Great Waterfalls in Northern Virginia (And Beyond)

Believe it or not, you don’t have to travel far in Northern Virginia to see beautiful waterfalls. Fairfax County, Loudoun County, and Prince William County all feature numerous parks with streams, rivers, waterfalls, hiking trails, and more.

Though the state of Virginia is home to many waterfalls, predominantly in the Shenandoah Valley Region, this guide will highlight the waterfalls located in Northern Virginia.

What:

Waterfalls are a gorgeous natural feature that occurs when swiftly moving water cascades down a steep rock face. Some waterfalls are only a few yards in height, while others can reach heights of 200 feet or more.

An important thing to note: many waterfalls are very dependent on rainwater. If the weather has been very dry for a while, the waterfall may be dry as well. On the other hand, though, heavy rains will also make many trails harder to navigate due to slippery conditions.

Where:

You can find waterfalls throughout Virginia, but many can actually be found right in Northern Virginia. The following waterfalls can all be reached within a 30-mile drive from Northern Virginia.

These waterfalls can be found in Fairfax County, Loudoun County, and Prince William County. Great Falls Park, located in McLean, Virginia is probably the most famous waterfall spot in Northern Virginia, however, there are more gems located throughout the region.

You can also venture further afield to neighboring West Virginia, which is home to some spectacular waterfalls, including one of the tallest waterfalls in the state of West Virginia!

Waterfalls in Northern Virginia

Great Falls Park

Location:

9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22102

Hours:

Daily = 7am to Dark

Great Falls Park is part of the National Parks Service. It is located in McLean, Virginia, along the banks of the Potomac River, which separates Virginia from Maryland. The falls include several sections of rapids as well as several 20 foot waterfalls that go over rocky terrain. There are three overlooks that can be used for viewing the falls, and two of the overlooks are wheelchair and stroller accessible. Each of the overlooks is a five to ten minute walk from the Visitor’s Center. More information on the falls overlooks can be found here. You can also view the falls from the Maryland side, but you have to drive to that location from the Virginia side.

Other amenities at Great Falls includes picnic tables and grills and a snack bar (open seasonally).

Also, note that the falls do get crowded on nice weather days, particularly weekends or holidays. There can be a wait of 45 minutes or more to park on crowded days.

There are numerous hiking trails in Great Falls as well.

Patowmack Canal Trail = 2.5 miles, 1 hour
River Trail = 3 miles, 2 hours
Old Carriage Road = 3.2 miles, 2 hours
Swamp Trail = 1.8 miles, 1 hour
Ridge Trail = 3 miles, 2 hours
Matildaville Trail = 2.2 miles, 2 hours.

The fee to enter the park is:

$20 per car
$15 per motorcycle
$10 when entering on foot, bicycle, or horse
$35 for an annual pass

Scotts Run Nature Preserve

Location:

7400 VA-193, McLean, VA 22102

Hours:

Daily = 6am – 8pm

Scotts Run Nature Preserve includes Scotts Run Falls, which is located at the point where Scotts Run cascades into the Potomac River. The nature preserve is a unique ecosystem in the mid-Atlantic, and includes floodplains, rocky cliffs, and valleys. It also features many unique and rare plants, and lovely forest flowers in the Spring, including trailing arbutus, Virginia bluebells and sessile trillium.

There are numerous hiking trails in the park. Please note, some are easy, but others are quite rocky, steep, and difficult.

The park also hosts numerous nature programs, including:

Spring wildflower walks
Warbler walks and other birdwatching programs
A Geology of Scott’s Run
Meaningful Watershed Education Experience programs for several hundred schoolchildren
Watershed programs for homeschooled children
“Rain on my Watershed” school programs for students
A Wetlanders week-long summer camp

There is no fee to enter the park.

Windy Run Park

Location:

2420 N Kenmore St, Arlington, VA 22207

Hours:

Daily = Sunrise to Sunset

Windy Run Park is located in Arlington, Virginia, and it comprises 14 acres of trails and streams. it is connected to the Potomac Heritage Trail. The trail includes a small waterfall, with water cascading down a rock formation. The trail is 3.5 miles long, and features sites a walk near the Potomac River and the George Washington Parkway. There is free parking available at Theodore Roosevelt Island, which is located right off of the George Washington Parkway.

There is some great information on the trail, as well as pictures, found in this article on the website Fun in Fairfax VA.

There is no fee to enter the park.

Quantico Cascades Trailhead

Location:

Manassas, VA 20112

Hours:

Daily = Sunrise to Sunset

The Quantico Cascades Trail is a very short, easy 0.7 mile hike through forest, culminating in Quantico Creek. From the trail, you can continue on to the North Valley Trail. This trail is 2.6 miles in length along Quantico Creek. There are additional trails that connect with this trail, including Burma Road, Lake One Road, the previously mentioned Quantico Cascades Trail, Cabin Branch Mine Trail, Pyrite Mine Road, and South Valley Trail. Along the North Valley Trail, you will be able to see Quantico Falls. It is a small but nice waterfall.

