Meadow Creek Falls: Hiding in Plain Sight
Searching for waterfalls in the New River Gorge, I�ve scoured mountainsides, bushwhacked rough trails, and scrambled over steep slopes to find them. Yet to my surprise, I�ve learned that some of the loveliest waterfalls in southern West Virginia are hiding in plain sight. Meadow Creek Falls, also known as Claypool Falls, are a good example. They�re right off a hardtop road and no more than four miles from an interstate highway. Yet, they remain �off the radar� so to speak for most visitors to the Gorge. To find this not so elusive waterfall, take I-64 to the National Park Service Sandstone Visitor Center at Exit 139 (GPS: Lat. 37.78320, Long. -80.89778). Then take the road to the town of Meadow Creek, which is a little less than three miles from the visitor center. When you reach a junction in town with a sharp left turn, bear straight ahead onto Claypool Road. Claypool Road is a hardtop road that runs along Meadow Creek all the way to the Town of Meadow Bridge. About a mile and a...