Updated July 2026
Big Branch Falls
Big Branch Falls is a tiered sandstone waterfall (the largest drop near 30 feet) on the Big Branch Trail in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, north of Hinton. The roughly 1.9-mile out-and-back passes more than a dozen smaller falls and cascades through a wildflower-rich ravine.
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 National Park Service (New River Gorge National Park and Preserve) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Big Branch Falls drops about 30 feet. That makes it the 557th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 23% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Big Branch Trail reaches it about 1.9 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 531 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Hinton. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with National Park Service (New River Gorge National Park and 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 West Virginia waterfalls
- Big Run Falls · 15 ft
- Blackwater Falls · 57 ft
- Brush Creek Falls · 25 ft
- Cathedral Falls · 60 ft
- Douglas Falls · 35 ft
- Dunloup Creek Falls · 20 ft
- Elakala Falls · 35 ft
- Falls of Hills Creek (Lower Falls) · 63 ft
Sources
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