Sunday, March 3, 2013

Florida's Tallest Waterfall is Flowing Beautifully!

The beautiful waterfall at Falling Waters State Park in Chipley is flowing nicely, thanks to more than 12" of rain that fell across the Panhandle of Florida in recent days.

It is surprising to many visitors that Florida actually has a number of waterfalls. Some of them are quite scenic, but few are as remarkable as the stunning 73-foot tall falls at Falling Waters. The centerpiece of a beautiful state park, the waterfall is created by the unique combination of a running hilltop stream and Florida's karst topography.

Because much of Florida rests on a bed of limestone and because water erodes that limestone, the state is noted for is many caves, sinkholes and even "disappearing lakes." Florida is a noted place for learning about karst topography and the Falling Waters Sinks are a state geological feature. Numerous sinkholes and caves can be seen from the nature trails and boardwalks at Falling Waters State Park, including the remarkable 100-foot deep cylindrical sink into which the waterfall tumbles.

The video above was taken on March 2, 2013, and gives you a good idea of the appearance of the waterfall when it is flowing well. To really get a feel for the size of the falls and the depth of the unusual sink into which it disappears, however, you have to see it in person!

To learn more, please visit:  www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fallingwaters1.