Updated July 2026
Mill Creek Falls (Hawks Nest)
Mill Creek Falls is a roughly 20-foot waterfall, the largest of several along the Hawks Nest Rail Trail between Ansted and the Hawks Nest State Park marina. It sits about a mile in from either end of the trail, near where Westlake Falls and Upper Mill Creek Falls are visible from a footbridge.
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 West Virginia State Parks (Hawks Nest State Park) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mill Creek Falls (Hawks Nest) drops about 20 feet. That makes it the 615th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 12% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Hawks Nest Rail Trail reaches it about 2 miles (out-and-back), rated easy. The nearest town is Ansted. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with West Virginia State Parks (Hawks Nest State 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 West Virginia waterfalls
- Big Branch Falls · 30 ft
- 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
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