City of Buena Vista County, Virginia

Waterfalls Near Buena Vista, VA

Buena Vista has 8 named waterfalls within 30 miles, 2 of them inside 10 miles. The nearest is Panther Falls, 4.0 miles southeast of town. Crabtree Falls earns the best visitor rating nearby (4.9 stars from 454 Google reviews).

Distances are straight-line from the town center. Driving routes are longer.

Photo of Crabtree Falls in Nelson County, Virginia
Pictured: Crabtree Falls, VA

Best Waterfalls Near Buena Vista at a Glance

8 Waterfalls Near Buena Vista, Ranked by Distance

  1. Panther Falls

    Buena Vista, VA · Amherst County · 4.0 mi southeast of Buena Vista
    4.4 (80 reviews)

    Panther Falls is the closest named waterfall to Buena Vista, 4.0 miles to the southeast in Amherst County. It ranks 2nd for review count among waterfalls near Buena Vista.

    Rating
    4.4 (80 Google reviews)
    Address
    Amherst County, VA 24521 (GPS 37.7071, -79.2889)
    View details Directions

  2. Statons Creek Falls

    Buena Vista, VA · Amherst County · 6.3 mi east of Buena Vista
    4.4 (37 reviews)

    Statons Creek Falls lies 6.3 miles east of Buena Vista in Amherst County, number 2 of 8 by distance. It ranks 4th for review count among waterfalls near Buena Vista.

    Rating
    4.4 (37 Google reviews)
    Address
    Amherst County, VA 24483 (GPS 37.7687, -79.2470)
    View details Directions

  3. Glenn Falls

    Stuarts Draft, VA · Rockbridge County · 15 mi northeast of Buena Vista
    3.0 (18 reviews)

    Glenn Falls lies 15 miles northeast of Buena Vista in Rockbridge County, number 3 of 8 by distance. It ranks 5th for review count among waterfalls near Buena Vista. Its own nearest town is Stuarts Draft.

    Rating
    3.0 (18 Google reviews)
    Address
    Rockbridge County, VA 24483 (GPS 37.9185, -79.1948)
    View details Directions

  4. Gibbs Falls

    East Lexington, VA · Rockbridge County · 15 mi north of Buena Vista

    Gibbs Falls lies 15 miles north of Buena Vista in Rockbridge County, number 4 of 8 by distance. Its own nearest town is East Lexington.

    Address
    Rockbridge County, VA 24472 (GPS 37.9482, -79.2689)
    View details Directions

  5. Crabtree Falls

    Nellysford, VA · Nelson County · 17 mi northeast of Buena Vista
    4.9 (454 reviews)

    Crabtree Falls lies 17 miles northeast of Buena Vista in Nelson County, number 5 of 8 by distance. It draws more Google reviews than any other waterfall near Buena Vista. 5 major cascades & a number of smaller ones that fall a total distance of 1,200 ft.

    Rating
    4.9 (454 Google reviews)
    Address
    Nelson County, VA 22976 (GPS 37.8432, -79.0745)
    Known for
    Crabtree Falls, uphill hike, elevation gain, slippery rocks, creek
    View details Directions

  6. Apple Orchard Falls

    Buchanan, VA · Botetourt County · 18 mi southwest of Buena Vista
    4.7 (50 reviews)

    Apple Orchard Falls lies 18 miles southwest of Buena Vista in Botetourt County, number 6 of 8 by distance. It ranks 3rd for review count among waterfalls near Buena Vista. Its own nearest town is Buchanan.

    Rating
    4.7 (50 Google reviews)
    Address
    Botetourt County, VA 24066 (GPS 37.5163, -79.5328)
    View details Directions

  7. The Falls

    Lovingston, VA · Nelson County · 25 mi east of Buena Vista
    1.0 (1 reviews)

    The Falls lies 25 miles east of Buena Vista in Nelson County, number 7 of 8 by distance. It ranks 7th for review count among waterfalls near Buena Vista. Its own nearest town is Lovingston.

    Rating
    1.0 (1 Google reviews)
    Address
    Nelson County, VA 22949 (GPS 37.7888, -78.9075)
    View details Directions

  8. Blue Suck Falls

    Clifton Forge, VA · Bath County · 28 mi northwest of Buena Vista
    3.2 (9 reviews)

    Blue Suck Falls lies 28 miles northwest of Buena Vista in Bath County, number 8 of 8 by distance. It ranks 6th for review count among waterfalls near Buena Vista. Its own nearest town is Clifton Forge.

    Rating
    3.2 (9 Google reviews)
    Address
    Bath County, VA 24460 (GPS 37.9047, -79.8213)
    View details Directions

Where the Waterfalls Are

Buena Vista sits in or near the Central Blue Ridge and the James River Highlands area of Virginia. South of Shenandoah, the Blue Ridge Parkway follows the crest through the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Crabtree Falls in Nelson County is the highlight, a series of five major cascades and many smaller ones that together drop about 1,200 feet. Panther Falls in Amherst County is a swimming hole on the Pedlar River, popular in summer. Apple Orchard Falls in Botetourt County is a tall, fanning cascade in a cove near the Parkway, and Rockbridge County holds smaller falls in the hills around Buena Vista and the James River. Read the Virginia waterfall guide.

By direction from Buena Vista: 2 to the northeast, 2 to the east, 1 to the north, 1 to the southeast, 1 to the southwest, and 1 to the northwest. They are spread across Amherst County (2), Rockbridge County (2), Nelson County (2), Botetourt County (1), and Bath County (1). The average distance is 16.1 miles.

By Distance

Within 10 miles of Buena Vista

Panther Falls (4.0 mi), Statons Creek Falls (6.3 mi)

10 to 20 miles of Buena Vista

Glenn Falls (15 mi), Gibbs Falls (15 mi), Crabtree Falls (17 mi), Apple Orchard Falls (18 mi)

20 to 30 miles of Buena Vista

The Falls (25 mi), Blue Suck Falls (28 mi)

Nearby Towns With Waterfalls

Waterfalls Near Buena Vista: FAQs

How many waterfalls are near Buena Vista, VA?

8 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Buena Vista: 2 within 10 miles, 4 10 to 20 miles, 2 20 to 30 miles. Distances are straight-line from the town center.

What is the closest waterfall to Buena Vista?

Panther Falls in Amherst County is the closest, about 4.0 miles southeast of Buena Vista.

What is the best-rated waterfall near Buena Vista?

Crabtree Falls has the highest Google rating among nearby falls with at least 10 reviews: 4.9 stars from 454 Google reviews.

Which counties are the waterfalls near Buena Vista in?

Amherst County (2), Rockbridge County (2), Nelson County (2), Botetourt County (1), and Bath County (1).

How does Buena Vista compare with other Virginia towns?

Buena Vista ranks 14th of the 29 Virginia towns in our directory for the number of waterfalls within 30 miles.