QUICK FACTS
- Location: Near Hacker Valley, WV (Webster County)
- Elevation: 1,810 feet
- Coordinates: 38.634997, -80.32522 / (38°38’06.0″N 80°19’30.8″W)
- Waterway: Left Fork of the Holly River
- Height: Around 12 feet
This waterfall, along with Shupe’s Chute are probably my two favorite waterfalls at Holly River State Park. I caught this waterfall just as the fall leaves were coming down, and it made for a beautiful scene. It’s not quite as tall as the Lower Falls directly above it, but it’s wider here on the Left Fork of the Holly River, and you have the ability to shoot from a wide variety of perspectives and angles with a little careful footwork. I especially like the layered rocks on the right side of the waterfall (seen in the second photo below).
Lower Falls #3 is located within Holly River State Park. I took Route 3 right at the entrance of Holly River State Park on the Hacker Valley side, and drove about 4.2 miles out Route 3. Keep in mind, this road does turn to gravel, although I drove in a low-clearance sedan and didn’t have any issues. Then, you’ll see a gravel road on the right side of the road that drops down that has signs for Shupe’s Chute and the Upper Falls, among other things. Take that gravel road for a couple hundred feet, and parking will be there. Park there, and head out on the trail! Upper Falls will be on the left side, along with the steep ascent to Potato Knob, while Shupe’s Chute and several other waterfalls will be on the right side. Head right and it’ll be only about a quarter mile downriver from Shupe’s Chute. It’s not a far walk at all and it’s almost within view of Lower Falls #2 – they are very close together.