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Wonder
Steinhatchee Falls
In short
In mountains, no one would notice the small Steinhatchee Falls. But in the flatlands of Florida, this is a noticeable natural landmark.
This waterfall is just some 0.5 – 0.8 m high.
27.3%
GPS coordinates
Location, address
Height
Width
Stream
Map of the site
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In detail
Description
There are very few natural waterfalls in Florida, thus even the small Steinhatchee Falls is a notable geological landmark. It has formed on the picturesque Steinhatchee River which to a large extent still is surrounded by forest.
Geology
At low water Steinhatchee Falls are some 0.5-0.8 m high, but, when the water in the river is high, the rock ledge almost disappears.
Waterfall has formed on Ocala limestone – a late Eocene rock that formed some 56-34 million years ago.
In the crevices around the falls sometimes could be found Eocene marine fossils, for example, the enormous teeth of extinct sharks, such as Otodus auriculatus.
History
This waterfall was on the trail of Native Americans – it was a suitable place where the river could be crossed on foot.
It was used also by the descendants of Europeans, including Fernando de Soto in 1539 and the future president Andrew Jackson, who crossed the river in 1818 during the Seminole War.
The name of the river has Native American origin: Istenhatchee means “river of man” or “river man”.
Some 3-4 kilometers above is located another geological landmark: Steinhatchee Rise – the resurgence of Steinhatchee River from underground.
References
- Robin C. Brown. Florida’s fossils: guide to location, identification, and enjoyment, Pineapple Press, 2013. ISBN-10: 1561645710
Linked articles
Waterfalls
Some of the most fascinating and awe-inspiring natural monuments are waterfalls or locations where a river abruptly changes its elevation.
Wonders of the United States
The United States of America is one of the largest countries in the world and offers a wide array of diverse attractions: many are unsurpassed in the world. Highlights of the United States are cliffs, canyons, and rock formations, several impressive downtowns of cities with numerous skyscrapers as well as a rich array of geothermal features, and the giant forest of California.
Wonders of Florida
Florida is the tropical paradise of the mainland United States. Over the last century, it has experienced fabulous changes, turning from a forgotten, swampy badland into a densely populated and rich land. Highlights of Florida include the architecture of the late 19th and 20th centuries as well as its giant springs and caves.
Recommended books
Visiting Small-Town Florida
This new edition of Bruce Hunt’s popular guide reveals the real, old-time Florida still to be found on the back roads of the Sunshine state in little towns that lure you in with their quaintness and keep you there for a spell with their friendly occupants. The towns featured all have a population of less than 15,000.
Backroads of Paradise: A Journey to Rediscover Old Florida
In the 1930s, the Federal Writers’ Project sent mostly anonymous writers, but also Zora Neale Hurston and Stetson Kennedy, into the depths of Florida to reveal its splendor to the world. The FWP and the State of Florida jointly published the results as Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State, which included twenty-two driving tours of the state’s main roads. Eventually, after Eisenhower built the interstates, drivers bypassed the small towns that thrived along these roads in favor of making better time.
Those main roads are now the state’s backroads—forgotten by all but local residents, a few commuters, and dedicated road-trippers. Retracing the original routes in the Guide, Cathy Salustri rekindles our notions of paradise by bringing a modern eye to the historic travelogues.
