Updated July 2026
Blackwater Falls
The amber-tinted Blackwater River drops about 57 feet over sandstone where it enters Blackwater Canyon, reached by a boardwalk-and-staircase trail of roughly 200 steps.
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 Blackwater Falls State Park (WV State Parks) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Blackwater Falls drops about 57 feet. That makes it the 387th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 43% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Gentle Trail / Blackwater Falls Boardwalk (Falls Trail) reaches it about 0.5 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 200 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is Davis. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Blackwater Falls State Park (WV State Parks) for closures and current conditions.
Spring snowmelt (Apr-Jun). 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 Branch Falls · 30 ft
- Big Run Falls · 15 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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