There is something magical about a waterfall hike in the rain. On my summer visit to Princess Falls in McCreary County, the sound of water was everywhere: the river rushing over rapids below, the rain steadily thrumming the canopy overhead, gravity pulling small creeks downhill across boulders. It was like being immersed in a stream, a part of the watery landscape.
The creek cascaded and murmured beside the trail I walked up to my destination. Within moments, I began to hear the quiet roar of the waterfall. My trail buddy and I descended to the pool to explore the acoustics of the nearby rock shelter and navigate across the creek while attempting, unsuccessfully, to keep our feet dry. Finally, we lay a cloth on the rock slab bench, poised with a perfect view of the falls, sat down, and drank in the scenery and sounds.
Kentucky, the 37th-largest state, has more miles of running water than any other state except Alaska. While the Commonwealth’s liquid wealth has long harbored a thriving lake culture, our waterfalls, as a whole, have been less celebrated.
That is changing. A behind-the-scenes waterfall community seeks out new cataracts and celebrates those that are already known. An online waterfall database, kywaterfalls.com/dir/, lists more than 1,175 confirmed sites in the state, and the list grows every year.
Database organizer and photographer Bill Fultz first fell in love with waterfalls 20 years ago. He recommends Kentucky as a great state for waterfall enthusiasts, especially the southern and eastern parts, which hold more than 800 of them.
“You can visit the same falls over and over again, and they are never the same,” Fultz said.
The Kentucky Wildlands (explorekywildlands.com), a regional tourism initiative, has created a Waterfall Trail stretching from Clinton County on the Tennessee border to Carter County in the northeast. Based in Somerset, The Kentucky Wildlands showcases the beauty and heritage of 41 counties in the southern and eastern parts of the Commonwealth. The 17 falls on the Trail inspired the following suggested itineraries of waterfall explorations.
Know Before You Go
- Waterfall seekers should do research to understand each waterfall trail’s level of difficulty, guidelines and the trail conditions during the time they plan to visit.
- A number of these waterfalls are rain dependent. Check recent precipitation totals before setting out for ultimate viewing.
- Each season has different benefits for the waterfall explorer. Consider going in the winter, when falls can freeze and crystallize, or in early springtime to enjoy a full water flow and ephemeral wildflowers.
- Be respectful of guidelines set by the destinations’ landowners. For example, State Nature Preserves (Anglin Falls, Cumberland Falls and Bad Branch Falls) permit foot traffic on established trails only, do not allow pets, and prohibit visitors from collecting any plants, rocks or artifacts.
- Explorers can visit more than one of these stunning sites on a single trip to a particular area. The following trips group these waterfalls by proximity.
TRIP ONE
Cumberland Falls, Eagle Falls & Dog Slaughter Falls
Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
This is the most iconic falls in Kentucky and for good reason: More than 3,500 cubic feet of water flow over this precipice every second. Known as the Niagara of the South, it is the widest cascade in the state at 125 feet. Thanks to the Kentucky State Parks system, it is also one of the most accessible, with wide paved trails leading to top, side and bottom views. A big draw here is the moonbow, which lucky visitors can view in the mist on clear, full-moon nights. This phenomenon occurs consistently in only two places in the world, the other location being Victoria Falls on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border.
Eagle Falls
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
This is a must-do trail for hikers who can handle a moderate, 3-mile round-trip trek. The first section hugs a cliff that hovers above Cumberland Falls. Hikers can feel its powerful surge, hear the thundering roar, feel the wind-blown spray, and may experience a touch of vertigo while peering down at the quickly moving river. Passing beside calmer water, the trail has ups and downs, including a series of stairs down to near-water level. Boulder hopping on the rocky shore leads to a small opening, where the picturesque 44-foot Eagle Falls enters a pool on its downhill voyage to the river.
Dog Slaughter Falls
Daniel Boone National Forest
Lovely Dog Slaughter Falls has at least three access points: off the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail from Cumberland Falls State Resort Park and from two trailheads on Forest Service Road 195. The shortest hike is about 2.5 miles round trip. The trail follows Dog Slaughter Creek, lined with rhododendrons and boulders, until it enters a natural cove with the 15-foot falls pouring into a scenic pool.
