Virginia's Best Waterfalls

Virginia's waterfalls are concentrated in Shenandoah National Park, the Jefferson National Forest, and the Blue Ridge's eastern slope streams.

Dark Hollow Falls (70 ft) — Shenandoah NP
The most popular waterfall hike in Shenandoah — a 1.4-mile round trip from the Skyline Drive trailhead (milepost 50.7) descends steeply to a 70-foot falls on Hogcamp Branch. The falls cascade over greenstone (ancient basalt) into a pool. The steep descent in the hemlock and birch forest is beautiful. Best in spring (peak flow) and fall (foliage).

Overall Run Falls (93 ft) — Shenandoah NP
The tallest waterfall in Shenandoah — accessible via the Tuscarora-Overall Run Trail (6.6 miles round trip from Mathews Arm Campground). The falls drop in two tiers from a hollow in the northern Blue Ridge; the view of the falls against the Shenandoah Valley below is exceptional.

Crabtree Falls (1,200 ft combined) — Blue Ridge Parkway
The highest waterfall east of the Mississippi — a series of five cascades on Crabtree Creek in Nelson County totaling 1,200 feet of descent over 1.5 miles. The upper falls (70 feet) is the most photogenic. The trail (3 miles round trip) follows the creek through old-growth hardwood forest.

Falling Spring Falls (80 ft) — Bath County
The most dramatic single-drop waterfall in Virginia — an 80-foot plunge of Falling Spring Creek over a limestone ledge, visible from US-220 south of Warm Springs. Thomas Jefferson described this waterfall in his "Notes on the State of Virginia" (1785). The overlook is a short walk from the road; a longer hike descends to the base.

Natural Chimneys (Mount Solon)
Not a waterfall but a dramatic geological feature — seven limestone towers rising 120 feet from the Shenandoah Valley floor, remnants of a Silurian-age cave system. The annual Natural Chimneys Jousting Tournament (the oldest continuously held sporting event in America, established 1821) takes place here.