Hike to Apple Orchard Falls

This is a easy hike perfect for cooling down on a hot day!

Description: Hike down to a 200 ft. waterfall

Time: 2 hours to complete the hike

Distance: 2 miles

Great for: Family-friendly hiking

Why it's a treasure: Get great views of the waterfall while cooling off in the shady trail

Check here for trail info: https://www.hikingupward.com/JNF/AppleOrchardFalls/

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Destination: Apple Orchard Falls

My husband and I are still not used to this Virginia heat. We had a really embarrassing moment a few weeks ago when our landlord brought the AC repair guy to fix our "broken" cooling system. When we told him we were setting the thermostat to 64 degrees and it STILL wasn't cooling down, he laughed at us. "You're in the wrong state." Yes, yes, we know that.

So when we wanted to go do something active in 95 degree heat, we seemed to be at odds with Virginia yet again. And the only thing we despise more than excessive heat is excessive heat with excessive amounts of sweaty people. Time to cross-off all the major hikes in the area. We ventured to Apple Orchard Falls, a moderate hike that was supposed to offer a lot of shade and some cool water features. It was IDEAL for these hot summers and seems to be a truly hidden gem.

We found the trail head by just entering 'Apple Orchard Falls' on our GPS (the hiking upward website takes you to a trail head that requires a longer distance, so beware of following it). The hiking trail was well-maintained and gently sloping. You actually start by descending, but the hike back up really isn't anything to complain about. The trail eventually takes you to a small bridge beneath a beautiful little waterfall. NOTE: This is NOT your final destination. Save your pictures for later, too.

First sighting of a waterfall on the trail. Make sure you continue down to the stairs for the main attraction.

As you continue to descend, you will come to a series of steps. These eventually take you to a wooden landing just beneath the main attraction: a roaring, 200 foot waterfall. The landing is a perfect picnic spot, and you can also climb on the rocks to feel the mist of the falls. (Insert don't-be-dumb-disclaimer here). You can really beat the heat on this trail too, as the entire hike is shaded by dense forest and the waterfalls really do cool the area. As an added bonus, the trail is relatively empty. We saw four hikers in total during our trip, even on a weekend. Not many people seem to know about this trail, but it's definitely one of the most breathtaking scenes in the area. Go see it for yourself!