The farming and fishing village of Crooked Tree has a population of 1,000 people. The village was settled by logwood cutters c1750, who came to the area via the Belize River. The area's logwood forests were used to produce colored dyes for export to Europe, and Crooked Tree may have been the earliest inland European settlement in Belize.
Situated by a large lagoon, legend claims Crooked Tree was named for a tree on the lagoon that seemed to grow in every direction. These "crooked trees" still grow around the lagoon. There is excellent birding in and around the village, and there are a few options for accommodation and dining.