Lake Wales, Florida: Spook Hill

I read the tips on Spook Hill, but I had a different experience in July 2005. There were definitely signs pointing the way. We went to Bok Gardens first (nice....but $8 admission!) anyway the clerk in the gift shop was helpful when we inquired about the safety of the Spook Hill area. She said there had been an apartment complex that was shut down after the 2004 hurricanes and the area was ok now and she even had a supply of maps for Spook Hill. We stopped a young man when we thought we may have passed it and he was very nice and friendly and gave us tips on how to get the most out of the experience! There is a large sign that tells all about the Spook Hill legend and a white stripe on the road. The road is Spook Hill Rd and Spook Hill Elementary School is nearby.

I visited Spook Hill many times when I was a child. I was recently passing through Lake Wales on my way to visit my home town of Avon Park. I'd told my son about Spook Hill and was very interested in taking him by to see it. I could not remember how to get there so I called my Aunt, who lives in Frostproof, for directions and to my dismay found out the sign has been taken down as not to attract visitors. This is very sad news for me as it is a part of mine and my husband's childhood that we were hoping to share with my son.

I recently visited Spook Hill. I remember visting this roadside attraction many moons ago when I was young. I gotta tell you, I was rather taken aback at the roadside attraction. Spook Hill pretty much looks the same, except the only real scary part of the attraction is that the bad part of Lakes Wales is just up the road. I don't think I would dare visit the site at night. The day my family visited the site, two men drove up and asked me if I would like to buy some drugs. This destroyed my early memory of the place and now my wife does not want to go near the place, let alone the town. It is a shame, because it was really nice place at one time.

Spook Hill is not an "attraction" per se -- there is no admission fee - it is just there. It is well marked and is the pride of Lake Wales, FL. I was last there in May 1997. . You park your car at the bottom of a hill and take off the parking brake and your car rolls up hill. There is a large sign on the side of the road telling you how to experience it.