Blackwater Falls

I decided today that i was sick of sitting at home, watching tv and reading books. (You know i am really bored, when i think that reading a book for leisure is a good idea.) I had heard about Blackwater Falls, and decided to make the trip there. The falls are located in Blackwater State Park. I had heard some good things about the falls, and decided that i wanted to cross it off of my list of things to do and see here in West Virginia.

No one wanted to go with me--my friends here are so boring. So, i got up and headed out to the falls by myself.

Blackwater Falls are located in Tucker County, West Virginia--about an hour from here. The drive is really beautiful--if west virginia has anything to offer, it has the beautiful nature. On the way up there, i stopped and took this photo.

These windmills are a new thing to West Virginia. They are everywhere--as you drive down the high way you can see them all along the tops of the mountains. From what i hear, the energy they make is sent to Washington D.C.  I had never seen one this close up before. They are HUGE! This photo doesn't even show you how enormous they are--it was cool to be this close to one. 

Then i saw this.

The Kingsford Charcoal Plant. I did not even know that this was in West Virginia--but i guess it makes sense--being that charcoal is a product of coal. 

I kept driving--winding up the mountain side. Pretty soon i got to the falls. Here are some of the photos. 

As soon as you get to the park, you can hear the falls. It was really cool to hear the water get louder and louder as i got closer to them. This is the first thing you see when you start the walk to the falls. 214 steps is a little intimidating--but it wasn't bad going down...coming up kind of sucked. 

This sign says... "The resistant homewood and Conoquessing sandstones, the "salt sands" of the driller form the canyon walls of Blackwater Falls. These sands produce oil and natural gas in West Virginia and commercial brines on the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers."

This is a lookout about half way down to the falls. Its hard to tell in the photo, but I am really high up on the side of a mountain looking out over the river below to the other side of the canyon. Its just miles and miles of trees along the mountain ridges.

Along the stairway down there were these little stations, where you could read about the falls and the park. This one was the most interesting, it basically tells why the water is Amber in color. It basically says that the water gets its tea or amber coloring from the natural tannins near the river. The Red Confiers such as the Eastern Hemlock and the Red Spruce drop their needles near the river and the snow and rain cause the coloring and acid of the needles to run into the water. 

Here are some photos of the falls. You can see toward the top of the falls that the water is amberish in color. The falls are approximately 57 feet tall. I know they don't look that big in the photos, but in person they are really big. 

There were two spots you could stand and see the falls. The photo above is taken from the top view point, about half way down the mountain. 

They had this porch type area, that went out over the water. From there you could get better close ups of the falls. 

After i walked back up the 200 some stairs i noticed that all the trees on the mountain had these weird looking roots. I guess the trees have adapted to growing in and on rocks, rather than in dirt. They are pretty cool looking. These trees are huge by the way--they are really, really tall. 

In all it was really a cool trip. I am glad i got out and did it, even if i had to go alone. I want to go back in this Autumn, because i can imagine it is even more breathtaking with the fall colors in the back drop. You can see more photos of the falls on my Facebook page.