Winter at Blackwater

Celebrate the winter season with a trip to Tucker County’s Blackwater Falls State Park. 

This story was originally published in the December 2025 issue of Wonderful West Virginia. To subscribe, visit wonderfulwv.com.

Written by Dawn Nolan
Photographed by West Virginia Department of Commerce

From the awe of seeing the evergreen trees glistening with frost to the growing anticipation as you prepare to conquer a blanketed hill to the relaxed coziness of a warm fire and a hot beverage after hours of play, there’s something truly magical about a snow day. 

With an average of 150 feet of fresh powder per year and elevations over 3,000 feet, Blackwater Falls State Park in the Allegheny Mountains of Tucker County is a dream destination that truly lives up to the phrase “winter wonderland.” 

“The park is beautiful year ’round, and it’s a great place to visit in any season,” says Superintendent Ben Leedom. “There’s so much to do here in the winter that I can’t imagine anyone being bored.”  

A History Lesson

Blackwater Falls became the subject of public fascination in 1853, when the Martinsburg-based journalist and artist David Hunter Strother published an entertaining illustrated travelogue of a hunting trip in what was then Randolph County, Virginia, in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine.

It would be another century before the 57-foot landmark cascade, its waters tinted by the tannic acid of fallen hemlock and red spruce needles, became an easily accessible public attraction. 

In the 1930s, the West Virginia Power and Transmission Company donated 446 acres surrounding the falls to the state, and Blackwater Falls was formally established as a state park, along with Cacapon State Park, in 1937—the eighth and ninth parks in the system. 

The first infrastructure didn’t come until the 1950s. The oldest structure on the property, the 1955 Pendleton Point picnic shelter, is still in use today. Twenty-five cabins were built the following year, and the lodge and its restaurant opened in 1957. Other facilities that date to that same time period include the Trading Post souvenir and snack shop, two staff residences, the riding stable, Pendleton Lake and bathhouse, and playgrounds. 

In its early years, the park attracted about 195,000 guests each year. “That has only increased,” Leedom says. 

Development of the park matched the public’s interest. The first West Virginia state park naturalist, local science teacher Harold Walters, was hired at Blackwater Falls in 1958. Soon, a 65-site campground opened, and work on the Sled Run began. The Wildflower Pilgrimage was introduced and is still held annually in May. Additions in the 1970s included a recreation building and a Nordic skiing center. 

And improvements have continued over the past 50 years. In 2022, the lodge underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation. The cabins and Blackwater Trading Company Gift Shop received extensive upgrades, a new camp store was added, and the Sled Run building received ADA access improvements. In 2023, the park’s boundary was expanded to include Douglas Falls, located on the North Fork of the Blackwater River, in Thomas.  

Today, Blackwater Falls is one of the state’s most photographed natural landscapes, along with Elakala Falls, Lindy Point, and Pendleton Point Overlook. Annual visitor numbers are higher than ever. “Now, it’s over 350,000—and that’s probably a low estimate,” Leedom says. 

The Longest Sled Run

Often called the longest sled run on the East Coast but likely the longest one east of the Mississippi River, the quarter-mile long Sled Run at Blackwater Falls State Park is the park’s star attraction during the cold weather months. Each year, more than 10,000 thrill-seekers take the ride.

“The Sled Run is an adventure for both kids and adults,” says Assistant Superintendent Joe Emmerth. “Once you purchase your tickets for a two-hour session and attend the mandatory safety briefing, you then get the thrill of riding the lift up and sledding back down as many times as you can within your allotted session,” Emmerth explains. 

While the journey down the hill is the draw, with sledders flying at speeds up to 25 miles an hour, the common drudgery of treading up the hill is removed with the park’s 1,400-foot Wonder Carpet conveyor lift that was installed in 2013 and smoothly transports riders back up to the top in approximately eight minutes. The lift replaced the old truck-driven tow rope system that had been used for quite some time.

That major improvement, as well as new snow-making capabilities and improved lighting added in recent years, has only increased the Sled Run’s popularity and the number of sledders who come each season, says Leedom. 

The Sled Run typically operates from mid-December through early March, with sessions Thursday through Sunday at 10 a.m. to noon, 1–3 p.m., and 4–6 p.m., plus night sledding under the lights on weekends and holidays from 7 to 9 p.m. 

 Tickets are $28 on weekdays and $33 on weekends—free admission for children five and under with a paying adult—and are available online in advance; reservations are strongly recommended.

Fun Beyond the Run

After a few exhilarating trips down the hill, shake off the chill at The Warming Hut at Sled Run with a beverage or something to eat before renting cross country skis or snowshoes to experience the rest of the park’s seasonal beauty. The Blackwater Falls Trading Company also remains open in the winter.

Blackwater Falls boasts 20 miles of hiking trails and 10 miles of cross-country skiing trails. However, for hikers who want to view the falls during this time of year, Emmerth recommends extra caution: tread carefully, as the park does not remove the snow past a certain point, including from the 200-plus steps on the Blackwater Falls Boardwalk Trail. 

The park’s Nature Center remains open year ’round with exhibits and family programming, while trout fishing opportunities are available within close range.

While Blackwater Falls has plenty to offer, even more adventures like skiing, snow tubing, and ice skating await nearby at Timberline Mountain, Canaan Valley Resort State Park, and White Grass Ski Touring Center —all within 10 miles.

“That’s what’s cool,” Emmerth says. “Some people come for the weekend and do both the Sled Run here and tubing at Canaan. And the towns in this area are small, walkable, and especially magical around Christmastime—they look like something out of a Hallmark movie.”

Getting Cozy 

If you’re planning to stay a few days, the park has a 51-room lodge, recently renovated and featuring an indoor pool, a hot tub, a fitness room, an arcade, a gift shop, and The Smokehouse restaurant. “It’s open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” Leedom says. “It has excellent brisket, pulled pork, and chicken, and really good burgers and salads. There’s also excellent buffets during most holidays, including Christmas and New Year’s.” 

Other accommodations include 39 fully furnished cabins—classic and vacation-style—and campsites for those looking for a more rustic adventure. “Some of our campsites are open year ’round, and we do have people that are all for that,” Emmerth says.“Keep in mind, however, that some of the facilities will be limited during this time of year.”

Whether you’re experiencing the Sled Run, admiring the frozen falls, or enjoying a quiet winter getaway at the lodge, you are sure to find something at Blackwater Falls State Park to warm your soul in the coldest months. “This park has something to offer everyone,” says Leedom. “It’s family-friendly, and it’s a great place to come and get away for a while. If you’ve never visited before, you’re truly missing out.”

Visit WVstateparks.com/blackwater-falls-state-park for more information on all Blackwater Falls State Park has to offer all year ’round. Go ahead and book your trip while you’re there—the falls are calling, and you should definitely answer.