Brooks Falls

One for the list

Is it plungeworthy?

—feet tall

A waterfall on New River.

Scale12/60

Documentation15/20

Character8/20

The details

Watercourse: New River
Coordinates: 37.71929, -80.89204

Get directions →

About Brooks Falls

Brooks Falls is a waterfall in West Virginia, on New River.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Brooks Falls 3.5/10 — one for the list. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

A river-wide ledge and Class III play wave on the New River, two miles upstream of Sandstone Falls — with its own NPS picnic area and viewing platform. Small drop, big river, zero effort.

Getting there

Trailhead: Brooks Falls Picnic Area, New River Road, south of Sandstone
Parking: On-site lot
Road: Paved river road
Hike: 0.1 mi round trip (easy)
Heads up: Pair with Sandstone Falls down the road for the full river-ledge double bill.

When to go

Any season from the platform; paddlers surf the wave at friendly levels.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: None — fee-free national park
Dogs: Leashed
Warnings: Strong current at the ledge — the Park Service's life-jacket warning applies here too.

Researched from NPS — Sandstone-Brooks area trails · American Whitewater — New River, Brooks Falls reach. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Brooks Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Planning a visit? We want your photo.

Brooks Falls doesn't have a photo yet. If you make the trip, send one to hello@plungeworthy.com and we'll publish it here with credit to you.

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.