Blackwater Falls State Park has been a favored destination for adventurers since the 1800s. The land came under the protection of the state parks system in the 1930s when the West Virginia Power and Transmission Company, which owned the Blackwater Canyon, donated 446 acres around a scenic overlook at the head of the canyon, including the falls itself. The park was formerly established in 1937. In 1955, the state began adding cabins, a lodge and fishing facilities.