Tucked away just a few minutes outside of Princeton, West Virginia is a quiet, beautiful, secluded state forest. With miles of trails, nearly a dozen old family cemeteries, and multiple campgrounds, Camp Creek State Park and Forest is one of the Mountain State’s best hidden gems. But, as wonderful as the camping is here, and as wonderful as the hiking is here, the best, most famous feature of Camp Creek State Park in West Virginia is the waterfalls to be found here – two of them in one park, and both delightfully easy to access. In fact, you can catch both the cascades in less than a single morning, with much of the day to spare for other exploring.
Start at the Camp Creek State Park office and Visitor Center. Inside, be sure to grab a copy of a park map from the pad on the counter! There's also a small gift shop staffed by friendly, knowledgeable park employees so that you can ask a question or pick up a snack or a souvenir of your visit.
The closest waterfall to the park office is Mash Fork Falls, and it's the one you can drive right to, so hop in the car and bear left at the fork in the road near the playground just past the office.
Mash Fork Falls is the smaller of the two waterfalls found in Camp Creek State Park, but it has a beauty all its own. Coins glimmer at the base of the falls, evidence of past good wishes from other visitors. The falls are visible from the parking lot, and the viewing platform is ADA accessible.
Once you've had your fill of this beautiful waterfall view, turn the car around and head back toward that fork in the road just past the park office. This time, take the other fork - it will be a left turn, with the office and playground on your right.
Follow this road through the rhododendrons until you reach a small parking area where the road ends at a gate. You'll need to hike now, but don't worry - it's only a short, smooth, all-graveled 0.3 miles.
And there you have it! If you were really in a hurry, you could catch both these beautiful West Virginia waterfalls in less than an hour. But why rush? Scenes like these are too beautiful - and too rare, these days - to hurry through.
If you do find yourself with some extra time here at Camp Creek State Park, don't miss the opportunity to hike one of the peaceful trails or connect with the past at one of the many small historic sites throughout the park.
