[4] Formerly an important railroad stop and mill town, Floriston survives to this day as a small residential community.

Steep canyon walls thousands of feet high rise up from the river on both sides.

Floriston has a dry-summer continental climate (Köppen Dsb) with a moderate amount of precipitation, much of it falling as snow in the wintertime.

As a result, Floriston is located in a transition zone between the lush forests of the Sierra and the desert valleys to the east.

[9] Federally, Floriston is in California's 1st congressional district, represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa.

Floriston is located in Nevada County's 5th supervisorial district,[12] represented by Democrat Richard Anderson.