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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Ripley resident Veronica Lewis says she’s visited 40 of the state’s 43 waterfalls that make up the West Virginia Waterfall Trail.

“I live in the mid-Ohio Valley and felt like I needed to get out and explore the state a little bit more and see what the different areas have to offer,” Lewis told MetroNews Tuesday.

Gov. Jim Justice recently added three more stops to the statewide trail. The trail originally had 30 stops when it became the first statewide waterfall train in the country, but it has been expanded to 43 over the past two years.

The three new waterfalls include Clear Fork Rail Trail Waterfall in Randolph County, White Oak Falls in Mercer County and Devil’s Sawmill in Clay County.

Lewis said she plans to complete the trail. After driving hundreds of miles, she said one of her favorite spots to visit was Twin Falls State Park in Wyoming County.

“You can safely walk behind Black Fork Falls and that was a really fun experience to walk behind a waterfall,” she said.

It took Lewis about a year and a half to visit the 40 waterfalls on the trail. She said early summer has been the best time of year to get outside.

“Some of the waterfalls tend to dry up toward July and August so right now is the best time to get out and explore West Virginia and see those waterfalls in person,” she said.

Lewis’ motivation for seeing the waterfalls stems from wanting to know more about the state’s natural beauty. She learned each part of the state is different in its own unique way.

“I don’t think we can appreciate the diverse landscape and offerings of West Virginia if we don’t get out of our own personal bubble and that was part of my encouragement in getting out and exploring the state more,” she said.

Lewis said her friends and family joined her on the trail. She checks in at each stop through the West Virginia Waterfall Trail passport. Those who are interested in registering for the passport can click here. Waterfall chasers can win prizes for visiting a certain number of falls.

More than 75,000 people, including visitors from all 50 states and 41 countries, have checked in on the trail since it launched in 2022, according to the Justice administration.

All 43 waterfalls on the trail are listed below:

  • Big Branch Falls
  • Blackwater Falls
  • Brush Creek Falls
  • Butcher Branch Falls
  • Campbell Falls
  • Cathedral Falls
  • Clear Fork Rail Trail Waterfall
  • Coonskin Grotto
  • Cranberry Creek Cascades Waterfall
  • Devil’s Sawmill
  • Drawdy Falls
  • Dunloup Falls
  • Elakala Falls
  • Falls Mill
  • Falls Of Hills Creek
  • Falls of Pendleton
  • Finn’s Falls
  • Flanagan Branch Falls
  • Glade Creek Falls
  • Glade Creek Grist Mill Falls
  • High Falls of the Cheat
  • Kanawha Falls
  • Little Whitestick Falls
  • Loopemount Waterfall
  • Mann’s Creek Falls
  • Marsh Fork Falls and Black Fork Falls
  • Mash Fork Falls
  • Mill Creek Falls of Hawks Nest
  • Mill Creek Falls of Kumbrabow
  • Muddy Creek Falls
  • Oglebay Falls
  • Parkinson’s Waterfall
  • Pipestem Falls
  • Sandstone Falls
  • Seneca Creek Falls
  • Sugar Camp Run Falls
  • Tucker Falls
  • Turkey Creek Falls
  • Upper and Lower Falls of Holly River
  • Valley Falls
  • Westerly Falls
  • Whitaker Falls
  • White Oak Falls