Crabtree Falls

Crabtree Falls is located in the George Washington National Forest in Nelson County, Virginia, and is one of the tallest sets of waterfalls in the United States east of the Mississippi River. The name of the falls is thought to have come from William Crabtree, who settled in this part of Virginia in 1777. The set of waterfalls is often credited with being 1,200 feet (370 m) high, but topographic maps show the total drop to be closer to 1,000 feet (300 m). Crabtree Falls is a series of cascading waterfalls, with five major cascades, the tallest of which drops about 400 feet (120 m), and several smaller cascades, all over a total distance of approximately 2,500 feet (760 m) horizontally. The cascade with a 400-foot (120 m) 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. Twenty-seven people have fallen to their death from climbing too close to the waterfalls.

• An aerial photo of Crabtree Falls taken May 12, 2009 by Greg Cromer - Virginia123.Com Aerial Photography http://www.virginia123.com