County Begins Development of New Lake Buffum Boat Ramp

A new county boat ramp is being constructed to provide public access to Lake Buffum in un-incorporated southern Polk County.

Courtesy Polk County Parks and Recreation

Work is ongoing to create a new, improved boat ramp to provide access to Lake Buffum.

According to county officials, the new boat ramp "will include a walled channel to provide entry to the lake no matter the water level." The annual fluctuation of water levels in the 1,268 acre lake have often caused problems for launching boats.

While the new boat ramp is under construction, the old boat ramp is open for public use.

The new ramp is expected to open the way to "significantly safer, year-round access for boating and fishing with more parking for visitors to stop and enjoy," a county statement said.

Located in the center of a quadrangle between Fort Meade, Frostproof, Bartow, and Lake Wales, Lake Buffum has become a popular place to stalk "bucket-mouth" bass.

Courtesy Googlemaps

Lake Buffum offers over 1200 acres of open water for boating and fishing. Polk County's many hundreds of lakes offer year-around recreation opportunities.

Visitors can access the boat ramp on Doc Lindsey Road in Fort Meade. The isolated boat ramp is located off Lake Buffum Road South, about a 15 minute drive from downtown Fort Meade, and 21 minutes from downtown Frostproof, according to Google maps.

Details of Polk's hundreds of lakes may be found at the Polk Water Atlas.