Crabtree Falls
Encyclopedia
Crabtree Falls is located in the George Washington National Forest in Nelson County
, Virginia
, and is one of the tallest sets of waterfall
s in the United States east of the Mississippi River
. The name of the falls is thought to have come from William Crabtree, who settled in this part of Virginia in 1777. The set of waterfalls is often credited with being 1200 feet (365.8 m) high, but topographic maps show the total drop to be closer to 1000 feet (304.8 m). Crabtree Falls is a series of cascading waterfalls, with five major cascades, the tallest of which drops about 400 feet (121.9 m), and several smaller cascades, all over a total distance of approximately 2500 feet (762 m) horizontally. The cascade with a 400 feet (121.9 m) drop also gives Crabtree Falls the title of tallest vertical drop in a waterfall east of the Mississippi River. However, the title of tallest free-fall vertical drop goes to Fall Creek Falls in Tennessee's Fall Creek Falls State Park
.
There is a trail to the waterfall maintained by the United States Forest Service
called the Crabtree Falls Trail. Twenty-three people have fallen to their death from climbing too close to the waterfalls.
Nelson County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,445 people, 5,887 households, and 4,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and is one of the tallest sets of waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s in the United States east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The name of the falls is thought to have come from William Crabtree, who settled in this part of Virginia in 1777. The set of waterfalls is often credited with being 1200 feet (365.8 m) high, but topographic maps show the total drop to be closer to 1000 feet (304.8 m). Crabtree Falls is a series of cascading waterfalls, with five major cascades, the tallest of which drops about 400 feet (121.9 m), and several smaller cascades, all over a total distance of approximately 2500 feet (762 m) horizontally. The cascade with a 400 feet (121.9 m) drop also gives Crabtree Falls the title of tallest vertical drop in a waterfall east of the Mississippi River. However, the title of tallest free-fall vertical drop goes to Fall Creek Falls in Tennessee's Fall Creek Falls State Park
Fall Creek Falls State Park
Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park is a state park in Middle Tennessee, located between Pikeville and Spencer. The park spans the boundary between Van Buren and Bledsoe counties....
.
There is a trail to the waterfall maintained by the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
called the Crabtree Falls Trail. Twenty-three people have fallen to their death from climbing too close to the waterfalls.