Waterfall Hikes in Kentucky (KY)

1 Park
548 Major Cities
17 Waterfalls

to explore

Kentucky's waterfalls are chiefly found along the Cumberland Plateau and its escarpments, where resistant sandstone and shale form cliffs and narrow gorges, while limestone karst and river valleys farther west feed sinkhole streams and recessed drops. Most waterfall hikes are moderate, featuring rocky streamside trails, ridge-to-gorge approaches, and occasional backcountry scrambles, with a smaller number of short, family-friendly paths. The juxtaposition of plateau escarpments and karst drainage yields distinctive recessed and seasonal cascades. See waterfalls near major Kentucky cities .

Popular Difficulties

Moderate: 13 trails
Easy: 4 trails

Trail Types

Loop: 1 trails
Out And Back: 15 trails
Out And Back: 1 trails

Featured Parks

Mammoth Cave

Parks in Kentucky

A cascade of water pours over a rock ledge. Green foliage is in the background.

Kentucky

0 Waterfalls

0.0 Total Trail Miles

Flowing strongest right now in Kentucky

Updated about 1 hour ago

Ranked by live stream-gauge flow versus each waterfall's seasonal normal.

  1. 1 Caney Falls Strong · 45 cfs 88th percentile
  2. 2 Lick Falls Strong · 45 cfs 88th percentile
  3. 3 Stacy Falls Moderate · 6 cfs 64th percentile
  4. 4 Anglin Falls Low · 325 cfs 19th percentile
  5. 5 Drennon Falls Barely Flowing · 733 cfs 4th percentile
  6. 6 Broken Leg Falls Barely Flowing · 4 cfs 2nd percentile

Best Waterfall Hikes in Kentucky

Our top picks based on trail quality and scenic value.

Lick Falls waterfall

Lick Falls

31.9 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.5 miles 300 ft
Broken Leg Falls waterfall

Broken Leg Falls

48.7 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Caney Falls waterfall

Caney Falls

35.4 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Dog Slaughter Falls waterfall

Dog Slaughter Falls

30.9 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 200 ft

Drennon Falls

36.1 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft

Falls of Buffalo

45.3 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft

All Waterfall Hikes in Kentucky

Amos Falls waterfall

Amos Falls

34.9 miles away
Kentucky
Easy
1.8 miles 200 ft
Anglin Falls waterfall

Anglin Falls

13.1 miles away
Kentucky
Easy
1.7 miles 200 ft
Broken Leg Falls waterfall

Broken Leg Falls

48.7 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Caney Falls waterfall

Caney Falls

35.4 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Cumberland Falls waterfall

Cumberland Falls

30.5 miles away
Kentucky
Easy
0.4 miles 100 ft
Dog Slaughter Falls waterfall

Dog Slaughter Falls

30.9 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 200 ft

Drennon Falls

36.1 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Eagle Falls waterfall

Eagle Falls

30.3 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
1.5 miles 300 ft

Falls of Buffalo

45.3 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Falls of the Ohio waterfall

Falls of the Ohio

10 miles away
Kentucky
Easy
1.2 miles 50 ft

Irvine Fall

47 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft

Jock Falls

48.7 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Lick Falls waterfall

Lick Falls

31.9 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.5 miles 300 ft
Rock Bridge Falls waterfall

Rock Bridge Falls

39 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
1.5 miles 200 ft
Seventy Six Falls waterfall

Seventy Six Falls

42.6 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.4 miles 350 ft
Stacy Falls waterfall

Stacy Falls

49.8 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.0 miles 300 ft
The Big Falls waterfall

The Big Falls

29 miles away
Kentucky
Moderate
2.0 miles 300 ft

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Major Cities in Kentucky

Waterfall Hikes Near Louisville

963.8 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Lexington

321.3 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Bowling Green

99.7 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Elizabethtown

77.8 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Covington

40.9 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Georgetown

37.5 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Richmond

34.9 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Florence

32.1 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Nicholasville

31.4 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Jeffersontown

28.8 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Independence

28.7 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Frankfort

28.5 K residents

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