TRIP TWO
Yahoo Falls, Princess Falls & Vanhook Falls
Yahoo Falls
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
At 113 feet, Yahoo Falls is one of the tallest in the state. A 1-mile loop trail, which climbs and descends numerous stairs, accesses a network of paths that reach the base of the falls and overlooks at the top. It also passes through a rock shelter behind the water—impressive on its own and for its viewpoint of the falls.
Princess Falls
Daniel Boone National Forest
Hikers reach this cascade on Lick Creek Trail #631 and can access it from both ends of the route. The longer is a 3.3-mile one-way hike from the Lick Creek Trailhead. The shorter is a 1.25-mile one-way hike on the Sheltowee Trace, Section 33, starting at Yamacraw Bridge. The trail is relatively easy, and, as a bonus, Lick Creek Falls—not on the official Kentucky Wildlands Waterfall Trail—is 1.5 miles farther from the bridge on Lick Creek Falls Trail.
Vanhook Falls
Daniel Boone National Forest
While the final destination of this nearly 5-mile round-trip hike is the Vanhook Falls, hikers shouldn’t rush and miss the scenery along the way. It passes by a slot canyon, interesting rock formations and at least five other falls. With a drop of around 40 feet, Vanhook Falls plummets into a sandstone cathedral. Sheltowee Trace, Section 26, is considered to be one of the most scenic hikes in the state.
TRIP THREE
Creation Falls & Whittleton Arch Falls
Creation Falls
Rock Bridge Trail is a moderate 1.25-mile loop through a hemlock ravine that is great for family hikes. The bridge is the only arch in the Gorge to cross a body of water. The trail winds along the creek, including the pretty cascade of Creation Falls farther upstream. Visitors should keep in mind this trail is in the Clifty Wilderness, and group size is restricted to 10 people.
Whittleton Arch Falls
This longer but mostly level route traveling 5.25 miles out and back begins on the Sheltowee Trace from the Whittleton Campground in Natural Bridge State Resort Park. After a good rain, a stream rushes over Whittleton Arch. Explorers also can go under the arch for a view from behind the falls.
TRIP FOUR
Anglin Falls & Flat Lick Falls
Anglin Falls
John B. Stephenson Memorial Forest
This lovely State Nature Preserve, owned by Berea College, has a 1.7-mile round-trip trail to 75-foot Anglin Falls. The hike passes through a peaceful forested gorge and is considered moderate because of some rocky, uneven terrain.
Flat Lick Falls
Flat Lick Falls Recreational and Scenic Area
This 28-foot falls tumbles into a large pool that is perfect for swimming on a hot summer day. The parking lot is close to the top of the waterfall and a short paved path leads to a wheelchair-accessible viewing platform. A half-mile hiking trail winds through a section of the forest and up the creek to the base of the falls. The park also offers camping, a picnic shelter and 4 miles of additional trails. Please note that jumping off the top of the falls is labeled as very dangerous and possibly fatal.
TRIP FIVE
Seventy Six Falls & Mill Springs Falls
Seventy Six Falls
Clinton County
This small recreation area, which is maintained by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, is a popular spot for kayaking, swimming and picnicking. A short wheelchair-accessible trail leads to the top of the falls, where Indian Creek tumbles 38 feet into Lake Cumberland. Seventy Six also is a popular destination for boaters on the lake.
Mill Springs Falls
Mill Springs Mill Park
Built in 1877, the historic mill and its 40-foot wheel were constructed at this site because of the abundance of flowing water. Thirteen distinct natural springs merge and cascade across the hillside before meeting up to form two 30-foot falls. A paved trail in the park, also maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, leads to the mill and beyond to the falls, though it can be steep and uneven. Boaters on Lake Cumberland can get a good view of the two streams.
TRIP SIX
Bad Branch Falls
Bad Branch Falls
Bad Branch State Nature Preserve
This waterfall is off the beaten path but worth the trip. The preserve is commonly known as one of the most beautiful natural areas in Kentucky. The falls is a 60-foot tumbler in the interior of a forested gorge on Pine Mountain. A relatively easy 1-mile, one-way hike leads to the site, with a more strenuous 4.1-mile lollipop trail leading beyond.
For more of Bill Fultz’s magical images of Kentucky waterfalls, visit www.fultzfotos.com.