Blackwater Falls State Park

Blackwater Falls State Park is one of the most beautiful and photographed places in West Virginia, named for its spectacular centerpiece: a 57-foot waterfall where the Blackwater River plunges over a sandstone ledge into the rugged eight-mile Blackwater Canyon in the high Allegheny Mountains. The falls’ water runs an amber, root-beer color — stained by the tannins of fallen hemlock and spruce needles upstream — giving both the river and the falls their evocative name.

Set high on the Allegheny Plateau near Davis, the park surrounds the falls and canyon with deep northern forest, rhododendron thickets and a wealth of recreation. Boardwalks and stairs lead to dramatic viewpoints of the main falls, while trails explore the canyon rim, additional cascades like Elakala Falls, and the forest. With its amber falls, rugged canyon, a historic lodge, miles of trails, and four-season recreation amid the cool, spruce-clad high country, Blackwater Falls is a treasured natural icon of West Virginia’s mountains.

Blackwater Falls State Park centers on its famous amber waterfall, reached by boardwalks and stairs to dramatic viewpoints, with trails along the Blackwater Canyon rim to overlooks, to additional cascades like Elakala Falls, and through the deep forest. Beyond the falls, the park offers a historic lodge and cabins, camping, a lake for paddling and fishing, sledding (on one of the East’s longest runs) and cross-country skiing in winter, mountain biking, horseback riding and birding. The amber falls, the canyon and the four-season recreation make it a premier and beloved West Virginia destination.

Spring brings the fullest, most powerful flow over the falls from snowmelt, while fall is spectacular, with brilliant color across the high forest framing the amber falls — a premier autumn destination. Summer offers cool relief in the high country and lush green, and winter brings snow, ice-draped falls, sledding and skiing in this snowy highland park. The falls are fullest in spring; fall color and the snowy winter scenes are highlights. The park is busy in fall, so arrive early to enjoy the falls and canyon.

Blackwater Falls and its canyon, long admired in the high Allegheny Mountains, became one of West Virginia’s most beloved state parks, with the falls’ amber water and the rugged Blackwater Canyon drawing visitors for generations. The surrounding high country was heavily logged of its original red spruce in the late 19th and early 20th centuries before recovering as forest. The park’s lodge and facilities welcome visitors to the falls, the canyon and the cool highland recreation, preserving one of the state’s most photographed natural landmarks for the public.

Blackwater Falls plunges 57 feet over a ledge of hard sandstone where the Blackwater River drops into the rugged Blackwater Canyon, an eight-mile gorge cut some 525 feet deep into the sandstone and shale of the high Allegheny Plateau. The resistant sandstone forms the lip of the falls and the canyon’s cliffs, while the river continues to carve the gorge. The water’s distinctive amber color comes not from the rock but from tannic acid released by hemlock and spruce needles and decaying vegetation upstream, staining the river its famous root-beer hue.

The high forests, canyon and waters of Blackwater Falls State Park host white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, foxes, snowshoe hares and a rich community of birds, including boreal and northern species that thrive in the cool high country, such as red crossbills and northern saw-whet owls, while the river and lake support fish. The high-elevation spruce-and-hardwood forest supports diverse wildlife near the southern edge of some northern species’ ranges. The park is an excellent place for wildlife watching and birding in West Virginia’s highlands.

Blackwater Falls State Park protects a cool, high-elevation Allegheny ecosystem of recovering red spruce and northern hardwood forest, rhododendron thickets, the Blackwater River and canyon, and bogs nearby, a southern outpost of northern, boreal-influenced habitats. The tannin-stained river, the high forest and the canyon support diverse plant and animal life, including northern species rare this far south. Protecting the falls, the canyon, the river’s water quality and the recovering spruce forest sustains both the ecology and the scenic beauty of this treasured high-country park.

Blackwater Falls, with its evocative amber waterfall and rugged canyon, holds a treasured place as one of the most photographed and beloved natural landmarks in West Virginia. The distinctive root-beer-colored falls plunging into the high-mountain canyon, the cool spruce-clad highlands, and the four-season recreation have drawn generations of visitors, making the park a defining icon of West Virginia’s mountain beauty and a cherished destination in the high Allegheny country near Davis and Canaan Valley.

Blackwater Falls State Park is in the high Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia near Davis, off State Route 32, in Tucker County, about three hours from Washington, D.C. The park is free to enter. It offers boardwalks and stairs to the falls, canyon-rim trails and overlooks, a lodge and cabins, a campground, a lake, a sledding run and ski trails, and a nature center. The falls boardwalk involves many stairs. Check West Virginia State Parks for the lodge, trail conditions and seasonal facilities before visiting.

West Virginia State Parks protects Blackwater Falls, the Blackwater Canyon, the river and the recovering high-country forest. Visitors help by staying on the boardwalks, stairs and trails (protecting the fragile canyon vegetation and steep slopes), keeping back from cliff edges and the tops of the falls, packing out everything, protecting the river’s water quality, respecting wildlife, and following park rules. Protecting the falls, the canyon, the river and the recovering spruce forest sustains both the ecology and the scenic beauty of this beloved high-Allegheny park.

Blackwater Falls’ canyon has steep, dangerous cliffs and the rocks near the falls are slippery — stay on the boardwalks, stairs and trails, keep well back from cliff edges and the tops of the falls and cascades (Elakala Falls especially has claimed lives at its lip), and supervise children closely. The falls boardwalk has many stairs; pace yourself. Trails can be icy and snowy in the cold months; wear sturdy footwear. Be bear-aware and store food. Respect the canyon’s heights and the slippery, fast water.

The park is free to enter. Stay on boardwalks, stairs and designated trails and back from cliff edges and the tops of the falls. Camp only in designated areas; the lodge and cabins require reservations. Follow West Virginia fishing regulations on the river and lake. Store food in bear country; pets must be leashed. Drones generally require authorization. Collecting is prohibited. Pack out all trash. Check West Virginia State Parks for current rules, seasonal facilities and conditions before visiting.

The towns of Davis and Thomas, the Canaan Valley (with its own state park and ski resort), Dolly Sods Wilderness, Blackwater Canyon, and the high Monongahela National Forest lie near the park. Spruce Knob, Seneca Rocks and the Potomac Highlands are within reach. The cool, snowy high country of the Alleghenies defines the region. Blackwater Falls anchors a scenic high-mountain region of waterfalls, canyons, wilderness and four-season recreation in eastern West Virginia, paired naturally with nearby Canaan Valley and Dolly Sods.

Walk the boardwalks and stairs to the dramatic viewpoints of the amber-colored falls — best after spring rain or snowmelt for the fullest flow, or in winter when the falls drape with ice — and explore the canyon-rim trails and the delicate Elakala Falls (keeping well back from its dangerous lip). Visit in fall for spectacular high-country color, stay at the historic lodge, try the long sledding run in winter, store food in bear country, and combine the park with nearby Canaan Valley and Dolly Sods.