Updated July 2026
Lewis Falls
Shenandoah's fourth-tallest waterfall, an 81-ft cascade on Hawksbill Creek viewed from a CCC-era overlook, reached by a moderate circuit hike from Big Meadows using the Lewis Falls Trail and Appalachian Trail.
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 NPS (Shenandoah National Park) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Graded lakes within 25 miles
- CMountain Run Lake · Culpeper County · 20.5 mi
- CLake Culpeper · Culpeper County · 23.1 mi
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Frequently Asked Questions
Lewis Falls drops about 81 feet. That makes it the 258th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 62% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Lewis Falls Trail (via Lewis Spring, with Appalachian Trail) reaches it about 3.3 miles (loop) with roughly 990 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Luray. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with NPS (Shenandoah National Park) 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
- 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
Sources
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