Be prepared for the elevation change as you hike down the gorge to the base of the falls and then the return climb as you complete the loop. Learn more about the program and what it means for various types of businesses & experiences in the region with our Phase Three Guidelines page. The guide sign will be posted on the west side of the lot. Mile 0.0 – From parking area at Flat Top Mountain Overlook cross the Blue Ridge Parkway to begin the Fallingwater Cascades Trail, part of the Fallingwater – Flat Top National Recreation Trail. The recording reflects that I retraced my steps. Cascades. Lots of small pools to get in- will take kids there for sure. Fallingwater Cascades Trail: A Short Waterfall Hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway August 12, 2020 September 25, 2020 Erin Virginia Mountains You never know what you’ll find lurking around every curve of the iconic Blue Ridge Parkway. Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge 101 Shenandoah Avenue NE Roanoke, VA 24016 (540) 342-6025 (800) 635-5535. The trail itself wasn’t anything super special, it only runs along the creek for a short period of time, there were a couple scenic mountain views and the falls were pretty. An overview and scenic drives near Virginia’s Fallingwater Cascades Trail. Fallingwater Cascades is a short hike with beautiful views of a long series of short waterfalls, and long views of the surrounding area. The trail parallels the parkway and meets the other parking area for Fallingwater Cascades. Great short hike with lots of places to sit and climb on rocks (carefully). We started driving the Blue Ridge Parkway at the north entrance where Skyline Drive ends and the Blue Ridge Parkway begins. A quiet hike to a pretty waterfall. The trail is well-mainained but it gets steep around the cascades as can be expected. with a couple points where you can cool your feet. Stopped on our drive down to Charlotte, NC because we needed to get some exercise in. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and nature trips. Which proved to be the right call as we had the trail to ourselves the entire way until we hit the falls. Completing the loop will take you 1.45 miles. Wonderful cool fall day. A few miles north of Peaks of Otter on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Fallingwater Trailhead is at mile marker 83.1, at about 2,550 feet. 1. Meet the Otter Creek Trail, head back toward the visitor center, leaving the lake. This moderately difficult loop trail is approximately 1.7 miles. A bit steep coming out but well worth it for the view. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. We turned around and went back instead of doing the loop. Fallingwater Cascades Trail: A Short Waterfall Hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway August 12, 2020 September 25, 2020 Erin Hike to Great Falls Overlook from Riverbend Park The outside world is wasted on you. This loop delivers scenes of Fallingwater Cascades from multiple vantages. This description will heed the sign’s advice, following the shortest route to the falls. Fallingwater Creek plummets nearly 100 feet over 2 sliding drops. The trail has a steep section, however there is only a total elevation gain of just under 400 feet, making this a moderate hike. It allowed you to get right up and personal with them. FYI the sign at the trail says - fallingwater cascades. A 1.6-mile trail will take visitors through the rhododendron to beautiful Fallingwater Cascades. This National Recreational Trail is a very popular 1.6 mile loop hike featuring a waterfall. We got a … As everyone we encountered were just going the short way to the falls. Quick hike off the parkway. Soon I could hear the creek and the trail turned left heading towards a pleasant wood bridge. we really enjoyed this trail, especially with how close you can get to the falls! I believe it's the same trail. Appalachian Trail: Apple Orchard Falls to Jennings Creek, Appalachian Trail: Cove Mountain to Jennings Creek, Apple Orchard Falls Trail and Cornelius Creek Circuits Trail, White Tail Loop from North Creek Camping Area, Devil's Marbleyard and Gunter's Ridge Loop Trail, Apple Orchard Falls, Cornelius Creek Circuit and Apple Orchard Mountain, Appalachian Trail: Cornelius Shelter, Bryant Ridge, The Pinnacle - Abbott Lake via Flat Top Mountain Trail. Mile 1.0 – A nice series of cascades over smooth, moss-covered boulders. Fallingwater Cascades Trail; The Hike. This trail drops 260 feet below the Fallingwater Parking Area and hikers should be prepared to climb that elevation on their return. This pathway includes a 1.4-mile loop out to the Fallingwater Creek waterfall and an out-and-back climb up Flat Top Mountain. You can shorten this by almost a third by parking at the larger lot, heading 'right' down the trail… The full trail is a 1.7 mile loop. The Fallingwater Cascades Trail is located at Milepost 83 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, three miles north of the Peaks of Otter. The first half of the trail descends to and then follows Fallingwater Creek as it tumbles down a rugged gorge, then the trail ascends into a cathedral like grove of trees. Tons of spots to go into the water! 