Roadside Geology of Florida
Roadside Geology of Florida is a book that will take readers on a journey through Florida’s
past and present. With a combined professional career of more than 55 years, its authors
explain Florida’s unique geological composition.
Florida is the landmass in the continental United States most recently emerged from the sea
and it is satiated with geological evidence of its submarine past. Florida has little topographic
relief; in fact, its highest point is the lowest of all 50 states—topping off at 345 feet above
sea level. Florida also has the distinction as the only state that lies entirely within the Coastal
Plain Physiographic Province (an area where sediments have been deposited by rivers, wind and ocean
currents and has most recently emerged from the sea). With 1,350 miles of shorelines, these coasts
include the pure quartz sands of the barrier islands, dune fields and tropical coral reefs.
Florida also has more than 700 springs which flow from the Floridan aquifer system. Some of these
springs even emerge offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The state’s considerable cave and cavern development
include one of the largest underwater caves in the world—Wakulla Springs. For the paleontologist,
Florida is a gold mine. Its record of Cenozoic Era (65 million years to the present) invertebrates
is nearly unmatched anywhere in the world and it has one of the best records of Tertiary (the span
from 65 million years ago to 1.8 million years ago) mammals in North America.
The Roadside Geology of Florida was written to familiarize travelers with some of the most interesting
and important geological features of the state. Some of this geology can be observed from the highway,
some from easily accessible parks or roadside areas, some from springs, rivers, or canals, and some from
coastal and offshore areas. Many Florida State Parks were added to the state park system based on their
geological values including the sand dunes at Grayton Beach, the springs of Wakulla, Troy and Ichetucknee,
the coastal features of St. Joseph and Little Talbot, and the sinkholes found within Falling Waters and
Goldhead Branch state parks.
One of the best and safest ways to see more geologic exposures is to join one of the regular trips led
by various geological and paleontological organizations in the state or to tag along with a more
experienced field geologist or fossil collector. The book contains information on contacting such
organizations.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jonathan R. Bryan earned degrees in geology from Florida State University (B.S., ’84), the
University of Florida (M.S., ’87), and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (Ph.D., ’91). He has
been a professor of geology and oceanography at Okaloosa-Walton College since 1993.
Thomas M. Scott earned degrees in geology from the University of South Florida (B.A., ’71),
Eastern Kentucky University (M.S., ’74) and Florida State University (Ph.D., ’86). Dr. Scott has
been with the Florida Geological Survey, Department of Environmental Protection since January 1974
and has been the Assistant State Geologist of Florida since 1985.
Guy H. (“Harley”) Means earned a degree in geology from Florida State University (BS,’96)
and is currently seeking advanced degrees in geology from Florida State. He has been employed by
the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Geological Survey (FGS) in Tallahassee
for over ten years.
Copies can be purchased or ordered from local book sellers and on Amazon.com and can be autographed
by contacting the authors.
To learn more about Florida’s unique geological attributes, visit www.floridadep.org/geology;
for more information on Florida’s state parks, go to www.floridastateparks.org.
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