Additional Waterfalls in Virginia

Crab Tree Falls. Photo by Shots by JFL on Unsplash

Though there are a handful of lovely waterfalls in Northern Virginia highlighted above, the majority of the waterfalls in Virginia are located in other parts of the state, particularly the Shenandoah Valley Region. Below are some of the major waterfalls in the rest of the state.

Overall Run Falls

Location:

Hours:

Daily = 8am to Dark

Overall Run Falls, which is located in Shenandoah National Park, has the distinction of being the tallest waterfall in the park, at 93 feet. Reaching the falls requires a 5.1 mile roundtrip hike that is rated moderate-to-strenuous in intensity. It should also be noted that, if rainfall has been limited, there may be no water at the waterfall.

Directions on how to reach the hike can be found on the National Park Service website:

From the trailhead at the Mathews Arm Campground registration parking area, take Traces Trail to the yellow-blazed Mathews Arm Road.
The road becomes Mathews Arm Trail.
Stay on the right at its intersection with Beecher Ridge Trail and continue on Mathews Arm Trail following it to the intersection with Tuscarora-Overall Run Trail.
Go left and follow it about a tenth of a mile to a side trail. From here you can see the upper falls.
Continue downhill on the main trail another 1,300 feet for views of the biggest falls in Shenandoah at 93 feet.
Retrace your steps back to your starting point.

There is an entrance fee to enter Shenandoah National Park. Fee information can be found here:

Shenandoah Entrance Pass – Single Vehicle – $30.00
Shenandoah Entrance Pass – Single Motorcycle – $25.00
Shenandoah Entrance Pass – Individual Person – $15.00
Shenandoah Annual Pass – $55.00
America the Beautiful – Annual Pass – $80.00
America the Beautiful – Annual Senior Pass – $20.00
America the Beautiful – Military Pass – Free
America the Beautiful – Volunteer Pass – Free
Annual Fourth Grade Pass – Free

Crabtree Falls

Location:

Hours:

Daily = Sunrise to Sunset

I was able to visit this waterfall during a recent trip outside of Charlottesville at Wintergreen Resort. The falls are located in the George Washington National Forest in Nelson County, Virginia. The waterfalls are a series of cascading waterfalls, which total 1,080 feet in height. There is a parking lot (though parking is limited and can be hard to find). From there, you can walk a short hike into the woods, and then there is a 1.9 mile hike up a series of staircases to see the cascading falls. There are some hand rails in place, but the steps can be steep and narrow at places. The park includes a 2.5 mile loop trail as part of the trail to the falls.

The waterfalls itself are very lovely, and an extra bonus is that the trail itself is essentially right next to the falls as you walk up, and so you have many great views and stopping points to see the cascading water from different outlook points along the way. It is a lovely waterfall.

There is no fee to enter the park, though there is a donation box.

Dark Hollow Falls

Location:

Hours:

Daily = 8am to Dark

Dark Hollow Falls is located in Shenandoah National Park, right off of Skyline Drive. It features a 1.4 mile circuit hike that is moderately difficult. It is a short hike, but steep and rocky. The hike on the way back, which is a 440 feet uphill hike, can be especially strenuous. The hike is one of the most popular in Shenandoah National Park, because it is short and features a gorgeous waterfall. The waterfall is 70 feet in height. Please note that pets are not allowed on the hike.

You can reach the trail by following these steps:

From the trailhead at the Dark Hollow Falls Parking Area (mile 50.7), descend 0.75-mile down to the falls.
Return by the same route, up to the parking area.

There is an entrance fee to enter Shenandoah National Park. Fee information can be found here, as well as in the section above for Overall Run Falls.

Cascade Falls

Location:

2068 Cascade Dr, Pembroke, VA 24136

Hours:

Daily = Sunrise to Sunset

Cascade Falls is located on the Cascades Falls Trailhead, and can be found in Jefferson National Forest. It is a stunning and photogenic 66 foot waterfall. The hike to reach the waterfall is a 4 mile roundtrip trail that is rated low to moderate in difficulty. There is a picnic area at the beginning of the trail, and a water station for filling water bottles.

The fee is $3.00 per vehicle.

Apple Orchard Falls

Location:

Blue Ridge Parkway, Buchanan, VA, 24066

Hours:

Daily = Open 24 hours a day

Apple Orchard Falls is located in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Apple Orchard Falls trail is an easy to difficult hike, with some parts getting quite steep. The trail is 2.9 miles roundtrip. It begins at the Blue Ridge Parkway at Sunset Field Overlook near milepost 78. There is ample parking at the location. The hike crosses the Appalachian Trail. There is a steep descent, and then a view of the 200-foot high waterfalls at about the 1.4 mile mark on the trail. There are also streams along the trail for most of the journey, which is a lovely bonus.

