Kanawha Falls

If you're passing

Is it plungeworthy?

—feet tall

A dam on Kanawha River.

Scale12/60

Documentation15/20

Character14/20

The details

Type: Dam
Watercourse: Kanawha River
Coordinates: 38.15123, -81.21233

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About Kanawha Falls

Kanawha Falls is a dam in West Virginia, on Kanawha River.

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

Plungeworthy rates Kanawha Falls 4.1/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

A river-wide 20-foot shelf on the Kanawha just below the New and Gauley's meeting — viewed flat-footed from a fishing-access lot in Glen Ferris. Bring a rod; the eddies below the falls are the whole point for the locals.

Getting there

Trailhead: Kanawha Falls Public Fishing Access, US-60, Glen Ferris
Parking: 35-space paved DNR lot with boat launch
Road: Paved, right off US-60
Hike: 0.3 mi round trip (easy — drive-up)
Heads up: The historic Glen Ferris Inn overlooks the falls from the highway side.

When to go

Spring high water for spectacle; any season for the fishing.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: None
Dogs: Leashed
Warnings: Currents near the hydro powerhouse are no place for boats or wading.

Researched from WV Tourism — Kanawha Falls fishing access · Wikipedia — Kanawha Falls. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Kanawha Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

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.