Sandstone Falls

Worth a detour

Is it plungeworthy?

20feet tall

A plunge on New River.

Scale32/60

Documentation20/20

Character14/20

The details

Type: Plunge
Watercourse: New River
Coordinates: 37.75581, -80.90696

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About Sandstone Falls

Sandstone Falls is a 20-foot plunge 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 Sandstone Falls 6.6/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

The New River — older than the mountains it cuts — dropping over a 1,500-foot-wide staircase of ledges at the head of its gorge. An ADA boardwalk island-hops across the riverbed to put you in the middle of it.

Getting there

Trailhead: Sandstone Falls Boardwalk, River Road, 9 miles from Hinton
Parking: Free lot at the boardwalk
Road: Narrow paved river road (CR-26)
Hike: 0.5 mi round trip, 13 ft of climb (easy — accessible boardwalk)
Heads up: The WV-20 overlook 600 feet above the gorge gives the aerial version first — take both.

When to go

Spring runoff turns the whole river white; summer brings smallmouth anglers to the ledges.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: None — New River Gorge National Park is fee-free
Dogs: Leashed
Camping: Primitive NPS campgrounds along the river
Warnings: This stretch has drowned people — the Park Service asks for life jackets anywhere near the water, and means it.

Researched from NPS — Sandstone Falls · Wikipedia — Sandstone Falls. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Sandstone 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.