There is no fee to access the trail.

Doyles River Falls

Location:

Hours:

Daily = 8am to Dark

Doyles River Falls is located in Shenandoah National Park. The trail runs along a stream and features two picturesque waterfalls. The moderate hike is a 3.3 mile roundtrip. There is also a cabin along the way, known as Doyles River Cabin. You can rent the cabin on a nightly basis for $30 a night on weekdays and $45 a night on weekends. Along the trail, you will be able to see the Upper Falls, which is 28 feet tall, and the Lower Falls, which is 63 feet tall. You can find more information on the falls, plus great pictures, at Go Hike Virginia.

You can access the trail by following these steps:

From the Doyles River Parking Area (mile 81.1), take the blue-blazed Doyles River Trail.
Cross the Appalachian Trail and pass the access trails to Doyles River Cabin and Browns Gap Road.
Trail posts mark the locations of Upper and Lower Doyles River Falls.
Retrace your steps to return to the parking area.

There is an entrance fee to enter Shenandoah National Park. Fee information can be found here, as well as in the section above for Overall Run Falls.

Devil’s Bathtub and Waterfall

Location:

Devils Fork Loop Trail, Duffield, VA 24244

Hours:

Daily = Open 24 hours a day

Devil’s Bathtub has become a very popular natural attraction in Virginia. It features a stunning swimming hole, named Devil’s Bathtub, and a small waterfall. The Devil’s Fork Loop Trail is rated difficult, requiring hikers to climb over boulders and navigate rocky and wet conditions. The entire trail is 7.2 miles roundtrip.

There are two swimming holes. In the first one, you will see a small waterfall and two rope swings. You will actually want to travel past this first swimming hole to reach the actual Devil’s Bathtub swimming hole. You will have to climb over the rocks and past the waterfall to reach Devil’s Bathtub.

You can find lots of great information and pictures on Go Hike Virginia.

Please note: the area should only be visited during dry conditions. Even modest rains can lead to dangerous flooding conditions.

Lewis Falls

Location:

Hours:

Daily = 8am to Dark

Lewis Falls, as with many of the waterfalls in Virginia, is part of Shenandoah National Park. It features a 3.3 mile circuit moderate hike, and it culminates at an observation point that overlooks an 81 foot tall waterfall.

The following directions can be followed to access the trail and waterfall:

From the Big Meadows amphitheater parking area, walk downhill from the concrete marker post and turn left on the Appalachian Trail.
Stay right onto the blue-blazed Lewis Falls Trail. It’s a steep, rocky descent to the falls viewing platform.
To return, take the trail up to its intersection with a fire road and turn right.
In a few yards, turn left onto the Appalachian Trail.
Follow uphill to return to the parking area.

There is an entrance fee to enter Shenandoah National Park. Fee information can be found here, as well as in the section above for Overall Run Falls.

Stiles Falls

Location:

2842 Crockett Springs Road, Shawsville, VA 24162

Hours:

Daily = Sunrise to Sunset

Stiles Falls is located at Alta Mons to the southwest of Roanoke, Virginia. The waterfall is 40 feet tall. The trail crosses a creek multiple times, and it is 3 miles long roundtrip. The trail is occasionally closed throughout the year due to either bad weather (snow or ice), Summer Camp, Winter Camp, or other events. Please refer to their website for the latest updates.

You can see a helpful map of the trail below, courtesy the Alta Mons website:

White Oak Falls

Location:

Whiteoak Canyon Trail, Luray, VA 22835

Hours:

Daily = 8am to Dark

White Oak Falls is part of Shenandoah National Park and is made up of White Oak Falls (Upper) and White Oak Fall (Lower). The hike is considered one of the best waterfall hikes in the park. White Oak Falls (Upper), is a moderate 4.6 mile roundtrip hike.

The following directions can be followed to reach the upper waterfall:

From the trailhead at the Whiteoak Canyon parking area (mile 42.6), take the Whiteoak Canyon Trail.
Pass the junctions for the Old Rag Fire Road and the Limberlost Trail.
About 2.3 miles from the start you will come to a rocky ledge with a view of the upper falls.
Retrace your steps to return to the parking lot.

The White Oak Fall (Lower) waterfall is a much easier 2 mile hike.

The following directions can be following to reach the lower waterfall:

From the Whiteoak Canyon parking area at the Park boundary, begin on Whiteoak Canyon Trail and keep right at the intersection with Cedar Run Trail.
Cross a small stream and continue to the base of the lower falls.
Return by the same route.

Interested in more outdoor activities in Virginia?