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My jaw dropped the first time I saw Brush Creek Falls. I couldn�t believe such a lovely, large, and accessible waterfall had escaped my attention for so long. The falls span the width of Brush Creek and are about 33 feet high. A few smaller drops precede the main fall. The Brush Creek watershed is substantial and supports good flow in summer. While it begins as a shallow, meandering stream, Brush Creek swells to river size and cuts a 400-foot deep canyon by the time it reaches the falls.  Brush Creek Falls Twenty-four acres surrounding Brush Creek Falls are now managed by the State of West Virginia as part of Pipestem Resort State Park. To get to Brush Creek Falls from the Pipestem State Park entrance, take state Route 20 south 4.5 miles to the town of Speedway and turn right onto county Route 3 (Brush Creek Falls Road, GPS: Lat. 37.45632, Long. -81.01005). After 2.7 miles bear left on county Route 3 and descend 0.6 miles into the Brush Creek Gorge. Park at the picnic shelter just ...

For 20 years, I drove within yards of beautiful Pipestem Falls, yet knew nothing of them. The falls weren�t on road maps or in tourist guides. The Internet provided scant information and very few photos. To add to the mystery, it was obvious that at one time these falls were a roadside attraction. A broad, grassed-over parking area, a weather-beaten picnic table, an overgrown trail, and a worn trailside fence mutely testified that Pipestem Falls was once a popular destination. Lower Pipestem Falls But that�s all changed now. The roadside parking has been improved; a road sign marks the falls, and brush obscuring the view of the main falls has been cleared. Pipestem Falls has made a come-back.  Lower Pipestem Falls To find Pipestem Falls (GPS: Lat. 37.5478, Long. -80.9596) drive 2.7 miles south of the Pipestem State Park entrance road on State Route 20. Look on the right for a broad, grassy area on the inside portion of a long curve. Parking is easiest at a wide, graveled patch at t...