A strenuous 6.6-mile hike to a 200-foot waterfall in the Blue Ridge.
Free
Loading current conditions…
Apple Orchard Falls plunges 200 feet over layered rock in a dramatic setting within Jefferson National Forest. The hike itself is the challenge: a strenuous 6.6-mile round trip with sustained elevation gain and rocky footing, best tackled by experienced hikers with good conditioning.
The falls are accessed via either the Sunset Fields or North Creek trailheads and can be reached in combination as a loop, offering scenic ridge views along the way. Flow is strongest in spring and early summer when snowmelt feeds the creek; by late summer the creek may dwindle.
This is a destination for solitude and effort, not a casual outing. No fee or permit is required, and the national forest welcomes dogs (check current leash rules at the trailhead).
Peak season for flow is spring and early summer; expect higher trails use during warm weekends and holidays.
3–4 hours
You prefer short, easy walks; the trail is steep and unrelenting.
Free
Via a 6.6-mile round-trip trail rated strenuous by the managing agency.
We track 13 waterfalls in Blue Ridge Highlands VA.
There is 1 other waterfall we track in Botetourt County. All Blue Ridge Highlands VA waterfalls →
fs.usda.gov
USDA Forest Service GWJ trail page and USFS wildflower-viewing page (fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/regions/southern/AppleOrchardFalls), checked 2026-09-03, which states falls height as 200 ft; coordinates are the Sunset Fields/North Creek trailhead endpoints given on the trail page; no closure alert found for this trail on the forest's alerts page as of check date.
Checked September 2026.