A cascading mountain waterfall system with roughly 1,200 feet of combined drop, reached via a moderate trail in the George Washington National Forest.
Crabtree Falls is a series of cascades on Crabtree Creek in the George Washington National Forest, within the Crabtree Falls Day Use Area near Vesuvius in Nelson County. The Forest Service describes five major cascades with a combined vertical drop of about 1,200 feet, among the tallest cascading waterfall systems in the eastern United States. A paved path from the parking area reaches the first overlook and is listed as universally accessible; the full Crabtree Falls Trail continues uphill past further cascades over a moderate 2.7-mile round trip.
The Forest Service charges a $3 per-vehicle day-use fee at an on-site machine or fee tube, and honors the America the Beautiful pass and the forest's own seasonal day-use pass. The site is open year-round from sunrise to sunset, with vault toilets and picnic tables but no potable water. The Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger District warns that leaving the trail has caused numerous fatalities, citing algae-slicked rocks above the falls — stay on the trail and behind any barriers, and check the ranger district's current alerts before visiting.
Know before you go
Crabtree Falls Day Use Area off VA-56, Nelson County; Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger District.
Open year-round, sunrise to sunset.
First overlook: short paved, universally accessible path. Full Crabtree Falls Trail: about 2.7 miles round trip, moderate.
$3 per vehicle per day; America the Beautiful and GWJ seasonal day-use passes accepted.
First overlook accessible via paved path; trail beyond it is not.
2026-10-11. Conditions and requirements can change; confirm with the land manager before travelling.
Sources & further reading
- U.S. Forest Service — Crabtree Falls Day Use Area ↗
- USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) ↗
This is a researched visitor guide, not a claim that our editors have personally visited. Trail conditions, permits, and access can change.
