Where the waterfalls are in West Virginia
West Virginia's waterfalls are spread across its mountains and river gorges, from the Allegheny highlands to the New River Gorge.
Well-known waterfalls in West Virginia
Blackwater Falls
A 57-foot fall stained amber by tannins, in Blackwater Falls State Park, with boardwalk stairs to a viewing platform. .
Sandstone Falls
A wide fall across the New River in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, with boardwalks over the islands. .
Cathedral Falls
A tall roadside cascade beside US 60 in the New River Gorge area. .
Elakala Falls
A series of falls near the Blackwater Falls State Park lodge. .
When to go
Spring, and after rain in any season. See the best time to see waterfalls for how flow changes by region.
West Virginia by the numbers
The map shows 34 named falls in West Virginia. 16 of them are in the USGS Geographic Names Information System, the federal register of official place names, and 18 more are named falls mapped only in OpenStreetMap. 6 have a height recorded by OpenStreetMap mappers, which is what the height filter above uses. SummersCounty has the most, with 3.
Tallest recorded waterfalls in West Virginia
Heights as recorded in OpenStreetMap, converted to feet. Guidebooks may list different figures, usually because they count every tier of a fall or only the biggest drop. Why heights differ.
| Waterfall | Height | County | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Falls of Hills Creek | 63 ft | not recorded | |
| Blackwater Falls | 62 ft | Tucker | |
| Middle Falls of Hills Creek | 45 ft | not recorded | |
| Little Falls | 30 ft | not recorded | |
| Upper Falls of Hills Creek | 25 ft | not recorded | |
| High Falls | 20 ft | Randolph |
Counties with the most waterfalls
From the USGS record, which gives each fall's county.
| County | Named falls |
|---|---|
| Summers | 3 |
| Webster | 3 |
| Raleigh | 2 |
| Kanawha | 2 |
| Tucker | 1 |
| Pocahontas | 1 |
| Pendleton | 1 |
| Randolph | 1 |
| Fayette | 1 |
| Hampshire | 1 |
Every named waterfall in West Virginia
Alphabetical within each county. Tap a name to centre the map above on it.
Fayette County (1)
Hampshire County (1)
Kanawha County (2)
,
Pendleton County (1)
Pocahontas County (1)
Raleigh County (2)
,
Randolph County (1)
(20 ft)
Summers County (3)
, ,
Tucker County (1)
(62 ft)
Webster County (3)
, ,
County not recorded (18)
, , , , , , , , , (30 ft), (63 ft), , (45 ft), , , , (25 ft),
Before you go
The map shows where falls are, not whether they are open or safe to reach. Check the land manager, usually a state park or national forest, for closures, fees and permits, and stay on the trail near the water. Our waterfall safety guide covers the hazards, and waterfall hikes near me explains how to pick a trail.
Waterfalls near cities in West Virginia
Every named fall within driving range of the city, nearest first: waterfalls near Charleston, WV.
Waterfalls in nearby states: Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina. Or see waterfalls in every state.