The widest waterfall in Florida, Steinhatchee Falls is both geologically intriguing and an important piece of Florida history. Tannic waters carved deeply into the coastal limestone shelf to create this broad but shallow waterfall.
Resources
Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.
Overview
Location: Steinhatchee
Length: 1 mile loop
Trailhead: 29.746693, -83.342682
Address: End of Steinhatchee Falls Rd, Steinhatchee
Fees: Free
Restroom: Portable toilet
Land Manager: Suwannee River Water Management District
Phone: 386-362-1001
Leashed pets welcome. Canoe launch and picnic tables provided.
Directions
Steinhatchee Falls Trail, Tennille, Florida
From US 19/27 at the crossroads of Tennille (the turnoff for Steinhatchee), drive south for 2 miles on SR 51 towards Steinhatchee, passing the trailhead for the Steinhatchee Trail and CR 491. Make the left after that, at the Steinhatchee Falls sign. This is a dirt road with divots and puddles you may have to circumvent. At the T, turn right. Follow the road for 0.8 miles to where it ends at the parking area at the falls.
About the Park
A compelling destination since we first learned about it, Steinhatchee Falls is different every time you see it. Like most Florida waterfalls, its beauty is determined by the volume of water flowing over the rocks.
There are times we’ve seen it submerged enough you could paddle right over it upstream, and other times when it drops a few feet when the river is low. Here are a few of our views of it over the years.
Walk downstream past the canoe launch, along the unmarked footpath that leaves the parking area and heads into the woods.
From it, you can see how the rise and fall of waters along this floodplain river, which rises from extensive floodplain forests in the Mallory Swamp, erodes and undercuts the river bluffs.
Upstream, the half-mile Steinhatchee Falls Loop guides you past several points of interest.
Immediately above the falls, wagon ruts of the Old Bellamy Road, a pioneer migrant route into Florida in the 1800s, are carved deeply into the limestone. You can also see the wagon path route on the far side of the river.
See a map of the route of the Old Bellamy Road across Florida.
A little farther upstream, you can walk out to the edge of the river to see how placid the waters are above the falls.
Finding your way along this loop can sometimes be tricky. Turn back if you’re not sure where the path leads next.
A separate trail, the Steinhatchee Trail, starts just outside the gates of this recreation area and leads a linear 3.3 miles through forests and fields back to the trailhead along SR 51.
Steinhatchee Trail Follow the 3.3-mile Steinhatchee Trail through wildflower-rich uplands for a spectacular finish at Steinhatchee Falls, Florida's broadest waterfall.Paddlers can put in below the falls for a gentle, scenic, and wild 8-mile trip downstream to the town of Steinhatchee.
Along this obsidian-colored waterway with several Class I rapids, enjoy the meanders through dark river hammocks and forested residential areas before meeting the tidal basin, with a take-out at Fiddler’s Restaurant.
Trail Map
Explore More!
Slideshow
See our photos from Steinhatchee Falls
Nearby Adventures
Nature Coast Trail Connecting three rural counties, the Nature Coast Trail offers several different ways to ride between towns along 31.5 miles of paved bike path
Troy Spring Nature Trail At Troy Spring State Park, the nature trail isn't quite a mile long but provides a good introduction to habitats found along the bluffs of the Suwannee River. 
Forest Capital Museum State Park To learn about the storied past of the forestry industry in Florida, stop in the Forest Capital Museum State Park, where one of the highlights is a pioneer homestead.
Lafayette Blue Springs State Park A beauty spot along the western shore of the Suwannee River, Lafayette Blue Spring is both a swimming hole and a lesson in the curious nature of karst.
- Baseline Trails - November 7, 2026
- Hal Scott Yellow Trail - November 3, 2026
- Hal Scott Preserve - October 28, 2026