Waterfall hikes near Roanoke and New Castle
Five waterfall hikes within a short drive of Wilderness Adventure, from an easy family loop to one of Virginia's tallest falls.
Some of the best days in the Blue Ridge end at the bottom of a waterfall. Within a short drive of Wilderness Adventure there are falls for every kind of hiker, from a flat walk with small children to a long climb up a mountainside. Here are our favorites, starting closest to the property.
Drive times are rough estimates from our address at 11176 Peaceful Valley Road, New Castle. Trail lengths come from the land managers' own pages, linked at the bottom, so check those for closures and current conditions before you go.
Fenwick Mines: a small waterfall for small legs
About 10 to 15 minutes from us, the Fenwick Mines day-use area has an easy loop of about a mile through the woods and wetlands, with a short walk to a small waterfall. It's flat enough for young children, and there are picnic tables and a fishing pond for afterward. If you're staying with us for the weekend, it's the easiest waterfall outing there is.
Roaring Run Falls: an easy loop with some history
Roaring Run is in Botetourt County, off Craig Creek Road near Eagle Rock. Allow roughly an hour to drive there from the property. The Forest Service describes it as an easy loop of about a mile and a half. Most people walk up the Streamside Trail, past rustic stone bridges and rock faces, take the short spur to the falls, then come back on the Woodland Trail past the old iron furnace and a scenic overlook. There's no fee, and the day-use area is open year-round.
It's a good first waterfall hike for families: short, easy and with plenty to look at along the way.
The Cascades: 66 feet of falling water
The Cascades National Recreation Trail near Pembroke, about an hour and a quarter west of us, is one of the best-loved waterfall hikes in southwest Virginia. The hike to the 66-foot falls is about 4 miles round trip and follows Little Stony Creek most of the way. The Forest Service charges a small parking fee, and the trail is busy on summer weekends, so start early.
Apple Orchard Falls: a big day on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Apple Orchard Falls tumbles down the side of Apple Orchard Mountain, about an hour and a half from us. The Forest Service rates the 3.3-mile trail moderate to difficult. You can start from Sunset Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway, near the top of the mountain, or from the North Creek trailhead at the end of Forest Road 59 near Arcadia, at the bottom.
Starting from the Parkway means walking downhill to the falls and climbing back up at the end of the day, so save some energy. Along the way the trail stops at a wooden viewing platform and then reaches a boardwalk at the base of the falls.
Bent Mountain Falls: one of Virginia's tallest
South of Roanoke, about an hour and a half from us, The Nature Conservancy's Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve protects a waterfall about 200 feet high, which the Conservancy calls the second highest in Virginia. More than five miles of moderate trails cross the preserve, and you see the falls from an overlook high above the gorge rather than from the bottom. Dogs aren't allowed in the preserve (service animals are welcome).
Waterfalls at summer camp
Waterfalls are part of camp too. On our Classic Adventure trips, one morning starts with a hike to waterfalls and natural waterslides. It's often the day campers talk about most when they get home.
Waterfall safety
- Stay off the top. Rock at the edge of a waterfall is wet, mossy and much more slippery than it looks. Enjoy the view from the trail, the platform or the pool.
- Go after rain, but not during a storm. Falls are at their best after wet weather and in spring. Creeks can rise quickly in a storm, so turn back if the water is high or muddy.
- Wear proper shoes. Trails near water are rocky and often muddy.
- Leave No Trace. Pack out everything you bring in, and stay on the trail so the banks don't wear away.
- Carry water and a map. Cell service is patchy in the mountains.
For more hikes close to the property, including Dragon's Tooth and McAfee Knob, see our guide to hikes and rivers near Wilderness Adventure.
