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Mud Lake

Bartow, Florida — Polk County.

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24Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 78640973).

Nearest airports

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Mud Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Compare car rentals near this lake

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Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Location & fast facts

Where Mud Lake is in Florida

The red circle marks Mud Lake.

Fast facts

About Mud Lake

  • County: Polk
  • City or town on the shore: Bartow
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 17 mi from Lakeland and 32 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

  • Camping. 5 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Whorled hydrilla, Common water-hyacinth and Alligatorweed recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.

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

Mud Lake shoreline

0.1 mileN

No public access sites are listed for this water in the FWC Florida Boat Ramp Inventory data.

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 78640973), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: FWC Florida Boat Ramp Inventory. Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near Mud Lake

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

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 (27.8480, -81.7736). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Mud Lake. 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 Mud Lake

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.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Mud Lake

    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 Mud Lake

    How big is Mud Lake?

    Mud Lake covers about 24 acres in Bartow, Florida (Polk County).

    Are there campgrounds near Mud Lake?

    Yes. We list 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.

    What towns are on Mud Lake?

    Mud Lake touches Bartow in Polk County, Florida.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Mud Lake? 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 Bartow