7.2 miles. Fallingwater Cascades Loop is a hiking trail near Roanoke, Virginia, United States - Nearby Fallingwater Cascades Trail Located along the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile post 83.1, the 4.6 mile Fallingwater Cascades Trail is rated Moderate and leads to Fallingwater Cascades . Milepost 83.4, Fallingwater Cascades Trail @ Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia Fallingwater Cascades. The trail leads from the parking area and is a moderately difficult hiking trail. From this angle the upper portion of the falls is obstructed from view. The hike down and up are fairly strenuous. On the half-day trek, you'll … From here the path narrows, climbing mildly to the hike’s highest point at about 1.2 miles. We went counter-clockwise. The whole trail is about 1.4 miles roundtrip, so it's fairly short and fun for the whole family. It is a quick hike that has good elevation. Backtrack past the pools and shoals of Otter Creek before returning to the visitor center. The hike will include a view of the nearby Flat Top and Sharp Top Mountains, as well as numerous spots to see Fallingwater Creek and Fallingwater Cascades, the 100-foot waterfall that makes its way down two winding drops over a large rock outcropping. From here the trail drops steeps towards the drainage and views emerge of the creek and hillside. The Fallingwater Cascades Trail is located at Milepost 83 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, three miles north of the Peaks of Otter. Directions: Blue Ridge Parkway mile post 83.1. Fallingwater Cascades to Flat Top- (7-18-09) So my wife unexpectedly got the weekend off (too many hours) and we decided to hit the trails. Fallingwater Cascades is a 1.7 mile loop hike that features a waterfall nestled in a mountain. The trail then follows the stream upwards. To continue the National Recreation Trail after you finish the loop, cross the Blue Ridge Parkway and then follow the trail up Flat Top Mountain. One note, there isn’t a bench at the designated overlook but there is one at the bottom of the falls. The Flat Top-Fallingwater Cascades Trail is a furrific National Recreation Trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Short hike out to the base of the falls. Length: 1.5 miles. Beyond the bridge the views open up as the creek plummets. Trailhead: Fallingwater Cascade Trail: At the southwest corner of the parking area, a wooden trail sign directs you to follow a gravel trail heading downhill and to the right to reach the falls. This trail leads to Fallingwater Cascades. I don’t remember much about the hike down to the falls, but the view at the bottom of the trail is nice. Fallingwater Cascades Trail the other segment of the National Recreation Trail, is a loop trail which takes hikers along cascades on Fallingwater Creek with its huge rock outcrops clothed in rhododendron and large hemlocks. Located at milepost 83.1 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Fallingwater Cascades Trail is part of the Peaks of Otter Recreational Area. Nice hike. Parked in the Flat top area we crossed the road to start our hike .It's a loop we went to the left and it worked out nice we started off going down then we could see the falls most of the time going up. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and nature trips. Located at milepost 83.1 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Fallingwater Cascades Trail is part of the Peaks of Otter Recreational Area. In the map below you see a second parking area. short and sweet. Perfect for our kids 10 & 12. Once you start on the trail, it is a steady downhill for most of the .7 miles in, so it is uphill coming back. Just up the road from Peaks of Otter is Fallingwater Cascades, and I decided that a hike in the rain to a waterfall wouldn’t be such a terrible thing. Short loop to a nice waterfall. … Fallingwater Cascades – Top Crossing. Fallingwater Cascades trail is located just 2 miles from the Peaks of Otter. I was the only person on the trail. The trail parking lot can be accessed from the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, milepost 83.1. We enjoyed the hike, but save some of your energy as the climb is on the way back. September 14, 2020. Also good for trail running in a few different spot. We did the loop clockwise, and I’m glad we did, the hill on the way to the falls seemed steeper on that