Listing correction
Cedar Creek Falls: Swimming Prohibited
Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve, Russell County, VA
Do not swim here
DCR's 2023 management guidelines state swimming is not authorized on DCR-owned natural area preserves. Plan hiking and waterfall viewing at Pinnacle, not swimming or jumping. This does not assert jurisdiction over all adjacent public river waters.
We previously described this location as a swimming spot. That recommendation was incorrect. We have removed it from our swimming recommendations, directory results, and swimming maps. This page remains available to correct that information for anyone following an older link.
Do not treat older directions, photographs, or reports of people swimming as permission to enter the water. Check the managing authority's current notices and obey all posted access restrictions, including any park or trail closures.
Cedar Creek Falls is Big Falls at Pinnacle
The archived road sequence and Big Cedar Creek description identify this destination as Big Falls at Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve near Lebanon. DCR's preserve brochure describes Big Falls where the creek crosses sandstone layers. This is a managed preserve, not the unrelated Falls of Logan Creek shown in the saved Google match. The old Lebanon town map point has been removed rather than presented as a waterfall entrance.
Plan a sightseeing hike, not a swim
The DCR management guidelines, revised 2023, state that swimming is not authorized on DCR-owned natural area preserves. This listing therefore recommends waterfall viewing and permitted hiking, not bathing or jumping. That guidance is not an assertion of DCR ownership of every adjacent public river channel. Neither tourism descriptions nor older swimming reports establish authorized water entry at this preserve.
Use current preserve access information
Driving and the waterfall approach
The official DWR profile routes visitors from Lebanon via VA82/Cleveland Road, SR640/River Mountain Road and SR721/State Park Drive to the parking area. Check current DCR notices and contact the preserve at 276-676-5673 about access and bridge conditions. The older brochure describes a suspension footbridge, but this review does not guarantee its current condition. Do not follow archived advice to cross a submerged bridge or assume an abandoned parking area remains a current trailhead.
Facilities and fees
DWR currently lists free daily access, on-site parking, restrooms and hiking trails. Confirm operational availability before leaving. An older DCR brochure mentions picnic facilities and pit toilets; those historical details are not a guarantee of today's services. No measured accessible waterfall route has been established.
Camping and habitat protection
The preserve brochure prohibits camping, rock climbing and collecting plants, animals or minerals. Stay on designated trails and take all waste home. The preserve protects rare species and sensitive creekside habitat, so do not move stream rocks, create bank paths or use ledges as jumping platforms.
Why the saved photos are not used
The available Google collection is for Falls of Logan Creek on Hayters Gap Road. Its similar waterfall name does not identify Big Cedar Creek or Pinnacle. No images, reviews, operating status or access claims from that separate site have been transferred here.
Visitor questions
Is Cedar Creek Falls the same as Big Falls?
The archived Big Cedar Creek name and VA82/SR640/SR721 access sequence align with DCR's Big Falls feature at Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve.
Can I swim or jump at the preserve?
DCR's 2023 guidelines say swimming is not authorized on DCR-owned natural area preserves. Plan land-based waterfall viewing, not swimming or jumping.
Is preserve access free?
The official DWR profile lists free daily access. Check current DCR notices and any restrictions before travelling.
Are there restrooms and parking?
DWR lists both. Confirm current availability; older brochure facilities and bridge descriptions do not guarantee present service.
Can I camp at Pinnacle?
DCR's Pinnacle brochure prohibits camping at the preserve. Arrange overnight accommodation elsewhere.
Are the saved Logan Creek images from this waterfall?
No site equivalence was established. The Google collection names Falls of Logan Creek on Hayters Gap Road, not Big Falls on Big Cedar Creek.
Official sources
Rules checked: