Elakala Falls, West Virginia

The photo above shows beautiful Elakala Falls at Blackwater State Park near Davis, West Virginia.  Photographer: Troy Lilly

These falls form as Shay’s Run plunges down a mountain ravine into the Blackwater River canyon. This view is of the first, and most widely visited, of a series of four cascades that make up Elakala Falls. It drops 35 ft (11 m) over a ledge composed of Carboniferous sandstone. Downstream, the resulting current and orientation of rock outcrops creates a whirlpool which is quite pronounced here because of the photo’s long exposure time. Photo taken in June 2009.

Earth Science picture.