Hiking Fallingwater Cascades in Bedford, VA

Related posts: Want to read more about Virginia? Check out all our Virginia posts here. Or, looking for more Roanoke-area hikes? Check out our Compendium of Hikes in and near Roanoke. For hiking gear recommendations, check out our Ultimate Guide to Hiking Gear. For this hike, I’d recommend hiking boots and a hydration backpack at a minimum.

Note: Some links throughout our site are affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

WHERE IS fallingwater cascades trail LOCATED?

Fallingwater Cascades is located about 50 minutes north of Roanoke, VA, in Bedford. It is a couple of miles north of the area known as Peaks of Otter and is located right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. For more information on the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, which travels through Virginia and North Carolina, check out our post here.

To access Fallingwater Cascades Trail, visitors can park in a parking lot at the trailhead. Depending on the time of year, the parking lot may get crowded. The nearby Peaks of Otter trails are quite popular and have large parking lots. During our visit - a perfectly temperate and blue-skied Sunday morning in mid-October - we had no difficulty finding parking.

what else is there to do near fallingwater cascades trail?

Fallingwater Cascades is a couple of miles north of the area known as Peaks of Otter, which is home to the Peaks of Otter Lodge and Lake View Restaurant, a national park visitor’s center, picnic areas, campsites, and several hikes. The hikes at this spot include Sharp Top (read our post here), Flat Top, Harkening Hill and Johnson Farm Trails (two trails that we did together - read our post here), Abbott Lake (read our post here), and a few other nearby spots like Apple Orchard Falls (read our post here).

When in this area for hiking, we have typically brought a picnic to enjoy at the Peaks of Otter picnic area. There is a large wooded area along a creek that has a large amount of parking, picnic tables scatted throughout the woods and is - in our experience - barely used! The signs to the picnic area make it easy to find. If you’re driving up to the Sharp Top camp store, the road curves to the left with clear markings for the picnic area. On this particular visit, we decided to hike Fallingwater Cascades, followed by the Abbott Lake trail (1 mile in length, paved, around Abbott Lake), and then ate lunch at the Lake View Restaurant, where we had window seats overlooking the lake and peak beyond.

fallingwater cascades trail’s BEST KEPT SECRETS

There are two access points to Fallingwater Cascades. One is the main trailhead with the parking lot. When accessing the trail this way, you’ll immediately head downhill and get to the water fairly quickly. From there, you’ll follow the cascades down to the bottom of the trail. At that point, you can cross the water and head uphill, away from the water, to a secondary access point. If you’re there for the cascades, I’d recommend doing a down-and-back hike, turning around at the base of the cascades.

WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN HIKING AT fallingwater cascades

Fallingwater Cascades is entirely a downhill followed by uphill hike, meaning that some people may find it difficult or strenuous. There are lengthy sections of stairs hewn into the path. The trail is fairly short: it’s half a mile down and half a mile back up with an elevation change of about 365 feet. The total hike took us just 40 minutes, including stops to take in the scenery and enjoy the waterfall views, but we should note that we’re pretty active people so if that description doesn’t fit you, leave additional time for the hike.

We would definitely recommend hiking boots. Between the significant number of stairs, rocky sections, and some tree roots, sturdy shoes are important for comfort and safety. If you’re at all inclined towards twisting your ankle like I am, hiking boots that cover your ankles are a must-have! Hiking sticks would be helpful to those wanting extra stability. The trail itself has no blazing, nor does it need it.