Waterfall Hero Hikes: Blackwater Falls

Blackwater Falls is a 57-foot waterfall on Blackwater River in Tucker County, West Virginia. The waterfall is located in Blackwater Falls State Park.

Hike Length: 0.5 miles/0.2 miles
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Blackwater Falls State Park
Trail Users: Hiking and biking
Dogs: Yes
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: High
Warnings: The rocks around waterfalls are very slippery. Do not leave the boardwalk, the views from the overlooks are great.
Trailhead GPS: 39.11264,-79.48378 (West) / 39.11293,-79.48003 (East)
Waterfall GPS: 39.11361,-79.48298

Directions:

From Elkins, head east on US-33 for about 22 miles to Harman and turn left onto WV-32 north. Drive 19.2 miles to Davis and turn left on Blackwater Falls Road to enter the park. In 1.2 miles, go straight through the stop sign and park at the Trading Post. This is the trailhead to view the falls from the west side of the canyon.

To see from the east side, return to the stop sign and turn right on Blackwater Lodge Road. Go 0.4 miles to a parking area on the right after the maintenance road.

Map:

Hike Description:

From the Trading Post parking area, Blackwater Falls Boardwalk Trail descends from the east end of the parking lot and leads to an extensive boardwalk near the base of the waterfall.

There are several overlooks here with nice views of the falls.

Here's a video of the falls from the west side.

To view from the east side, see directions above to the Gentle Trailhead parking area. This short, paved accessible trail leads to a nice overlook on the east side.