Waterfall Hero Hikes: Cascade Falls (Jefferson)

Cascade Falls, or the Cascades, is a 66-foot waterfall on Little Stony Creek in Giles County, Virginia. The waterfall is located in Cascades Day Use Area in Jefferson National Forest.

Hike Length: 3.6 miles
Estimated Time: 2 to 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Cascades Day Use Area (Eastern Divide Ranger District of Jefferson National Forest)
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Yes
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: High
Warnings: The rocks around waterfalls are very slippery.
Trailhead GPS: 37.35301,-80.59984
Waterfall GPS: 37.36792,-80.57519

Directions:

From Blacksburg, take US-460 west for 13 miles to Pembroke and turn right on Cascades Drive (SR 623) and follow to the parking area at the end. There is a small day-use fee per vehicle to access the area, payable at a self-serve kiosk at the parking area.

Map:

Hike Description:

Pick up the Cascades Trail (#70) past the restrooms. In 0.2 miles, the trail comes to a split. It's a loop so you can go either way, but the lower trail is more scenic so turn right and cross the creek on a footbridge. The lower portion of the trail follows Little Stony Creek closely and passes a number of scenic little cascades.

At about 1 mile, the trail crosses back over to river right side on another footbridge. A connector leading to the upper trail is here, but go right and stay close to the creek. At about 1.7 miles, you can start to see the falls.