Twin Falls State Resort Park: Falls, Hemlock, and Cliffside Trails (Blog Hike #120)

Trails: Falls, Hemlock, and Cliffside Trails

Hike Location: Twin Falls State Resort Park

Geographic Location: southwest of Beckley, WV (37.62017, -81.45757)

Length: 7.6 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate)

Dates Hiked: June 2002, June 2014

Overview:  A long, fairly remote hike featuring two waterfalls and two overlooks.

Park Information: https://wvstateparks.com/park/twin-falls-resort-state-park/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=754021
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Beckley, take SR 16 south 3.5 miles to SR 54 and turn right on SR 54.  Take SR 54 14 miles to SR 97 and turn right on SR 97.  Take SR 97 5 miles to the state park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park.  Once in the park, proceed 1 mile and bear left at the first intersection, then take a soft right following signs for the Falls trailhead.  The blacktop road is gated at a cul de sac in 0.2 miles.  Park in the cul de sac, making sure not to block the gate.  The trail begins at the gate.

The hike: If you look at a list of facilities that are contained within Twin Falls State Resort Park, you would never guess the seclusion this park can offer.  The park features a 64 room lodge, restaurant, 18-hole golf course, swimming pool, amphitheater, museum, several picnic shelters, and a fair-sized campground.  Yet, even with all of the amenities, the park’s out-of-way location, not near any large cities or interstates, makes the volume of visitors comparatively light.

The trails of this park are not as famous as those in nearby New River Gorge National River, but the hiking is no less enjoyable.  In fact, the relative seclusion can make these 19 miles of trails in this park even more inviting.  The scenery is as good as the nearby river, albeit different.  The deep gorge and sweeping views are replaced by pretty waterfalls and nice rock outcrops.

The hike described here takes you past much of the best scenery in the park.  It is a combination of three trails.  The Falls Trail is a short loop taking you past the two waterfalls that gave this park its name.  The Hemlock Trail is a creekside path that follows an old road uphill to the campground.  The most difficult trail described here is the Cliffside Trail, which leads downhill from the campground to a pair of overlooks along the Brushy Fork Ravine.

Falls Trail trailhead in the rain

            Begin by proceeding around the vehicle gate and beginning the Falls Trail.  All trails in this park are well-marked, including this one with plastic yellow diamonds.  In 0.2 miles the trail comes to Marsh Fork Falls, the first of two waterfalls.  This 50-foot spout waterfall is approached from the upstream side and can be viewed from the gorge rim by looking downhill to the right.  A steep manway leads downhill for a view from the falls base.

Marsh Fork Falls

            Back at the top of the falls, the trail splits to form a loop.  I recommend following the right option, as this will lead you past the second waterfall and provide the fastest connection to the Hemlock Trail.  Remaining in the young forest, the trail follows an old rocky road as it gently descends with the creek constantly visible on the right.  The trail gradually curves left around the end of the ridge and soon the second waterfall, Black Fork Falls, comes into view on the right.  This is another 50-foot spout waterfall (hence the name twin falls), but the view from the trail is blocked largely by foliage in the warmer months.  Be careful descending for a better view, as the hillside is very steep.

Shortly after passing the second falls, the Falls Trail makes a sharp turn left, while the blue-blazed Hemlock Trail goes right to cross the creek on stepping stones.  At first, the Hemlock Trail stays in the creekbed, so this section could be impassible after a heavy rain.  If the water is knee-high or higher, do not attempt to wade it.  The first few hundred feet are extremely rocky, but soon the trail leaves the creekbed and curves right to begin following an old logging road.  This turn could be missed, so watch for the blazes.

For the next 1.25 miles, the trail follows a small tributary of Brushy Fork, passing through the dense and dark hemlock forest that gives this trail its name.  During this time, the trail gains nearly 300 feet of elevation from the creek crossing.  At first, the increase is very gradual, but as the creek becomes narrower and the ravine tightens, the last 100 yards to the campground are steeper.  The Hemlock Trail ends at a gate along a campground road beside a campground picnic area.  The unoccupied picnic tables of the campground provide ample rest after the climb.

Hemlock Trail

            Turn right on the campground road and continue straight at the next two intersections.  Pass some restrooms on the left and soon arrive at the beginning of the red-blazed Cliffside Trail marked by a sign on the right.  The wide trail enters the young forest and assumes an easy ridgetop course that would be spectacular for fall foliage hiking.  Brushy Fork Ravine is ahead, and the ravine you just climbed out of is on the right.

Hiking the Cliffside Trail

            In 1.1 miles the trail forks to form a small loop.  This description will turn right here and use the left trail as the return portion.  Now at the end of the ridge, the trail descends very steeply to arrive atop Canada Cliff, the first of two rock outcrops that overlook Brushy Fork ravine.  At present day, not a sign of human interference can be seen or heard from this location.  Imagine you are an early mountaineer viewing this land for the first time through European eyes.  How daunting the cliffs and steep, unpathed slopes must have seemed to someone in unfamiliar terrain, without the benefit of modern shoes, maps, trails, and equipment.

The trail turns left at this point and begins a steep, rugged, rocky course, with a slight net gain in elevation to the second outcrop, Buzzard Cliff.  The view here is similar to the first.  A rock gives a great place to sit and admire the view.

Buzzard Cliff

            Leaving Buzzard Cliff, the trail begins climbing uphill back to the ridgetop.  At first the climb is moderate, but the last couple hundred feet before the loop is closed is very steep.  Upon closing the loop, retrace your steps back along the ridgetop to the campground.  Assuming you did not arrange a shuttle at the campground, retrace your steps back along the Hemlock Trail (now an easy downhill cruise) and back past the waterfalls to your car to complete the hike.