State Parks

The Blackwater Loop Trail will allow visitors of Blackwater Falls State Park to access more restricted areas. One of these restricted areas is Pendleton Falls, which is located along Pendleton Creek below the dam at Pendleton Lake.

A Huge thanks to the Abandoned Mine Lands Pilot Program that will be funding this project! Jim Christie, designer of the loop trail and member of Civil & Environmental Consultants (CEC), says that the trail will meander along the creek through rhododendron thickets until it reaches the falls. Located here will be a cable suspension bridge; this type of bridge offers minimal disturbance to the environment, which is important with rare creatures such as the Cheat Mountain Salamander around.

The bridge will be strategically located to allow for optimal photography between the upper three falls and the lower falls. This beautiful section of trail will showcase the conifer forest, rock outcroppings, and dramatic creek along with Pendleton Falls as the main attraction.