Cypress Gardens Boulevard was upgraded it ran over some of the northern part of Lake Roy; this part had been filled so the road could be rerouted. A small part of the old lakebed is north of the street, but is more of a retention pond now, for the most part remaining dry. The lake is of an irregular shape. Lake Roy is connected by a canal on its southwest side to Lake Lulu and indirectly from there to more than twenty other area lakes. These lakes are linked by canals and are known locally as the Chain of Lakes. Most of the shore of Lake Roy is bordered by residential housing. Residential areas circle from the southeast around to the northwest side of the lake. Along Cypress Gardens Boulevard on the northwest are businesses and a hotel, Lake Roy Beach Inn, is on this street at the northeast corner of the lake.
Tower Lake is a natural freshwater lake located on the north edge of Haines City, Florida. All references to it but one have it named as Tower Lake. In the Wikimapia website, it is called Lake Tower. This lake has a 66.41-acre (268,800 m2) surface area. On the west it is bordered by Highway US 27, on the southwest by vacant land, on the southeast by Osprey Drive, on the northeast by the Calabay Park gated community and on the north by Bates Road. The southeast section of Tower Lake is inside the city limits of Haines City.
Lake Ruby is a natural freshwater lake in the suburbs southeast of Winter Haven, Florida. Lake Ruby has a 259-acre (1,050,000 m2) surface area. It is one block south of Cypress Gardens Boulevard. Lake Ruby Drive borders most of the lake's north side. All of the west shore, the southwest shore and the northeast shore is bordered by gated residential communities. The south side of the lake is bordered by private land and just to the east-southeast is Lake Bess. A narrow strip of land, at its narrowest point 40 feet (12 m), separates the two lakes.
Lake Conine is a natural freshwater lake on the north side of Winter Haven, Florida. The lake is not within the city limits, but is almost entirely surrounded by the city of Winter Haven. Lake Conine is almost as often called Lake Connie as it is called Lake Conine. In fact, the Fishing Works website site has two listings calling this lake the former name and one calling it the latter. Lake Conine is bounded on the north and southwest by residential areas. On the west and southeast are woods. On the east the lake is bordered by SR 544. Lake Conine has a 237-acre (960,000 m2) surface area and it is shaped somewhat like a teardrop.
Lake Moody is a natural freshwater lake with a 409-acre (1,660,000 m2) surface area. Shaped somewhat like a flint arrowhead, Lake Moody is in an area of sparse residential development. A scattering of residences, as well as citrus groves, are on the south side of the lake along South Lake Moody Road. On the west side the lake is bordered by the Scenic Route of Highway 17. A few residences line the west side of the highway and the shore on west side is all private property. Most of the area along the highway is bordered by citrus groves. North Lake Moody Road borders the northwest part of the lake. The shore borders much of the road right-of-way on this road. Lake Moody is bordered on the northeast by citrus groves and some swampy areas of ground. A railroad line, more swamp and citrus groves line the east shore.
Lake Eloise is a large natural freshwater lake on the south side of Winter Haven, Florida. It is part of the southern Chain of Lakes. With a 1,174-acre (4,750,000 m2) surface area, it is one of the larger lakes in Polk County, Florida. Lake Eloise has a somewhat oval shape and has a large cove on its south side. It borders Lake Summit on its northeast and it almost borders Lake Lulu on its northwest. Lake Eloise is mostly surrounded by residential areas. However, the northern half of its eastern shore is occupied by Legoland Florida, which was once Cypress Gardens, a large area theme park. Some citrus groves border the lake on its west side. Eloise Loop Road passes by the south end of the cove on the lake's south side.
Lake Summit is a natural freshwater lake in Winter Haven, Florida. It has a 65.97-acre (267,000 m2) surface area and is somewhat oval in shape. It has two small coves on its north side. This lake is surrounded by residences around most of its perimeter. It has a public park, Lake Summit Park, on part of its west side, and Legoland Florida's water park is on its southeast shore. A boat canal on the south side of Lake Summit leads to Lake Eloise.
Lake Mariam is roughly oval in shape and is on the northeast side of Winter Haven, Florida. The Polk County Water Atlas says sometimes the lake is known as Lake Marion, but a different Lake Marion is also in Polk County, Florida, where Lake Mariam is located. It has a surface area of 200 acres (809,371 m2) and is bordered on the west side, most of the south side and part of the north side by residential areas. Brandywine Health Care Center, a nursing home, is a block north of the lake. On the northwest and southwest Lake Mariam is bordered by woods and on most of the east side of the lake are woods and pastureland. On the lake's southeast side is a swampy area.