side so I’m glad we used that side to go down instead of up. Excellent and 5 stars for the awesome waterfalls! The trail is well maintained and can get a little rocky at some points, but has stone steps and rest benches along the way. Still flowing, but, allowed you to see the colors in the stones due to the shallow water. There is a tough river crossing balancing on rocks at the bottom of the trail. At the base of the Cascades is a bridge so you will not get your feet wet when crossing! Excellent trail for family hike. They were everywhere ! Fallingwater Cascades Loop is a hiking trail near Roanoke, Virginia, United States - Description Virginia's Blue Ridge is now open in the Phase Three stage of the Commonwealth's Forward Virginia plan. This was pretty! Wear good shoes. Fallingwater Cascades Trail is a 2.3 kilometer moderately trafficked loop trail located near Bedford, Virginia that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. The trail is fine and the waterfall is dramatic and impressive. We had a 10 yr old and beginner hikers with us and everyone was able to do it. This is the trailhead for Flat Top Mountain. We hadn't any rain for a while before going and the falls were still quite impressive. I recommend starting at the Fallingwater Cascades Parking Area because it is larger, and on a nice day during the tourist season you are more likely to get a parking spot. Located at milepost 83.1 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Fallingwater Cascades Trail is part of the Peaks of Otter Recreational Area. The Fallingwater Cascades Trail is a loop trail that you can access at either the Fallingwater Cascades Parking Area (where I started from) or the Flat Top Trail Parking Area just .4 mile to the south. It had been raining all night and the water crossing wasn't passable for me. Really cool waterfall and cascades along the trail, very moderate or easy but the loop is about 2 miles instead of the listed 1.6. Trail: Fallingwater Cascades (Out and Back) Distance: 0.4 miles each way Elevation: -400 feet to falls Trailhead: Blue Ridge Parkway, Mile Marker 83.1 (37.4733, -79.58053), Full GPS Data. Great quick trail. Fallingwater Cascades Trail. After 90 minutes of very scenic driving we arrived at Fallingwater Cascades. A little tricky with dog on leash due to some rocky sections, but not too bad. Great trail following the waterfall most of the way; was a good afternoon hike for us and the dog. Advertise on This Site: Albemarle County: Alleghany County: Amherst County: Augusta County: Bath County: Bedford County: Bland County: Botetourt County: Buchanan County: Buckingham County: Carroll County: Clarke County: Craig County: The waterfall was breathtaking and a refreshing pit stop and we went during sun set so it was beautiful to see the sun’s color on the trees. Fallingwater Cascades Trail Back The other segment of the National Recreation Trail is a long trail that takes hikers along the cascades on Fallingwater Creek with its huge rock outcrops clothed in rhododendron and large hemlocks. When you reach the “T” in the road turn Right onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and take the parkway heading north. Retirement is wonderful ! I did this on a rainy, foggy day without being able to see beyond 20 feet and thought it was gorgeous. This moderately difficult loop trail is approximately 1.7 miles. It was beautiful! Short loop to a nice waterfall. This National Recreational Trail is a very popular 1.6 mile loop hike featuring a waterfall. Anyone who says this trail isn't anything special should just stay home on their couch. Location: Milepost 83.5. While parking we were told by another car that there was allegedly a bear sighting in the area but we didn’t see any bears on our hike. Access to the trail head is near milepost 83. The Fallingwater Cascades Trail continues to climb to a left-hand bend at 9/10 mile, while the Blue Ridge Parkway comes back within earshot. Pretty easy hike for us but climbing on the rocks to get pictures was an adventure for me (58) and my husband (66). The lower drop is approximately 40 feet over a wide rock face. You'll also get to complete some rock hopping over Fallingwater Creek, but take caution if water levels are elevated. Be sure to go down the hill past the bridge/stream to see all of the falls. At 1.05 miles, take a left at the junction onto the Fallingwater – Flat Top National Recreation Trail. Fallingwater Cascades. This National Recreational Trail is a very popular 1.6 mile loop hike featuring a waterfall. The trail crosses the stream once again at the top with a wooden bridge before looping back. It will first pass the separate dedicated parking lot for Fallingwater Cascades before reaching the shared lot. 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