This is one of my favorites in the region, and this is the first time I’ve taken the short route to get there. With the family along for Thanksgiving, this was a perfect hike to cap off a wonderful day. The creek has a couple slides and cascades along the way, but the scene at Dog Slaughter Falls is among the best in Kentucky. And, with the tail end of dry season, I enjoyed a 360-degree walk around and beneath the falls.
Read MoreThis is a must-visit for anyone hiking Kentucky. Known as the Niagra of the South, Cumberland Falls is a gorgeous, powerful waterfall and has all the overlooks to go with it;-) Here are the four developed viewing platforms on the Whitley County side of the river. More views can be had across the river from Eagle Falls Trail.
Read MoreThis easy little out and back is half road, half trail. While Vanover Falls wasn’t flowing on this day (toward the end of dry season), it’ll be rejuvenated shortly when Waterfall Season gets going in a few short weeks - typically mid-December through mid-Spring before sun and higher temps dry things out.
Read MoreThe cascades of Bark Camp Creek are a fantastic destination that can be enjoyed year-round. The hike follows the trail on the north side of the creek with rock walls and wet weather waterfalls lining the north side of the trail. Pack a lunch, pick a rock, and enjoy the view.
Read MoreThis is a beautiful creek and spectacular hike. Having visited in years past, on this day, the falls were flowing nicely during what is normally a very dry time of year. If ever in the region, this hike is worth the stop and be sure to visit Bear Rock that sits high above the creek gorge.
Read MoreI would normally skip this hike in the dry season, but with some nice recent rains, Bad Branch Falls was fantastic with Fall colors all around. This is a beautiful waterfall and gorgeous creekside walk leading up to it.
Read MoreThis was a short little hike to beautiful Honeymoon Falls in Pine Mountain State Resort Park. With dry weather leading up to our hike, the falls were far from peak flow, but are always worth a visit - especially on a hot Summer day where you can grab some of that all natural air conditioning.
Read MoreThis is a terrific hike on double-track trail through Big South Fork NRRA. Along the way, you get a gorgeous view above Yahoo Creek and South Fork of Cumberland River, the ever so tall Yahoo Falls, and Roaring Rocks Cataract.
Read MoreThis hike has all the best things that Kentucky hiking has to offer - a big view, natural sandstone arches, waterfalls, and playful streams. On a day with 13 different hikes, this one was the longest and best of the bunch. And wow did this trail have a variety of mushrooms!
Read MoreThis is a nice little treat in Northern Kentucky where waterfalls on public lands are scarce. And, while it is a waterfall in the lay sense, it is also man-made. The excavation work to create Doe Run Dam and the soccer field below the falls created Doe Run ‘Falls’. Regardless, it’s a very relaxing place to spend some time and unless there is a soccer match in progress, you’re likely to have it to yourself as I did.
Read MoreFort Wright Nature Center is a 16-acre city park that is home to Moser Branch Double Falls. This is a short hike, but loaded with wildflowers and the double falls make for a serene spot to sit and enjoy a break from the daily grind. I did a quick out and back, but other trails are available to explore.
Read MoreThis was a fantastic hike featuring an arch and four waterfalls. I was a bit late after recent rains (more than 24 hours earlier), so these could certainly have more flow closer to rain - especially at Nellie’s Falls. Horseshoe Falls is amazing, but Joe Ponder Double Falls steals the show. With the double falls in the foreground, Upper Joe Ponder Falls can be seen in the background on lookers’ right. Simply amazing!
Read MoreShort on daylight, I opted to hike Horseshoe Falls as a quick out and back. The trails were in great shape, and the falls were running beautifully. While the pics give you an inkling to the totality of these falls, its far, far better in person when you can see the full view from top to bottom.
Read MoreThis hike had been on my list for a number of months - it was just a matter of timing. Whittleton Arch Falls is the coolest waterfall on marked trail in Red River Gorge. The catch, of course, is you have to be there at the right time. With saturated ground conditions, local flooding, and some heavy overnight rain, it was a perfect day for a visit!
Read MoreThis was the perfect hike to enjoy some long-awaited snowfall and take full advantage of waterfall season! This loop features Vanover Falls and the snow-covered rhododendron really set off an unnamed waterfall we came across in the second half of the hike.
Read MoreThis was the last of four waterfalls we visited on this day. Though it was the least impressive, it was also a nice change of pace, as this felt extremely remote with deep leaf coverage on the trails and only one set of footprints were detectable at the cascade. That said, we had a lot of fun on this short loop - especially in crossing the streams by hopping rocks and balancing on downed trees.
Read MoreThis is a fantastic waterfall with a couple added bonuses. First, it’s handicap accessible with a nicely paved path and sturdy observation deck with a terrific view of the falls. Second, there is a small hole in the rock near the edge of the top of the falls that you can sit next to when the water is right. This is probably the coolest thing I’ve seen in a long, long while.
Read MoreOf the four waterfalls we visited on this day, McCammon Branch Falls stood out as the most beautiful. I love the shape of these falls and while this is a very short hike, it had a rope assist on the descent to the lower falls to make it interesting.
Read MoreAnglin Falls is a must-visit waterfall! We thoroughly enjoyed the hike and ran into a couple secondary falls en route to the top. There was a nice mix of beauty, challenge, and exploration making for a great day in the forest.
Read MoreThis is a seemingly short hike at just over four miles, but it takes a good bit of time if you want to keep your feet dry-ish. Plan for a half day or more to explore this hike that is unmarked and has some challenging (sometimes extremely so) sections. The falls are beautiful and Hopewell Arch is among my favorites.
Read MoreFinding peace and happiness on the trails of Kentucky.
