Crabtree Falls: Nelson County, VA

An arching bridge over the River Tye.

No lack of waterfall related infrastructure here.

As one of the east coast's highest waterfalls Crabtree Falls is a popular attraction.  It's a developed trail: stairways, handrails, and fencing make the trail accessible to almost everyone, but they also mar the natural beauty of the falls.

Shadow the Dog loves ascending mountains, and we found plenty of climbing here.   We started from the Route 56 parking area and made our way to the Meadows Lane parking area, where this trail meets up with the Appalachian Trail.  Our route took us up about 1400 feet in three miles.  You can see our route here, and there's an interactive map below.

Crabtree Falls is a series of cascading waterfalls that tumble down the rocks.  The whole extent of the falls is never visible all at once and it's surprising to see how many huge cascades make up the falls.


There are many overlooks alongside the falls.  As we climbed the 1000 feet to the top of the falls we found ourselves rejoining Crabtree Creek no fewer than seven times as it fell.  Basically each switch back is anchored in a viewing platform of some kind.

Nice tree, Shadow.

Because of the cold winter, the falls were covered in ice, with the rushing water cutting a path through the thick icy coating.  That also means there was lots of slippery ice on the trail and the overlooks.  Shadow and I each walked away with souvenir bruises due to the extreme slipperiness.

The terrain is beautiful: rocky and wooded.  It's a great route for trail running; relentless climbing and obstacles characterize the first two miles, giving way to rolling woodland hills for the next two miles and finishing up with two miles of steep descent.

By far my favorite part of the hike was past the top of the falls, where the woods opened up and we left the stairs and fences behind.   Some of my favorite plant life is on display up here.  River birch populate the forest and there's a nice crop of running cedar covering the ground.

The trail goes through this little cave.

Be prepared to pay $3.00 per vehicle to visit the falls.  This is becoming the norm for many of the area's popular trails.

And popular is a good word for this trail.  It was in the mid 30's today with occasional sleet and the trail was pretty crowded.  A large proportion of the hikers also brought their canine companions, so Shadow the Dog enjoyed exchanging sniffs with dogpassersby.

Apple Orchard Falls: Botetourt County, Va.

Apple Orchard Falls is a spectacular 200' waterfall.

Shadow takes a well-deserved break at the base of the falls.

Apple Orchard Falls is among the most impressive and easily accessible waterfalls in Virginia.  Only a 1.5-mile hike from the Sunset Fields parking area of Blue Ridge Parkway, the falls are a popular destination.

Looking for more of a challenge, Shadow the Dog and I took the Cornelius Creek loop.  We began at Sunset Fields, traveled downhill heading northwest alongside Cornelius Creek to North Creek, and finished by regaining the elevation to reach Apple Orchard Falls.  Our route, along with a .gpx file can be found here.

All in all the loop is 7.3 miles with approximately 2,500' of total climbing.

Nearly all of that distance is close by deep, crystal clear creeks with their own small waterfalls. They're so clear, in fact, that Shadow the Dog badly misjudged the depth of one crossing and sank down to her ears.

The trails are well marked and well maintained, and the area around Apple Orchard Falls is quite developed with wooden stairs and a massive viewing platform at the base of the falls.
 

Needle ice covers the ground when the weather is right.

One of the interesting things about this area is how quickly the weather can change and how different it often is from the valley below.  Apple Orchard Mountain is the most topographically prominent mountain in Virginia, rising from the banks of the James River at 650' to a height of 4,224'.

On this day, much of the trail was covered in needle ice, which is formed by capillary action when the ground is warmer than freezing and the air is below freezing.

Cornelius Creek features several nice opportunities
 for a quick swim.

Parts of this trail are excellent mountain biking routes.  The Cornelius Creek Trail is great intermediate mountain biking consisting of mixed singletrack and doubletrack trails.  It's a good area for exploring on the bike, and I plan to explore it thoroughly this spring. Many of the trails in this area are multi-use and mountain bikes are permitted to use them as long as they yield to horses and hikers.  Also there are two wilderness areas in which bikes are not permitted: Thunder Ridge and James River Face.

A thick coating of ice forms on rocks and branches nearby the stream.

Cascade Falls: Giles County, Va.

Cascade Falls freezes each winter, creating a small mountain of icicles rising from what is in summertime a deep pool.  

Icicles line the 2 mile route to the falls during the winter months.

An impressive sight at any time of year, the 69-foot cascade falls is located in Giles County, Va.

Located 20 miles west of Blacksburg, the falls are a worthwhile side-trip for anyone visiting Virginia Tech or traveling on Interstate 81.
It's a two mile uphill hike to reach the falls.  There's about 800' of total elevation gain from the parking area to the falls.  The trail is generally well-kept and follows the trout-filled Little Stony Creek. 

Located away from major population centers, the area is rich in wildlife.  Deer often browse alongside the trail and owls hunt along the stream in the evening hours.  Black bears are also a common sight in the area; in fact, Blacksburg is home to the Black Bear Research Center.

Swimming in the pool at the base of the falls in warmer weather is great fun, and the water is quite cold all year round.

Viewing platforms constructed alongside the falls provide an easily accessible way to view Cascade Falls from multiple angles.

Parking is $3.00 so be sure you have some cash before driving out to the trail head.

The sun sinks below the horizon early here; much of the trail is shaded by the surrounding mountains.