12 Outlandish Florida Rock Formations Worth Every Mile Of Hikes & Rough Driving

Florida is home to a variety of unique and fascinating rock formations that make for exciting hikes and explorations. Here are 12 outlandish Florida rock formations worth visiting:

1. Blowing Rocks Preserve (Jupiter Island)
   • Features: This preserve boasts the longest stretch of rocky shoreline in Florida, featuring sea caves and dramatic limestone formations. The “blowing rocks” shoot water high into the air during high tide, creating a spectacular display.
2. Ross Witham Beach (Hutchinson Island)
   • Features: Known for its exposed Anastasia formation, this beach offers stunning rock shelves, ledges, and sea caves. It’s part of an underwater preserve and features the historic House of Refuge Museum.
3. Black Rock Beach (Big Talbot Island)
   • Features: This beach is famous for its eerie driftwood skeletons and rare spodosol formations, which resemble black rock. It’s a unique geological site with tide pools to explore.
4. Washington Oaks Gardens State Park (Palm Coast)
   • Features: Home to the second-largest outcropping of Coquina rock in Florida, this park offers a glimpse into geological history. The rocks are formed from millions of shells and sand cemented together.
5. Bahia Honda State Park (Big Pine Key)
   • Features: The park features ground-level rock formations and tide pools at low tide, perfect for snorkeling and spotting marine life like sea slugs and eagle rays.
6. Calusa Beach (Bahia Honda State Park)
   • Features: Offers beautiful ground-level rocks and tide pools, ideal for spotting marine life and enjoying the scenic views of the Florida Keys.
7. Sandspur Beach (Bahia Honda State Park)
   • Features: Similar to Calusa Beach, it features small rock formations and is great for snorkeling and exploring marine life.
8. Anastasia State Park (St. Augustine)
   • Features: Features Coquina rock formations along its shoreline, offering insights into Florida’s geological past .
9. Fort De Soto Park (St. Petersburg)
   • Features: While not primarily known for rock formations, its beaches can occasionally expose interesting geological features due to erosion and tidal changes.
10. Cayo Costa State Park (Lee County)
    • Features: Known for its shell-filled beaches, it occasionally reveals interesting rock formations due to shifting sands and tidal actions.
11. St. George Island State Park (Franklin County)
    • Features: Offers a mix of sandy beaches and occasional rock formations exposed by erosion, providing unique views and exploration opportunities.
12. Cedar Key State Museum (Levy County)
    • Features: While not a rock formation itself, the area around Cedar Key can feature interesting geological formations due to its unique coastal environment.

Each of these locations offers a unique experience, from dramatic sea caves to fascinating geological formations, making them well worth the visit.

Sources

1. https://floridahikes.com/blowingrocks/
2. https://theadventuredetour.com/rocky-beaches-in-florida/
3. http://www.geosciences.fau.edu/events/virtual-field-trips/anastasia/blowing-rocks-preserve.php
4. https://aroundandabout.us/ross-witham-beach-hutchinson-island-martin-county/
5. https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/six-first-coast-beach-stories/