Updated July 2026
Panther Falls
A popular roughly 10-foot waterfall and swimming hole on the Pedlar River in Amherst County, framed by two rock shelves and reached by a short 0.4-mile path. Strong currents and an undercut ledge make swimming hazardous.
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 USFS - George Washington National Forest (Pedlar Ranger District) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Graded lakes within 25 miles
- APedlar River Reservoir · Amherst County · 2.7 mi
- BMill Creek Reservoir · Amherst County · 11.2 mi
- BNorth Arm of Mill Creek Lake · Amherst County · 11.7 mi
- BMill Cr Reservoir · Amherst County · 11.9 mi
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Frequently Asked Questions
Panther Falls drops about 10 feet. That makes it the 663rd-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 3% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Panther Falls Trail reaches it about 0.8 miles (out-and-back), rated easy. The nearest town is Buena Vista. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with USFS - George Washington National Forest (Pedlar Ranger District) for closures and current conditions.
summer. 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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