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Lake Elbert

Winter Haven, Florida — Polk County.

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177Surface acres
1Public access sites
0.7 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 78686329).

Location & fast facts

Where Lake Elbert is in Florida

The red circle marks Lake Elbert.

Fast facts

About Lake Elbert

  • County: Polk
  • City or town on the shore: Winter Haven
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 15 mi from Lakeland and 40 mi from Sebring, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Florida: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Florida

Official FWC pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 1 public trailer launch listed (see access)
  • Walking. 0.7 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 9 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Whorled hydrilla, Common water-hyacinth and Brazilian waterweed recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Lake map

Lake Elbert shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Lake Elbert Public Boat Ramp (Boat launch)1¼ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail
  1. 1Lake Elbert Public Boat Ramp
    Boat launch · Winter Haven

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 78686329), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: FWC Florida Boat Ramp Inventory. Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

0.7 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 30%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
South shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 0.7 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Lake Elbert shoreline, mostly along the south shore.

Trails along the shore

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Lake Elbert

We found 9 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Lake Elbert, 4 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

3 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Florida

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (28.0260, -81.7088). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lake Elbert. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Lake Elbert

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    1 public access site listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Lake Elbert Public Boat RampWinter HavenLake Region Lakes Management DistrictStand Alone Ramp · Concrete ramp · dock6 trailerNo feeBoating28.0294, -81.7118

    FWC Florida Boat Ramp Inventory

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Lake Elbert

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Lake Elbert

    How big is Lake Elbert?

    Lake Elbert covers about 177 acres in Winter Haven, Florida (Polk County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Lake Elbert?

    Yes. 1 public trailer launch is listed: Lake Elbert Public Boat Ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Lake Elbert?

    Yes. We list 9 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 4 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Lake Elbert?

    Lake Elbert touches Winter Haven in Polk County, Florida.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Lake Elbert? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Florida lakes & ponds · All waters in Winter Haven