Why is the water at Blackwater Falls black?

Blackwater Falls State Park is named for the falls of the Blackwater River, whose amber-colored waters plunge five stories then twist and tumble through an eight-mile long gorge. The black water is a result of tannic acid from fallen hemlock and red spruce needles.



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Nature-made swimming spots. If you prefer to get your toes wet in a free-flowing natural body of water, check out the swimming hole at Audra, or go for a swim at a lake or beaches at Blackwater Falls, Cacapon or Tygart Lake state parks. Be sure to check individual park pages for more information on hours.

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At least four deaths have occurred at the falls. In 1933, a local was accidentally washed over the Falls during a flood.

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The river is shallow, with an average depth of 2.5 feet. That means even though the river is tannic, or colored dark by nutrients that leach out of leaves, its waters are a clear golden-brown against a shallow, sandy bed.

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A favorite destination for canoeists and kayakers, Blackwater River offers opportunities for a variety of outdoor recreation. The river is one of the purest sand-bottom rivers in the nation, making this park a popular place for swimming, fishing, camping, and paddling.

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–The Smith River is the wildest and cleanest river in the country outside of Alaska — indeed, it is one of the cleanest rivers in the world. — The Smith is the only major undammed river in California.

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