Updated July 2026
Apple Orchard Falls
A 200-foot cascade in the Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger District of the Jefferson National Forest, reached via a steep trail descending from the Blue Ridge Parkway near Apple Orchard Mountain.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check USFS (George Washington and Jefferson National Forests) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Apple Orchard Falls drops about 200 feet. That makes it the 81st-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 89% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Apple Orchard Falls Trail (Forest Trail #17) reaches it about 2.7 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 1,020 feet of elevation gain, rated strenuous. The nearest town is Buchanan. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with USFS (George Washington and Jefferson National Forests) for closures and current conditions.
Spring. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Virginia waterfalls
- Bent Mountain Falls · 200 ft
- Cascade Falls · 69 ft
- Comers Creek Falls · 15 ft
- Crabtree Falls · 1,000 ft
- Dark Hollow Falls · 70 ft
- Devils Bathtub
- Doyles River Falls · 63 ft
- Fallingwater Cascades · 100 ft
Sources
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/regions/southern/AppleOrchardFalls/index.shtml
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/gwj/recreation/trails/apple-orchard-falls-trail-forest-trail-17
- https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/apple-orchard-falls-trail
- https://lexingtonvirginia.com/articles/apple-orchard-falls-trail
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