Updated July 2026
Stiles Falls
Stiles Falls is a 40-foot waterfall on the Camp Alta Mons property near Shawsville, reached by a white-blazed trail with three creek crossings and a rock scramble at the base. The hike is about 3.2 miles out-and-back with roughly 324 feet of elevation gain; the trail is open to the public except during camp sessions and bad weather.
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 Camp Alta Mons (private, public hiking allowed) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stiles Falls drops about 40 feet. That makes it the 488th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 31% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Stiles Falls Trail reaches it about 3.2 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 324 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Shawsville. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Camp Alta Mons (private, public hiking allowed) 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
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