Corbin, KY · Cumberland Plateau, southeastern Kentucky
About
Cumberland Falls earns its "Niagara of the South" billing the honest way. The Cumberland River spills 125 feet wide and 68 feet high over a hard sandstone shelf, a broad curtain of amber water in a steep gorge of southeastern Kentucky. What sets this fall apart is the light. On clear nights around a full moon, mist off the plunge pool throws a moonbow, a lunar rainbow, and this is the only place in the Western Hemisphere where one appears with regularity. The park publishes the dates each month. By day, an overlook sits steps from the parking area, so the classic view needs no hike, and short trails lead down toward the base. Come after a good rain for the fullest flow, arrive early to beat crowds, and check the moonbow schedule (plus the weather) before a night visit, since clear skies are the whole show.
Highlights
68 ft high, 125 ft wideOnly regular moonbow in the Western HemisphereMoonbow near each full moon, schedule publishedOverlook steps from the parking area, no hikeCumberland River over a sandstone shelfFree park admission, flows year-round
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