Blackwater Falls
Blackwater Canyon, West Virginia · 2,980 ft
Typical peak
Oct 8 – Oct 16
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best under flat overcast
Classic view faces N (350°)
A 57-foot curtain of tannin-stained water drops over sandstone with hemlock and birch closing both canyon walls. The lower deck stands level with the plunge pool, so the falls fill the frame with canyon color stacked behind them.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Crowds
high
Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.
Getting there
Turn off WV 32 in Davis onto Blackwater Falls Road, park at the Trading Post lot, and take the boardwalk and roughly 200 steps down to the lower deck.
What turns here
- eastern hemlock
- red maple
- yellow birch
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 12Typical color progression for Blackwater Falls. No change from Sep 4 to Sep 21. First color from Sep 21 to Sep 30. Approaching peak from Sep 30 to Oct 8. Peak from Oct 8 to Oct 16. Past peak from Oct 16 to Oct 26. Bare from Oct 26 to Nov 9.
Blackwater Falls is typically at bare on Nov 1, 2026.
This season so far
First frost
Oct 18
1 night at or below 32°F since Aug 1.
Last 14 days
61°F / 40°F
Average daily high and low.
Modeled weather for these coordinates from the Open-Meteo historical archive, Aug 1 – Oct 31; not a station record. Reported peak is the median date of approved peak-color reports.
Plan the light
Blackwater Falls on October 12, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:57 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 99° | 7:24 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 36 min of low, warm light | 8:00 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:04 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 36 min before sunset | 6:08 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 261° | 6:44 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:11 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 20m · computed from NOAA solar equations.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Both ends of the day: side-lit
Side light. Best for texture and depth across a ridge, and the safest bet for contrast.
Classic composition faces N (350°).
Shooting conditions
Glassy water, wind blur, and what the cloud will do to your light.
Recent reports
What people actually saw here. Been recently? Add yours.
Nearby locations
Within 100 miles in a straight line; road distances can be longer.
- Lindy Point Overlook Bare
West Virginia · 3 mi away
3,054 ft · peaks Oct 12 - Bear Rocks Preserve Bare
West Virginia · 10 mi away
3,999 ft · peaks Oct 8 - Seneca Rocks Bare
West Virginia · 20 mi away
1,567 ft · peaks Oct 17 - Muddy Creek Falls, Swallow Falls Bare
Maryland · 27 mi away
2,319 ft · peaks Oct 13