At Sandstone Falls the entire New River tumbles over a sandstone ledge 1,500 feet wide, dropping 10 to 25 feet between wooded islands, and you can walk right out to it. It's the largest waterfall on the New, and a free, accessible boardwalk about a quarter mile long hops across the islands to decks facing the spray. The falls sit off New River Road north of Hinton; put the parking address, 4000 County Road 26, Hinton, into your map.
One thing trips people up. The Sandstone Visitor Center off I-64 Exit 139 has no waterfall, and the falls are 10.3 miles south on WV 20 to Hinton and then 8.3 miles up New River Road from there. Mix the two up and you'll add close to 40 miles of driving, so either head straight to the falls or plan the day around both.
Sandstone Falls vs. the Sandstone Visitor Center
Sandstone Falls and the Sandstone Visitor Center compared | Detail | Sandstone Falls boardwalk | Sandstone Visitor Center |
|---|
| Where | New River Road (WV 26), north of Hinton | 330 Meadow Creek Road, just off I-64 Exit 139 |
| Hours | Daylight, year-round; lot closes half an hour after sunset | Daily 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM; lot closes at 5:00 PM; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day |
| What's there | Boardwalk, observation decks, the Island Loop Trail, vault toilets, picnic tables | Exhibits, a 12-minute film on the New River, an inlaid watershed map, a native garden registered as a monarch waystation |
| Big vehicles | Not recommended over 25 feet | Medium and large RVs use the lower lot |
| From Fayetteville | About 43 miles, roughly 1.5 hours | About 40 miles, roughly 55 minutes |
The Sandstone Visitor Center, opened in 2003, is a good leg-stretch if you're on I-64 anyway, and the film is a nice primer before you see the river itself. The posted hours say 9:00 AM, but the park also lists modified hours of 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM from April 3 to October 31, 2026, so call 304-466-0417 if you're counting on an early start.
Walking the Sandstone Falls boardwalk
The boardwalk crosses two bridges onto the islands and ends at observation decks looking straight at the falls, with the roar of the river all around you. It's built for everyone: the Park Service calls it accessible "to all ages and abilities," with two accessible parking spaces at the start, and the park's accessibility page says it's "compatible with certain mobility aids." Along the way you pass the Appalachian riverside flatrock community, which "contains many plants that grow nowhere else in New River Gorge." Leashed dogs (six feet max) are welcome.
Want more? The Island Loop Trail is an easy half-mile circuit around the largest island below the falls, starting and ending on the boardwalk. It's hard to believe now, but that island was once farmed, grazed and timbered, and it even had a grist mill.
Can you swim at Sandstone Falls?
Admire it from the boardwalk. The Park Service is blunt: "The waters around Sandstone Falls are very swift and dangerous. Remain on the boardwalk or trails when visiting the falls," and anyone near the water "should always wear a life jacket." The rocks are slick and the current is strong. Campfires are prohibited from the main falls downstream to the lower beach, and hunting isn't allowed in the falls area.
How to get to Sandstone Falls
From I-64 Exit 139, take WV 20 south 10.3 miles to Hinton, cross the river, turn right onto WV 26 (New River Road), and look for the unpaved lot on the right in about 8.3 miles; watch for the sign rather than the odometer. It's a pretty drive along the water, but "the final portion of New River Road to Sandstone Falls is narrow with no yellow line and limited passing space," the Park Service warns, and vehicles over 25 feet, RVs included, aren't recommended.
Status as of September 22, 2026: Since April 1, 2026 the eastbound I-64 Exit 139 ramp has been closed "through late October, 2026" for the final phase of the Sandstone Bridge rehabilitation, WVVA reported. Coming from the west (Beckley), continue about four miles to Exit 143 at Green Sulphur Springs and double back westbound, which adds 10 to 12 minutes. The falls and boardwalk themselves are open. Check the
WVVA report before you go.
The lot is modest and fills on summer and peak-foliage weekends, so get there early on an October Saturday.
See the whole falls from the overlook above
The boardwalk puts you down among the islands; for the big picture, stop at the Sandstone Falls Overlook on WV 20, 3 miles south of Exit 139 (or 8.5 miles north of Hinton). A 1/10-mile gravel walk, rated moderate, leads to a view of the entire falls from 600 feet above the river. It's free and right on your way, so do both.
Brooks Falls and more along New River Road
On the drive up from Hinton you'll pass Brooks Falls, "the smaller sister to Sandstone Falls" in the Park Service's words: a four-foot drop spanning the 1,000-foot width of the river, with a Class III rapid. Brooks Falls Roadside Park has restrooms, picnic spots, river access and an accessible viewing deck, a good lunch stop. The Big Branch Falls trailhead is across from the Brooks Falls lot, 3.9 miles from the Hinton bridge.
The river here deserves respect. A swimmer drowned near Brooks Falls on July 6, 2026, Lootpress reported, and divers recovered the body the next morning. If you're going near the water, wear a life jacket.
Make a day of it, and where to stay nearby
Hinton, the old railroad town at the south end of New River Road, is the natural next stop, and it's where the Amtrak Cardinal pulls in; the Hinton and Sandstone day trip lays out the rest, and the getting here guide has the train schedule. Grandview, ten miles west on I-64 off Exit 129, pairs beautifully with the falls. Chasing more water? See the waterfalls guide, and if you're bringing the family, visiting with kids.
Sandstone Falls is an hour and a half from Fayetteville, so a night near Hinton turns a long day into an easy morning at the falls. The map here compares places to stay around the falls for your dates.