Lake Otis is a natural freshwater lake located on the east side of Winter Haven, Florida. The Polk County Water Atlas says the lake sometimes is known as Little Otis, but this is confirmed nowhere else. The main part of the lake is somewhat rectangular in shape and on the south side of the main section of the lake is a long tail-shaped cove. Lake Otis has a 144 acres (58 ha) surface. It is connected on its northeast side to nearby Lake Link by a 50 feet (15 m) canal. This is the closest point between the two lakes. Other than where the shore where the two lakes are very close, Lake Otis is completely surrounded by residences. Lakewood Causeway runs between the two lakes. To the south of this area is a gated community that can be accessed by the public during the daytime. Most of the south cove is surrounded by another gated community and the public is prevented from entering it by gates that are closed all the time.
Lake Gross is an oval-shaped lake. The Polk County Water Atlas says it is sometimes known as Lake Grassy or Lake Grass, but no other sources have used these names. Lake Gross is a natural freshwater lake with an 86.57-acre (350,300 m2) surface area. It is about 2,000 feet (610 m) southeast of Lake Eloise and about 1,200 feet (370 m) southwest of Lake Winterset. This lake is on the south fringe of Winter Haven, Florida. On the north Lake Gross is bordered by a small mobile home/RV park and on the west it is bordered by another such park, although this one is much larger. On the northeast, east and south, Lake Gross is bordered by pasture. About 200 feet (61 m) north of the lake is Eloise Loop Road.
Lake Parker is an oval-shaped natural freshwater lake 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Lake Wales, Florida. It has a 134-acre (540,000 m2) surface area and it in a rural area. On its north and northeast is pastureland, on its northwest is a citrus grove and on its west are small farms. On its southwest are a row of residences along Albritton Way. Old Bartow Road passes to Lake Parker's immediate south and on its southeast is a large cleared area with a gated road where a gated community was planned, but never built.
Crystal Lake is a circular natural freshwater lake, with a small cove on its northwest corner, on the south side of Winter Haven, Florida. It has a 35.93-acre (145,400 m2) surface area. This Crystal Lake is one of seven Crystal Lakes in Polk County, Florida. The Polk County Water Atlas says it is also sometimes called Lake Cunningham. Crystal Lake is bordered on the north and northwest by residences. The rest of the lake is bordered by citrus groves or vacant land.
Lake Hart is actually two separate bodies of water that are joined as one body in very rainy years. The smaller body is circular and is northeast of the main body. The main body is in the shape of a figure eight with an oval body connected by a wide channel of water. Lake Hart is a natural freshwater lake with an 67.85-acre (274,600 m2) surface area. It is bordered on the west by residences in a gated community. On the south and east are residences in the Lake Ashton gated community. To the northeast and north are low-lying areas with no residential development on them. This lake is on the south fringe of Winter Haven, Florida.
Lake Buckeye, a natural freshwater lake in eastern Winter Haven, Florida, United States, is somewhat oval in shape. This lake has a 70.24-acre (284,300 m2) surface area. This lake is bordered on the west side by residences and along most of the north and east by woods. Buckeye Road borders the lake on the south and part of the southeast. This lake is very swamplike along its northern, eastern and southeastern shores. It has a number of floating islands along these areas and at least one on its west shore.
Lake Smart is a round natural freshwater lake, with a semicircular cove on its northwest side, on the northeast side of Winter Haven, Florida. Lake Smart has a water area of 277-acre (1,120,000 m2). This lake is mostly surrounded by woods and citrus groves. On its north and west sides it is bordered by residential developments. On the northwest Florida State Route 544 runs along Lake Smart's cove.
Lake Fannie, is a natural freshwater lake on the northeast side of Winter Haven, Florida. This lake has an 802-acre (3,250,000 m2) surface area. Much of its shoreline area is swamplike, but the rest of the lake is free of surface vegetation. Lake Idyl is bordered on the north by Polk County Road 544, on part of the east side by a residential area and on most of the rest of its shoreline by woods.
Spring Lake, an oval-shaped lake, has a surface area of 24.19-acre (97,900 m2). Spring Lake is in a highly urbanized area. On the north shore is a retail area, US Highway 17 is on its east side. Apartment buildings are on the south side of the lake. A wooded area is on the west; about 200 feet (61 m) to Spring Lake's west is Lake Mirror.
Lake Pansy, an almost round lake, has a surface area of 50.42-acre (204,000 m2). This lake is on the north edge of Winter Haven, Florida. The city limits just reach water's edge on the east and southeast and the south city limits of Lake Alfred, Florida, are just across US Highway 92, which is 100 feet (30 m) northeast of Lake Pansy. The lake's north and west shores are bordered by woods. The east and northwest shores are bordered by residences and the southeast shore borders a citrus grove. Lake Pansy and the Winter Haven Municipal Airport are separated on the west side of the lake by 21st Street Northwest.
