Updated July 2026
Bent Mountain Falls
Bent Mountain Falls is one of Virginia's tallest waterfalls, with the drop into Bottom Creek Gorge commonly cited around 200 feet (some sources describe the full multi-tier drop as much greater). It is viewed from an overlook on the Knight, Johnston, and Duval Trail loop in The Nature Conservancy's Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve south of Roanoke; pets are not permitted.
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 The Nature Conservancy (Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bent Mountain Falls drops about 200 feet. That makes it the 90th-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 Knight, Johnston, and Duval Trail reaches it about 4.9 miles (loop) with roughly 862 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Bent Mountain. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with The Nature Conservancy (Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve) 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
- Apple Orchard 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
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