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visit link)
"Falling Waters State Park continues to be a destination point for nature lovers from around the United States. If you are in search of a place to relax and enjoy the great outdoors, this is the place for you. Come stroll along one of the park's scenic trails, reminisce with friends as you camp in one of Florida's highest elevated campgrounds, or plan a quiet picnic lunch under one of our covered pavilions. The staff and volunteers at Falling Waters strive to make your visit a pleasant one.
The waterfall is fed by a series of seepage springs which are completely dependent on seasonal rains. Under drought conditions, there will be very little water flowing over the falls. However, the geological features of this park are still quite spectacular. If you are specifically interested in seeing the waterfall, you may contact our office at 850-638-6130 prior to your visit to determine if the falls are flowing.
- Ronnie M. Hudson, Park Manager
Welcome to Falling Waters State Park
Huge trees and fern-covered sinkholes line Sink Hole Trail, the boardwalk that leads visitors to Florida's highest waterfall. Falling Waters Sink is a 100-foot deep, 20-foot wide cylindrical pit into which flows a small stream that drops 73 feet to the bottom of the sink. The water's final destination remains unknown. Only a few miles south of I-10, the park provides travelers with a quiet, serene stop on their journey. Visitors can see beautiful native and migrating butterflies in the butterfly garden, take a dip in the lake, or have a family picnic. Hikers can experience the verdant, gently sloping landscape of North Florida. Park rangers host interpretive programs in the amphitheater. Full-facility campsites nestled in a shady pine forest provide the perfect excuse for an overnight stay at Falling Waters. Located three miles south of Chipley, off State Road 77A.
Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
For Information about Falling Waters State Park, please call 850-638-6130."
Copied from the park brochure: (
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During the 1778 British occupation of Florida,
Native Americans were still living on Falling
Waters Hill and the surrounding area. Though
they left no written records, artifacts are often
found whenever a field is tilled for a new crop.
Two industries operated near the waterfall.
A gristmill, powered by the waterfall, ground
corn into grits and cornmeal during the Civil
War period. In 1891, a legal whiskey distillery
furnished spirits to a wine shop established
to meet the demands of men working at the
frontier railway construction site.
In 1919, one of the first oil wells in Florida was
drilled at Falling Waters. Indian legends and a
wildcat stock promoter’s claim of oil helped get
the project going. A tall, wooden derrick and
steam-driven rig were used to drill for oil, but the
drillers had little luck. When a depth of 3,900 feet
was reached, a blow of gas released from the drill
site temporarily excited area residents with a false
report of a gusher. Promoters continued to drill
the oil well to a final depth of 4,912 feet. When all
was said and done, no oil of commercial quantity
was ever found. The well was capped in 1921.
At Falling Waters State Park visitors will find one
of the most significant geological features in
Florida. Climb down the wooden stairway into the
mouth of a 100-foot deep, 20-foot wide cylindrical
sinkhole and gaze up to see a waterfall cascade
73 feet, then disappear into a cave at the bottom
of the sinkhole."
8:00 am to sunset
$4.00 per vehicle
1130 State Park Road
Chipley, Florida 32428