Spook Hill is a famous roadside gravity hill located at 321 Dr. JA Wiltshire Ave. in Lake Wales, Florida.
What is Spook Hill?
- The Illusion: It is a gravity hill (or magnetic hill) where an optical illusion makes parked cars appear to roll backward and uphill by themselves when placed in neutral.
- Real Science: While the road looks like it goes up, the surrounding landscape and horizon lines trick your eyes, and the car is actually rolling down a slight decline.
- History: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is the oldest known gravity hill in the United States and the only known magnetic hill in Florida.
Local Legends and Lore
- The Native Warrior and Alligator: According to local Seminole folklore, a tribal chief fought a giant alligator to the death on the hill, and their spirits remain to haunt the area.
- The Pioneer Horses: Early settlers noticed their horses struggled heavily when pulling wagons down what appeared to be a downhill slope, giving the area its eerie reputation.
- Casper the Mascot: The adjacent school, Spook Hill Elementary, even adopted Casper the Friendly Ghost as its mascot.
How to Experience It
- Drive to North Wales Drive / Dr. JA Wiltshire Ave in Lake Wales, Florida (adjacent to Spook Hill Elementary).
- Pull up to the painted white line on the road.
- Shift your car into neutral and take your foot completely off the brake to watch the car roll backward “uphill”.
Watch a short demonstration of the gravity hill illusion in action at Spook Hill:
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