Lewis Falls Trail

Lewis Falls Trail is a wooded circuit from Big Meadows Amphitheater to an elevated view of the waterfall, returning by the Appalachian Trail. The connected mapped route is about 2.8 miles; published figures run as high as 3.3, so plan for about three miles. Allow around four hours for the climb, rough footing, and time at the falls.

From the amphitheater, take the short downhill link to the Appalachian Trail, then turn onto the blue-blazed Lewis Falls Trail. It winds down the slope through shade, ferns, moss and rock, with a couple of early openings toward the Shenandoah Valley. The route gets steeper and rougher as it drops into the creek ravine. Watch your footing around loose stone and rock outcrops.

A short spur leads to the viewing platform above the 81-foot drop. Water can divide into two streams, and its flow varies, so the falls may look slimmer in a dry spell. The last approach crosses a small stream and includes slick rock. The platform is the viewpoint; there is no hiking route to the base, and climbing the waterfall rocks is dangerous.

Return to the Falls Trail and continue to the fire-road junction; after a brief stretch on the road, take the Appalachian Trail uphill to the amphitheater. This return is smoother than the falls descent but still climbs steadily. West-facing rock openings look across the valley toward Tanners Ridge and the farther Massanutten ridges. The cliff’s hard Catoctin rock above more easily eroded monzodiorite helps explain why the creek has a high drop here.