Waterfalls in West Virginia
Wild and wonderful West Virginia hosts many waterfalls, mainly in the central and southern part of the rugged state. I've only been to a few falls here, including the famous Blackwater Falls, which is in northern W. Va. We were just passing through, but a dedicated trip (or a few!) are in order to see the many waterfalls down in the New River area.
Northern W. Va.
Northern West Virginia is just as rugged as the rest of the state, yet there seems to be considerably less waterfalls here than farther south. That's interesting though, because one of the largest waterfalls in the whole state is located here: Blackwater Falls. The falls here are nice, and are worth the longer drive to get here.
Albert Falls and Douglas Falls
NEW!
Description: Here are two nice waterfalls on the North Fork Blackwater River that are right next to the road. Albert Falls can be easily seen from the roadside, and Douglas Falls is just off the road, and a steep path leads down to the base. There's a troubled history here, as the land has been extensively polluted, so do not enter the water. The road to get here is rough, and only passable in a higher clearance vehicle, but you could just walk or bike it if you wanted to. You'll pass by some historic coke ovens on the way there (this was the source of the pollution). Coordinates for Albert Falls: (39.128435, -79.520541). From here, it's just a bit further to Douglas Falls. The last place you can park before a gate is here (39.124374, -79.519166).
Hiking Description: From the final parking spot (coordinates above), you may be able to see the top of Douglas Falls. To get to the base, head around the gate on foot, and walk maybe 200 feet or less until you come to a steep bootpath leading to the base. It's really obvious and there's even a rope down the steepest part. The descent is short, and it's a good view from the base. The best view is actually found by following a bootpath down river about 100 feet or less and then looking back upstream. This is the view pictured below.
Total Mileage: N/A for Albert Falls, 0.1 total to Douglas Falls
Difficulty: 0/10 (Roadside) for Albert Falls, 7/10 (Moderately Difficult) for Douglas Falls
Date First Visited: April 18, 2025
Date Last Visited: April 18, 2025
Rank: A-
Albert Falls
Douglas Falls
Blackwater Falls
NEW!
Description: Blackwater Falls is likely the most famous waterfall in West Virginia. This has its pros and cons, including big crowds, but the good news is that it's an easy boardwalk to get to the falls. The falls itself is massive and very scenic, so it's certainly worth seeking out, even if you have to mingle with the tourists for this one.
Hiking Description: Park at the outpost here (39.112496, -79.484087) and head out on a wide gravel trail to the east of the lot. This will go down a few stairs before coming to a junction. Go to the right, coming to an overlook of the Blackwater Gorge. There's a huge swing here (and probably a bunch of yuppies swinging on it) and the start of the boardwalk to the base of the falls. It has about 200 stairs, but they're spread out, and it's not too bad. The view from the base is incredible, and you can get quite close to the falls.
Total Mileage: ~0.3 total
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy)
Date First Visited: April 18, 2025
Date Last Visited: April 18, 2025
Rank: A
