Who doesn’t love waterfalls?
West Virginia has several amazing waterfalls throughout the state. You can find several of them in Mercer County, Southern West Virginia. These waterfalls are all close to Princeton, WV, about an hour from New River Gorge National Park and about 90 minutes from Lewisburg.
If you’re visiting this area, it’s worth driving down to see its gorgeous falls. You can even swim in some of them!
The guide below shares how to get to five different waterfalls in Mercer County, West Virginia. So, let’s start planning your next adventure!
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Waterfall Wanderer: West Virginia’s Waterfall Trail
Before visiting the waterfalls below, sign up for the West Virginia waterfall trail. You can earn prizes by visiting multiple waterfalls on the list. And of the five listed below, four of them are on the trail! It’s so easy to earn your first prize when you’re visiting this area. It’s FREE to sign up!
Swimming at These West Virginia Waterfalls
Be Safe
Two of the waterfalls on this list are popular swimming holes. Keep in mind they are not monitored, so use your best judgment for safety. Recent heavy rainfall can make these waterfalls more dangerous with increased flowing water.
Wear the Right Gear
These are natural pools at a waterfall’s base, meaning there will be rocks and sticks. Proper footwear will save your feet and reduce slipping on wet and slimy surfaces. Consider wearing shoes like Crocs, Teva sandals, Keen sandals, or water shoes when swimming in these locations.
Be a Responsible Visitor
When visiting these waterfalls, remember to respect nature. Stay on established paths, pack out your trash (including food waste), and leave what you find behind.
The more popular these destinations become, the more we need to be diligent about keeping our parks and lands clean and safe for all. You can learn more here.
5 Waterfalls to Explore Near Princeton, West Virginia
Mash Fork Falls
- Waterfall Location: Camp Creek State Park
- Trail Length: 20 feet
- Trail Difficulty: accessible (paved to the platform)
- Waterfall Height: 8 feet
- Dog Friendly: Yes
The smallest waterfall on this list, Mash Fork Falls, is located in Camp Creek State Park in Camp Creek, West Virginia. Although it’s only eight feet tall, Mash Fork Falls is still pretty and feels like it’s tucked away.
To get to Mash Fork Falls, drive down Mash Fork Campground Road. There is a small area for parking right next to the falls. From there, follow the short, accessible, paved trail to the viewing platform.
We visited during low flow, which was still very pretty. But it would be best to visit these falls in the early spring or after a heavy rainfall. Camp Creek State Park is open year-round, so seeing this waterfall in the winter would be fun.
Good to know: There is a one-mile trail to Mash Fork Falls if you’d rather hike instead of drive. Pick up the trail across from the plaground at the corner of Mash Fork Campground and Camp Creek Road.
Campbell Falls
- Waterfall Location: Camp Creek State Park in
- Trail Length: 3/10 mile
- Trail Difficulty: easy (wide gravel road)
- Waterfall Height: 15 feet
- Dog Friendly: Yes
Also located in Camp Creek State Park, Campbell Falls is a beautiful, 15-foot-tall staircase waterfall with a large pool at its base.
To reach Campbell Falls, follow Camp Creek Road to the Blue Jay Campground.
Once parked, continue down the wide gravel road about 3/10 miles until you reach the falls. The trail is easy enough for most people to navigate. You could even push an off-road stroller or wagon along the trail.
Good to know: Campbells Falls has a large pool at the base of the falls that is perfect for fishing and swimming, so don’t forget your gear!
Brush Creek Falls
- Waterfall Location: Brush Creek Preserve in Athens, WV
- Trail Length: 1/4 mile
- Trail Difficulty: easy side of moderate
- Waterfall Height: 30 feet
- Dog Friendly: Yes
This Mercer County waterfall is one of the most popular swimming locations near Princeton. Located in the Brush Creek Preserve in Athens, WV, Brush Creek Falls is a 30-foot-tall waterfall with a large pool at the bottom.
The trail to the waterfall is located on Brush Creek Falls Road, about a half-mile off Eads Mill Road. The trailhead is located just across the bridge next to the small pavilion. Parking is limited, and this is a very popular spot. We arrived later in the afternoon (around 4 o’clock) and were lucky enough to secure a spot.
The trail to Brush Creek Falls is about a quarter-mile long but steep and rocky in sections. We completed the trail wearing sandals and Crocs with no difficulty. Once you reach the falls, a narrow, steep trail leads to the rocks at the base.
Good to know: It is very rocky surrounding the pool at the waterfall.
White Oak Creek Falls
- Waterfall Location: Brush Creek Preserve in Athens, WV
- Trail Length: 1.75 miles (3.5 miles out-and-back)
- Trail Difficulty: easy side of moderate
- Waterfall Height: unknown but guesstimated around 150 feet
- Dog Friendly: Yes
If you are already visiting Brush Creek Falls, you might want to continue down the trail to White Oak Creek Falls.
The trail to White Oak Falls is the same as Brush Creek Falls. You’ll have to continue another 1.5 miles past Brush Creek Falls to find White Oak Creek Falls. The height of this waterfall is unknown, but some visitors guess it is close to 130-200 feet tall.
There are several cascades along this waterfall. The top might be difficult to see from the trail.
Wolf Creek Falls
- Waterfall Location: US Hwy 19/ Beckley Road in Spanishburg, WV
- Trail Length: n/a
- Trail Difficulty: n/a
- Waterfall Height: 30 feet
- Dog Friendly: Yes
Wolf Creek Falls is the only waterfall on this list without a dedicated trail. To see it, you’ll have to pull off on the side of US Hwy 19, not far from Wolf Creek Road in Spanishburg, WV.
Walk about 10 feet south from the pull-off area to get a decent view of the 30-foot-high falls. It’s hard to see the waterfall through the tree leaves in the summer months. But I would guess winter and early spring would be a great time to see it!
Other Things to Do Near Mercer County
There are plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors in Mercer County, West Virginia. We loved climbing the short trail to the overlook at Pinnacle Rock State Park. You can also go off-roading along the Hatfield-McCoy Trails.
Wrapping Up Mercer County Waterfalls
We had fun driving around Mercer County, West Virginia, to see all of the beautiful waterfalls in the area. Even though there hadn’t been much rain recently, the waterfalls were all still fun to see. I can only imagine how much more amazing they are after a good rainfall or in the early spring after the snow melts.
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