Waterfalls in West Virginia

Overview of waterfalls in West Virginia

The three falls look nothing alike. WV State Parks lists Blackwater Falls as a 57-foot cascade, tinted amber by tannic acid from fallen hemlock and red spruce needles. Elakala Falls is a series of four falls on Shays Run, and Wikipedia puts the tallest at 40 feet. NPS says Sandstone Falls spans 1,500 feet across the New River, where islands split it into drops of 10 to 25 feet.

No entrance fee is listed at any of the three. NPS says there is no fee to enter New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, and the WV State Parks page lists none for Blackwater Falls State Park. All three are open, as far as we can tell: Elakala and Sandstone as of Nov 3, 2026, and Blackwater as of Oct 27, 2026.

For more options in the region, see Swallow Falls State Park and Cunningham Falls in Maryland, and Dark Hollow Falls in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park. All three are out of state.

West Virginia's three waterfalls compared

Blackwater and Elakala share a state park and its hours, while Sandstone Falls is a National Park Service site on a big river.

Figures come from WV State Parks, NPS and Wikipedia, as cited on each falls page. "None listed" means the park page shows no fee, not an official statement that entry is free.

Blackwater Falls State Park at a glance

Blackwater Falls State Park has two routes to its main falls, the stepped boardwalk and the paved Gentle Trail, plus the Elakala and Lindy Point trails.

These are listed trail lengths. We found no official elevation figures or walking times. The boardwalk's steps are the main difference between the two routes to Blackwater Falls, so pick the Gentle Trail if stairs are hard for you.

Elakala Falls: four falls on Shays Run

The Elakala Trail starts at the south end of Blackwater Lodge and bridges the upper section of Elakala Falls, per WV State Parks. It then follows the canyon rim to the main park road. WV State Parks rates it moderate and calls it "suitable for new hikers and experienced ones alike."

Wikipedia lists the four falls at 35, 15, 40 and 20 feet, so the third is the tallest. Below the upper falls, Shays Run drops into a gorge that Wikipedia says is nearly 200 feet deep. It calls the lower falls hard to reach and the fourth dangerous without experience.

WV State Parks describes no route down to the lower falls. Stay on the marked trail and the bridge, and keep dogs leashed and restrained, as WV State Parks rules require.

Sandstone Falls on the New River

NPS calls Sandstone Falls the largest waterfall on the New River, spanning 1,500 feet across. It is in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, and NPS charges no entrance fee.

Getting there: NPS says to drive about eight miles downstream on River Road from Hinton to the day-use area. The last stretch is narrow and single lane in places, and NPS discourages RVs and vehicles over 25 feet.

Trails: NPS describes a 0.25-mile, handicapped accessible boardwalk from the parking area; its boardwalk data block lists 0.2 mile one way. The Island Loop Trail adds a half mile on the islands below the falls.

Water safety: NPS lists no swimming ban, but it calls the waters around the falls very swift and dangerous and notes several drownings. It says anyone near or in the water should always wear a life jacket.

Not the visitor center: NPS says Sandstone Falls is not at the Sandstone Visitor Center, so don't set your GPS to it. Dogs must be on a physical leash no longer than 6 feet.

The West Virginia Waterfall Trail

The West Virginia Waterfall Trail is a statewide check-in program run by the WV Department of Tourism. Its page lists 43 waterfalls across the state and calls it "the nation's first-ever statewide Waterfall Trail".

Prizes depend on how many trail locations you check in at, per the same page:

• 3 locations: an official Waterfall Trail sticker
• 10 locations: a water bottle
• 20 locations: a t-shirt
• All locations: a limited edition letterpress print

A WV Tourism release (August 2025) says the trail launched in 2022 and had passed 125,000 check-ins, with more than 14,000 prizes awarded.

Where to stay at Blackwater Falls State Park

WV State Parks lists a 51-room lodge on the south rim, built in the 1950s. The park also has 39 cabins, open year-round, and 10 of them are pet-friendly.

Campground sites 1 to 30 are open all year, with limited facilities after October 31. Other sites are seasonal, and the park pages give different spring opening dates, so confirm before you book.

Winter: the Blackwater Falls sled run

WV State Parks calls the park's sled run "the longest of its kind on the East Coast". As listed on October 29, 2026, the sled run operates Thursday through Sunday until March 7, 2027, weather permitting. The sled-run page gives no opening date.

Two-hour sessions cost $29 on weekdays and $35 on weekends and holidays. Children under 5 ride free with a paying adult. WV State Parks recommends advance reservations because sessions fill fast.

West Virginia waterfalls FAQ