Crabtree Falls

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Crabtree Falls
Crabtree Falls
Location:	Virginia, United States
Nearest city:	Piney River, Charlottesville, Waynesboro
Coordinates:	37°51′3″N 79°4′42″W / 37.85083, -79.07833 (Crabtree Falls)Coordinates: 37°51′3″N 79°4′42″W / 37.85083, -79.07833 (Crabtree Falls)

Crabtree Falls is located in the George Washington National Forest in Nelson County, Virginia and is the tallest waterfall in the United States east of the Mississippi River. The name of the waterfall is thought to have come from William Crabtree, who settled in this part of Virginia in 1777. The waterfall is often credited with being 1,200 feet high (356 meters), but is likely closer to 1,000 feet (305 meters).^{[original research?]} Crabtree Falls is a cascading waterfall, with five major cascades, the tallest of which is about 400 feet (122 meters), and several smaller cascades. The cascade with a 400 foot drop also gives Crabtree Falls the title of tallest vertical drop in a waterfall east of the Mississippi River. However, the title of tallest free-fall vertical drop goes to Fall Creek Falls in Tennessee's Fall Creek Falls State Park.

There is a trail to the waterfall maintained by the United States Forest Service called the Crabtree Falls Trail. There is a fee per car for using the trail. A sign near the beginning of the trail claims that 23 people have fallen to their death from climbing too close to the waterfalls and warns visitors to stay on the trail.