- Location: Near Douglas, WV (Tucker County)
- Elevation: 2,606 feet
- Coordinates: 39.120239, -79.520338 / (39°07’12.9″N 79°31’13.2″W)
- Waterway: North Fork Blackwater River
- Height: 25 to 30 feet
Kennedy Falls is the fourth and last waterfall along the North Fork of the Blackwater River near Douglas along the Blackwater Canyon Trail. It is a fantastic waterfall not to be missed but be warned, it’s a little tricky to get a nice vantage of it (described below).
This waterfall stands at 25 to 30 feet tall and is absolutely photogenic. The great thing about the North Fork of the Blackwater River is that there’s usually good flow along the river throughout the year and even in early June when periods of dry weather and heat arrive, there was still great flow when I visited it. There are four waterfalls along this river: Albert, Teresa, Douglas and Kennedy Falls. Douglas and Kennedy are the two largest falls of the four but are also the two you’ll have to do some scrambling.
To get to Kennedy Falls, head to the town of Thomas in Tucker County. Turn onto Douglas Road (Route 27) for 1 mile, and then take a slight left onto Rail Falls Road. The road will eventually be closed by a metal gate and there’s a gravel parking lot just before you reach that gate. Park there and then head farther down into the Blackwater Canyon Rail Trail (which is Rail Falls Road). You’ll go past Douglas Falls on the left first, which you can’t miss. About a quarter of a mile beyond Douglas Falls is Kennedy Falls.
Note: Though it’s not too difficult getting to the top of Kennedy Falls, getting to the bottom of the falls for picturesque shots is a bit challenging and will more than likely require the use of a rope that is provided to angle your way down the bank to the bottom of the falls. It’s not easy but is doable if you are agile.
