Falling Water is a 67-foot plunge waterfall in Falling Waters State Park, Washington County, Florida, about 3.9 miles south of Chipley. A small spring-fed stream drops into a limestone sinkhole and disappears underground. It runs only after enough rain, and in dry spells there can be little or nothing to see.
The falls
The water of Falling Water Spring pours over the lip of a sinkhole measuring about 100 feet deep and 20 feet wide. The sinkhole has no outlet above ground, and where the water goes after it vanishes is unknown. Modern surveys list a single 67-foot drop; earlier surveys listed 73 feet, while state park publications cite 73 or 74 feet.
Getting there
Falling Waters State Park is at 1130 State Park Road in Chipley and is open from 8 a.m. to sundown every day of the year. Admission is $5 per vehicle with two to eight people, $4 for a single-occupant vehicle and $2 for pedestrians, cyclists and extra passengers. Paved and natural-surface paths and boardwalks lead to the waterfall, making it a short walk.
When to go
Flow depends entirely on rainfall. The falls run strongest after periods of prolonged rain, and park staff advise calling ahead to check whether water is flowing before making the trip.
On site
Two observation platforms overlook the sinkhole; the lower one leads into the mouth of the sinkhole. Pets are allowed on leashes no longer than 6 feet, and the park has accessible restrooms. Swimming is offered at the park's two-acre lake, not at the falls.
History and name
Park history records a water-powered gristmill here in the Civil War era and a distillery in 1891. An oil well begun in 1919 reached 4,912 feet without success and was capped in 1921.
Nearby
The closest other listing is Rock Falls on Wilson Creek in Alabama, about 43.5 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.