Within West Virginia’s Blackwater State Park there are numerous, beautiful waterfalls to visit, explore and photograph.

Elakala Falls, named for a love-sick Indian princess who, according to legend, threw herself over the falls, is the second most popular set of falls in the park and is a series of four distinct waterfalls along Shays Run as it descends into Blackwater Canyon.

Photos and location summary by Darron Franta

To reach the first set of falls - Elakala #1, I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 2 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). Reaching the other falls is increasing more difficult. 

Once you park your car, you will have a very easy five-minute walk along a well-marked wooded trail to the bridge that spans the first fall. Cross the bridge and the remainder of the walk will continue twenty to thirty yards further with an access point down to the waterfall. The climb down to the creek bed can be a little dicey, so take it slow and easy as the way is steep. You’ll likely want to hang on to the trees and exposed roots as you descend the well-worn path. Once you’ve reached the bottom, the rocks can be quite slippery, especially when there are wet leaves present.

The first fall you come to is called, Elakala #1. It is 35 feet high and, as mentioned, is easily accessible from park trails and is usually what people are referring to when they speak of Elakala Falls. The remaining three waterfalls of the series are immediately downstream and are progressively more difficult to access. The entire gorge is nearly 200 feet deep at this section accounting for the difficulty of the descent to the lower waterfalls.

This second waterfall, called Elakala #2 is 15 ft. tall and is the smallest of the four and can be reached with a little more work, but it will require navigating the slope, and many additional tree roots, rhododendrons and fallen branches. If you try and get to this fall, be mindful of your steps and be careful. It is more difficult to reach than Elakala #1.

The third waterfall of the series is the highest at 40 ft. tall and is extremely difficult to reach, as is the fourth. Reaching Elakala #3 and #4 requires navigating extremely dangerous, steep, rocky, and overgrown terrain and should NOT be attempted by out of shape, inexperienced or solo hikers.

This location is shot best with an ultra-wide or short/medium telephoto.

 This image was taken with a 17mm lens

What you will find at the base of Elakala #1 and #2 will depend on the water level. Typically, there is plenty of space to set up a tripod and get a nice view of the falls. However, after a large rain, there may be fewer options to set up due to the size of the runoff. In general, there are multiple locations in the front of the falls to shoot; right, center, left, low, and even straight-forward.

I would explore each to find the compositions that will work for you. The area around the falls is not necessarily small and I think you will want to use an extremely wide-angle lens to capture the entirety of the falls from the creek. Depending upon how close you get, spray from the falls can create problems with water on your lens. So, be prepared to shield your camera/lens and bring towels or micro-cloths to dry your lens between exposures. Also, always remember that as you move around to tread …

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xx°27'5.80"N xxx°50'16.64"W

2,900 Ft. Elevation

CLICK HERE to get driving directions to Blackwater Falls Lodge (parking area)

From Davis, W.Va. - From where the bridge crosses the Blackwater River in Davis, W. Va., travel 3.2 miles north on Route 32. You will then turn left onto Blackwater Falls Rd. and continue for 1.2 miles. At the intersection, turn left and continue 1.7 miles to the Blackwater Falls Lodge parking area on your right. Park in this lot and the path to the falls will be at the far end (south end) on the edge …

No need for any special photography equipment (other than a sturdy tripod and a polarizer).

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