Waterfalls in West Virginia

West Virginia's waterfalls, from the New River Gorge to the high Alleghenies

West Virginia's named waterfalls follow its rivers off the Allegheny Plateau and the higher Allegheny Mountains to its east, where the Monongahela, Potomac, Greenbrier, Elk, Tygart and Gauley rivers all begin. Thirteen listings spread across eight counties, from the New River Gorge to the high country around Monongahela National Forest.

Where the waterfalls are

Summers County leads with three listings in the New River Gorge, including Sandstone Falls; Fayette County downstream on the same river system holds Kanawha Falls near the New and Gauley rivers' confluence. In the high Alleghenies, Pocahontas County holds the Falls of Hills Creek inside Monongahela National Forest, and Randolph County has High Falls and Whitaker Falls. Webster and Pendleton counties add falls farther into the eastern highlands, while Kanawha County, near Charleston, holds two lowland falls on the Coal River. Tucker County holds Blackwater Falls, the state's best-known waterfall; Valley Falls State Park, with four falls on the Tygart Valley River near Fairmont, is another well-known stop.

Waterfalls worth the trip

• Blackwater Falls, 50 feet where the Blackwater River drops into Blackwater Canyon near Davis, runs tea-colored from tannins in fallen hemlock and spruce needles; a boardwalk of more than 200 steps descends a quarter mile to the main deck, or a level, paved quarter-mile Gentle Trail reaches a second overlook. The park's own figure is 57 feet.
• Falls of Hills Creek, 55 feet, is the lowest of three falls on Hills Creek in a Monongahela National Forest scenic area; reaching it means 382 steps down a strenuous, 0.75-mile route, while the first 1,700 feet to the upper falls stays accessible. The lower trail reopened in April 2026 after boardwalk repairs.
• Sandstone Falls, 20 feet, spreads the New River across islands over a 1,500-foot span in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, reached by a free, quarter-mile accessible boardwalk from Hinton.
• Kanawha Falls, 15 feet, is a natural sandstone ledge across the Kanawha River near Gauley Bridge, altered by an upstream dam that diverts water for hydropower; it's visible from a roadside pull-off on US 60, no hike needed.

Access and closures

Sandstone Falls' boardwalk requires no fee or reservation. No day-use entrance charge is posted for Blackwater Falls State Park or the Falls of Hills Creek Scenic Area. The narrow River Road approach to Sandstone Falls from Hinton discourages vehicles longer than 25 feet. Flooding damaged US 60 near Kanawha Falls in mid-August 2026; check road conditions before counting on the roadside pull-off.

Safety

The Forest Service warns of slippery, steep ground at the Falls of Hills Creek, where dogs must stay leashed and camping is prohibited. At Sandstone Falls, the National Park Service warns of swift water and recommends a life jacket; a boater drowned there in 1994 after his boat capsized and he became entangled underwater. A kayaker flipped into a dangerous pocket at Kanawha Falls in September 2022 but reached an installed rescue chain and was pulled out.