Kentucky Falls Hike

Dogs Leashed

Features River/Creek · Waterfall

The Kentucky Falls Trail travels mostly downhill on the way in. After you travel less than a mile, you are greeted with Upper Kentucky Falls, a great waterfall. If you continue less than a mile and a half past it, you'll dead end at two even greater waterfalls which both crash over a cliff right next to each other. Kentucky Falls and North Fork Smith River Falls.

Trailhead vault toilet

Cross the road from the trailhead parking to pick up the trail which follows along Kentucky creek. You progress slowly downhill, then take a couple switchbacks and steeper descent to approach the bottom of Kentucky Falls. You continue a gradual descent and rocky section after the falls, soon crossing a small bridge, then a larger one that crosses Kentucky Creek. When you get close to the end, the trail begins another few switchbacks, now descending a larger slope to get to the bottom of the lower falls area.

You pass a junction with the North Fork Smith River Trail just before approaching the dead end at the lower falls. The dead end approaches a wooden platform surrounded by the wide cliff edge with the two waterfalls gushing over the cliff in front of you. Head back the way you came, 2 miles back to the trailhead.

Salal