Yahoo Falls Loop

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers

This is a popular route all year round but especially in the spring when the wildflowers are blooming or during autumn, when cooler temperatures and fall colors abound.

There are a set of steep stairs and a couple of creek crossings. Either wood bridges or rocks have been set up to provide access over the creeks. There are a number of trail intersections including with the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail.

The Yahoo Falls Loop trail provides access to spectacular scenery including the 113-foot Yahoo Falls. In addition to the waterfall, the trail is a great place to see wildflowers, towering sandstone cliffs, a huge rock shelter, and an outstanding overlook of the Big South Fork River.

The trail is easy with the exception of some very steep metal steps. This short, one-mile loop will take you down to, behind and back to the top of the falls. The trail actually passes behind the falls under one of the largest rock shelters in the area. As with most waterfalls in the region, water volume is significantly reduced during periods of drier weather.

Yahoo Falls is in the northern portion of the Big South Fork and is Kentucky’s highest waterfall. There are picnic facilities and scenic overlooks for families to fully appreciate the views into the Big South Fork river gorge.

The Yahoo Falls area provides a stunning variety of spring flowers on a short, moderate trail.

The Yahoo Falls site was originally developed by the U.S. Forest Service in the mid-1960s when the area was known as the Cumberland National Forest. The forest was renamed the Daniel Boone National Forest in 1968. The land was transferred to the National Park Service for inclusion in the Big South Fork NRRA in 1987.